Photoshop your life

Hi my names Brendon and I am an amateur photographer!

I am.very concious of my amateur status especially when my humble offerings are compared to those of friends and family with a somewhat more artistic and skillful bent.   

But the one thing we all do with the advent of digital photography is "pixel push".  For those of you not into photography, this is the act of importing the picture into a piece of software and tweaking it  to look better.  Sometimes better means more realistic and sometimes not.

Which is pretty much the choice we all.have on a day to day basis.  Life, not unlike your camera, presents you with an experience that can turn out dull, overexposed or just plain wrong.  Your choice, before saving it to memory, is whether to tweak it, delete it or let it stand.

Covey famously called this opportunity to edit an experience "the space between action and reaction." 

You cannot always control what happens in your life but you can control how you remember the event and the impact thereof on what you do going forward. 

So photoshop away! Sometimes while you tweak the picture you will notice something incredible that you didn't intend to capture but was there waiting to be found.

Have fun and enjoy 2014!

Transparent Passion

I have recently had the pleasure of renewing my acquaintance with an old scout master of mine.  This gent, has been at first glance been a rolling stone, working as game ranger, environmental engineer, project investment facilitator, and strategy adviser to some of the largest legal firms internationally.  All this while being a devoted husband and father.

Looking back at some.of my memories of some of the hi-jinks we got up to with him, from having blanks fired at him in a staged drive-by shooting to make a first aid incident, to hiking through the outlands of Lesotho in a region now covered by the Katse Dam, I can surely attest that any self respecting youth organisation in this over-cautious over-protective age would throw the book at him and slam the door behind his back. If we are to believe some of the modern pop culture and urban beliefs we should all be scarred and damaged by our experiences.

And despite that fact it is immediately apparent that even now, thirty years down the line he still has the respect of the men who he taught, mentored and led in his time as a scout master.  Why?

There are several reasons but what stands out is this. He always lived what he said. He had no double standards.  

He was larger than life and the role model all young men needed - the rough and tumble guy who was out there doing something that he believed to be meaningful to the greater whole.  He was human and undoubtedly made mistakes but he owned up to them.  Not as a martyr or victim but humbly acknowledging his role and accepting the consequences.  I believe that same transparent integrity is part of the reason he is now held in such high esteem internationally by his clients.  

If we look to the leaders we are exposed to today so many of them are afraid to just be who they are, and as a result they undermine their integrity with each and every action or statement they make, retract or reframe. As the leader no-one expects you to be perfect, but you are expected to stand for the statements you make. Next time before you make a statement or decision or assertion think this - Would I be willing to defend this in public? - and if the answer is no then perhaps consider not making it. 

Lighthouses and Lanterns

The Chinese have a saying about "Crossing the river by feeling the stones under your feet" (摸着石头过河).  It is not surprising that the sense of uncertainty that this describes scares most people.  You cannot see what lies ahead and your entire world knowledge narrows to the sensation of your feet and toes. 

As a leader in times of change we have two responsibilities, firstly to provide a vision of where to go,  a lighthouse if you will, that stands on the horizon and beckons to our people.  And while the air is clear that works well, but sometimes the fog settles in and while we still can see the diffuse glow on the horizon we can't see where to walk.  When that happens we can either let our people suffer the dips and turns of fate as they feel their way across  the river or we can be the lantern that shines and show them just that little bit further along the way.

 

Its hard to be the lantern though when you are only just feeling the stones yourself, but that is what you signed up for when you took up the challenge of being the leader.  And for all of us, at times we will stumble and fall and need someone else to bend and pick us up and help us relight out lanterns when we loose our way.  That's not a weakness but simply a good application of a little situational leadership

Don't be afraid to seek out that help when your can't see your way, and remember that however dark the night gets or how thick the fog is, the lighthouse is still there shining - it might just be a little hard to see at the moment.

