BOOK REVIEW: True North: Discover your Authentic Leadership (By Bill George with Peter Sims, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2007 ISBN #978-0-7879-8751-0)
BOOK REVIEW: True North: Discover your Authentic Leadership (By Bill George with Peter Sims, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2007 ISBN #978-0-7879-8751-0)
This was the question Bill George posed in his in-depth study of 125 leaders drawn from corporations to not-for-profits, to the arenas of politics and academia. George was CEO and then Chairman, from 1990 to 2002, of Medtronic, a world class medical technology company. In this review I want to shine a light on three elements from this book that constitute valuable perspectives for managers.
The Crucible
His research revealed an interesting common theme. Most of these successful leaders had been powerfully impacted by what he called a “crucible,” a signal event or challenging situation in their lives that set them on a clear path of purpose. For example,
Of course, after their crucible experiences, George’s leaders did not suddenly turn into the effective individuals they are today. But their experiences did set them off on a journey. This voyage took them from what the author calls “I to WE.” For Nelson Mandela, it was during his long incarceration on Robbins Island when he realized that his leadership purpose, his “True North,” was not about the “I” of getting people to follow him but rather the “WE” of reconciliation for South Africa.
This journey leaders take has three phases:
Phase I, typically up to roughly age 30, is where we experiment with our style and learn the fundamental lessons about leading–and following–upon which our later success is built. A key lesson here, says George, is that leadership is not about amassing a bunch of followers who will support our glorious ascension to the peaks of power. Rather it is about empowering others on their journeys.
In Phase II, from about 30 to 60 years of age, we deliver our best and most active leadership. We are in our prime, having prepared ourselves to step forward and do some significant leading in whatever arena we choose or find ourselves in.
Phase III has us really giving back: coaching, mentoring and encouraging other leaders, serving on boards of not-for-profit organizations, and the like. This “I to WE” journey strikes me as the single most significant point in the book. It mirrors what most research in leadership and adult development has been discovering over the last forty years. A unit’s level of performance takes a quantum leap when the leader makes this shift in purpose.
Isn’t it ironic that the “hero’s journey” that a leader takes from “I” to “WE” culminates in a higher state of development where he realizes that it’s not about being a hero at all!
This seductive idea of being the hero can easily engulf a leader, unless she has a solid sense of her “True North,” the deeper purpose–beyond her own self-interest–that she is serving. When you think about it, this is true about all of life, not just leadership. The level of adult development of a leader, however, has a much greater impact–positive or negative–than that of most individual contributors.
The Internal Compass
Since Bill George uses the metaphor of compass direction, it comes as no surprise that he provides a compass to keep us focused on our own True North. From among the comments he makes about each of his five compass points, the following seem particularly worth emphasizing:
Self-Awareness. This is the foundation element in Daniel Goleman’s model of Emotional Intelligence. One doesn’t typically become self-aware, if ever, until middle age. But, without knowing yourself, it is difficult to know to what extent you are motivated by external symbols of success vs. deeper accomplishments beyond your own benefit.
Values & Principles. We don’t know our true values for certain until we are tested under pressure in life and are faced with making trade-offs between conflicting values. Until then, our espoused values are just words and honorable intentions.
Integrated Life. Become too focused on work, without regular exposure to family, friends, community, and so forth, and you risk losing touch with your deeper humanity and taking your leader self way too seriously. It’s not about absolute, equal, work-life balance. There are times when you have to shift into excessive work mode. Just make sure that, over the course of your career, you are experiencing and engaging fully in the personal side of your life.
Support Team. Helps keep you grounded. It can include family, friends, work colleagues, mentors, etc.
Motivations. The key, says George, is not to reject extrinsic motivators, such as money or fame or influence, but rather to balance these with deeper, internal goals.
So, why this book and what does it bring to managers at all levels?
The leaders whom Bill George interviewed and who have achieved leadership success all have some degree of journey behind them. They all are the product of their respective life stories.
Whether you are a supervisor, manager or even an informal leader, you too have lived and continue to live your own story. What events or situations have occurred in your life that shape your values and might help you identify a purpose as a leader? Or, at this stage in your career, do you in fact have a purpose bigger than what you will get if you hit your performance targets? Is managing people just a “job” to you? Or, is it more?
If you see yourself as a “leader” and want to develop into an even better one with a “True North” to guide you, these questions are worth posing periodically.
BOOK REVIEW True North Discover your Authentic Leadership By Bill George with Peter Sims John Wiley Sons Inc 2007 ISBN 9780787987510 - To learn more about this author, visit Ian Cook's Website.
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How do you become and remain an authentic leader?
This was the question Bill George posed in his in-depth study of 125 leaders drawn from corporations to not-for-profits, to the arenas of politics and academia. George was CEO and then Chairman, from 1990 to 2002, of Medtronic, a world class medical technology company. In this review I want to shine a light on three elements from this book that constitute valuable perspectives for managers.
The Crucible
His research revealed an interesting common theme. Most of these successful leaders had been powerfully impacted by what he called a “crucible,” a signal event or challenging situation in their lives that set them on a clear path of purpose. For example,
- Howard Schultz, the founder of Starbucks, saw his father lose his job as a delivery driver because he broke his ankle. Schultz strove to build a company that treated its employees well, with solid health benefits to boot.
- Ellen Breyer, CEO of the Hazeldon Foundation, a chemical dependency treatment organization–watched her father die from alcoholism.
- Oprah Winfrey had her epiphany right on her TV show. While interviewing a victim of childhood sexual abuse, Winfrey’s memories of her own abuse flooded out and, for the first time, she realized that she was not to blame. She shed her heretofore deeply ingrained “pleaser” approach to life and obsession with personal success. She discovered her broader mission: to empower people–especially women–all over the world.
Of course, after their crucible experiences, George’s leaders did not suddenly turn into the effective individuals they are today. But their experiences did set them off on a journey. This voyage took them from what the author calls “I to WE.” For Nelson Mandela, it was during his long incarceration on Robbins Island when he realized that his leadership purpose, his “True North,” was not about the “I” of getting people to follow him but rather the “WE” of reconciliation for South Africa.
This journey leaders take has three phases:
Phase I, typically up to roughly age 30, is where we experiment with our style and learn the fundamental lessons about leading–and following–upon which our later success is built. A key lesson here, says George, is that leadership is not about amassing a bunch of followers who will support our glorious ascension to the peaks of power. Rather it is about empowering others on their journeys.
In Phase II, from about 30 to 60 years of age, we deliver our best and most active leadership. We are in our prime, having prepared ourselves to step forward and do some significant leading in whatever arena we choose or find ourselves in.
Phase III has us really giving back: coaching, mentoring and encouraging other leaders, serving on boards of not-for-profit organizations, and the like. This “I to WE” journey strikes me as the single most significant point in the book. It mirrors what most research in leadership and adult development has been discovering over the last forty years. A unit’s level of performance takes a quantum leap when the leader makes this shift in purpose.
Isn’t it ironic that the “hero’s journey” that a leader takes from “I” to “WE” culminates in a higher state of development where he realizes that it’s not about being a hero at all!
This seductive idea of being the hero can easily engulf a leader, unless she has a solid sense of her “True North,” the deeper purpose–beyond her own self-interest–that she is serving. When you think about it, this is true about all of life, not just leadership. The level of adult development of a leader, however, has a much greater impact–positive or negative–than that of most individual contributors.
The Internal Compass
Since Bill George uses the metaphor of compass direction, it comes as no surprise that he provides a compass to keep us focused on our own True North. From among the comments he makes about each of his five compass points, the following seem particularly worth emphasizing:
Self-Awareness. This is the foundation element in Daniel Goleman’s model of Emotional Intelligence. One doesn’t typically become self-aware, if ever, until middle age. But, without knowing yourself, it is difficult to know to what extent you are motivated by external symbols of success vs. deeper accomplishments beyond your own benefit.
Values & Principles. We don’t know our true values for certain until we are tested under pressure in life and are faced with making trade-offs between conflicting values. Until then, our espoused values are just words and honorable intentions.
Integrated Life. Become too focused on work, without regular exposure to family, friends, community, and so forth, and you risk losing touch with your deeper humanity and taking your leader self way too seriously. It’s not about absolute, equal, work-life balance. There are times when you have to shift into excessive work mode. Just make sure that, over the course of your career, you are experiencing and engaging fully in the personal side of your life.
Support Team. Helps keep you grounded. It can include family, friends, work colleagues, mentors, etc.
Motivations. The key, says George, is not to reject extrinsic motivators, such as money or fame or influence, but rather to balance these with deeper, internal goals.
So, why this book and what does it bring to managers at all levels?
The leaders whom Bill George interviewed and who have achieved leadership success all have some degree of journey behind them. They all are the product of their respective life stories.
Whether you are a supervisor, manager or even an informal leader, you too have lived and continue to live your own story. What events or situations have occurred in your life that shape your values and might help you identify a purpose as a leader? Or, at this stage in your career, do you in fact have a purpose bigger than what you will get if you hit your performance targets? Is managing people just a “job” to you? Or, is it more?
If you see yourself as a “leader” and want to develop into an even better one with a “True North” to guide you, these questions are worth posing periodically.
BOOK REVIEW True North Discover your Authentic Leadership By Bill George with Peter Sims John Wiley Sons Inc 2007 ISBN 9780787987510 - To learn more about this author, visit Ian Cook's Website.
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Dianne CramptonDianne Crampton is an executive leadership coach, team culture consultant, author and president of TIGERS Success Series, Inc. Dianne has been helping CEO's and Executives connect their employees to their core values and goals for over 20 years using the trademarked TIGERS team culture process, which stands for trust, interdependence, genuineness, empathy, risk and success. To download a free white paper on behaviors that build strong teams and behaviors that will predictably tear them down go here. Dianne's contribution to the 2010 Pfeiffer Consulting Journal (an imprint of John Wiley and Sons Publishers) entitled TIGERS Hearted Teams is available in November 2009. Her new book TIGERS Among Us: 5 Winning Business Team Cultures And Why, Three Creeks Publishing will release in March 2010. To receive publishing discounts, subscribe to the free TigerTracks Newsletter here. - Visit Dianne Crampton's Website |
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George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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John BrennanJohn Brennan Ed.D. Dr. Brennan is President of Interpersonal Development, LLC, a training and development firm. Interpersonal Development has provided sales training and coaching to more than 3,000 sales reps from over 100 companies. A native of Australia, Dr. Brennan received his doctorate from the University of Rochester. His dissertation researched the effectiveness of Behavioral Modeling Technology in training people in interpersonal skills. While he has spent most of his career designing or delivering training, he was also a Vice-President of Sales of a training and development franchise with operations in 25 markets. Dr. Brennan has designed and delivered sales training in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. He has been a guest speaker at numerous national and regional professional conferences. When Microsoft wanted Best Practices articles on sales for their web site, they called Dr. Brennan. The results are at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011387391033.aspx His firm’s clients have included Volvo, The Prudential, Merrill Lynch, Eastman Kodak, Gannett, Equifax Europe, the Economist Group and countless small businesses. - Visit John Brennan's Website |
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John AlexanderJohn has taught keyword research and SEO skills to small groups of business owners and Webmasters from over 80 different countries world wide since 2002. John is also the Director of Search Engine Academy ; Co-director of Training at Search Engine Workshops offering live, SEO Workshops with his partner SEO educator Robin Nobles, author of the very first comprehensive online search engine marketing courses at SEO Training Online and the SEO Workshop Resource Center. I look forward to hearing from you! - Visit John Alexander's Website |
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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John PowerJohn Power, founder of Biltmore Franchise Consulting, has extensive experience developing and marketing franchises and business opportunities. He has been in and around franchising for over twenty years. From 1980 through 1990 he conceptualized, organized, and developed the American Video Association. He grew AVA to 2,000 national members, before selling the company it 1990. It was later merged into another home video marketing company. From 2000 to 2005 he worked as a contract marketing and human resources consultant to several local and national companies. In 2005 Mr. Power began working as a franchise development consultant on a full-time basis. Since that time he has helped more than three dozen companies initiate and develop their franchising program. He notes that there are many companies interested in developing a franchise program, and who need his specialized assistance. Mr. Power is a “hands-on” franchise consultant. He said, “I am the ‘nuts and bolts’ person who tends to the details for my clients.” Mr. Power holds a B.S. degree with a major in Marketing. See: www.biltmorefranchise.com You may contact Mr. Power at: jpower@biltmorefranchise.co - Visit John Power's Website |
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