Nelson Mandela - A Scout for the World

This blog is about a man who for me epitomises the spirit and essence of volunteering and offering of service to a greater cause.  Mr Nelson Mandela.  A little known fact is that Mr Mandela is the Patron of Scouting in South Africa, and for many of us around the world he is a living example of the ethos of Scouting.

Some time ago Madiba appear on Oprah Extract from the Actual show with editorial comment from Oprah and made several statements that just brought this to the forefront.

The first was when on arriving at the studio he asked the Producer what the subject of the show he was to appear on was to be so that he could be prepared.   The Producer was amazed and said "Nelson Mandela,  you are the subject of today's show."   As a man who gave of himself his whole life, he could not conceive that anyone would want to dedicate an entire hour to talking about him.  He was only doing what he saw as a task he undertook to do.  His humbleness should be an challenge to us all in giving service without seeking
or expecting recognition. We work for the goal, not for the kudos.

The second statement he made on the show was "You have a limited time to stay on earth, you must try and use that period for the purpose of transforming your country into what you desire it to be."  Can there be a higher calling for any person but to spend your life your time and your energy to do just that.  As volunteers working with the youth, we have the ability to change the hearts and minds of the nation and that is no small responsibility.

Pompeii

Some of you may have heard the lyrics of the song Pompeii by Bastille:

"But if you close your eyes, does it almost feel like nothing changed at all?

But if you close your eyes, does it almost feel like you've been here before?

How am I gonna be an optimist about this?

This resonates very well with most peoples experiences of large organisations and change.  The more you try to change things, the more you run into obstacles.  These obstacles might be structural, in that the rules don't permit the change needed, or they might be soft people issues.  The structural issues (rules) are generally easier to deal with as most organisation have defined protocol for the review of internal regulation.  The soft people issues are another matter entirely.

People resist change, and especially management imposed change, for a number of reasons.  Most of these reasons devolve down to a fear of the ramifications of change - What if I don't understand the changes? What if the changes take away my (real or perceived) power? Or worse what if it empowers me and makes me RESPONSIBLE?

Of course there is also the ostrich response of ignoring the change - I will keep doing it the old way and eventually the enthusiasm of the change champions will wear away and I will be left alone.

So as the leader how will you deal with these responses? How do you take the fear away and drive the team so that after the "change" has taken place you don't only notice how much the new is the same as the old.

Well, for starters, you need people to understand and be privy to the process.  When they understand the need to the change something, be it a rule or a process, it makes ignoring it or being fearful of the consequences harder to to justify to themselves.  Allied with that you need to be prepared to make the hard decision of pruning the branches that refuse to realign with the changes.  This is a challenge, as many times the people who want to ignore the change are the stalwarts of the organisation, those people without whom you simple cannot cope, or at least that's what they would like to believe. And yet if they are keeping you from moving for the benefit of the organisation you have little choice but to act or else abandon the change.

So next time you plan to change something in your organisation, be it from the bottom up or the top down make sure you are willing to carry it through - or anticipate a sense of Deja Vu.

Get out now!

When I look back at my days growing up in the scouting organisation I realise that while I learnt many technical skills in the Friday night meetings, the real life skills and growth experiences came when I was out in the bush, camping and hiking.

I can remember the nights under the starry African skies sitting around a fire as it burnt down talking and listening to others talk about life and their experiences.  There is something about a fire in the outdoors that encourages people to share their thoughts and lives in a way few other settings do. 

And in the rough and tumble of being away from home and the "restrictions" and excuses of modern snivelization we learnt how to stand up for ourselves, what mattered to us and what we actually were capable of - many's the kilometer I hiked when I was convinced in the morning I could walk another step. 

We also learnt independence and the strength of working as a team and how to balance them. And none of these lessons were learnt sitting being lectured to, they were learnt by getting dirty doing things and by emulating the role models we had.  Much of my personality today, and the parts I like, reflect elements that remind me of some of them especially the Rob Millard and Peter Wintermeyers of the world.

I often wonder how to recreate that openness to learn and safe place to experiment and grow in the workplace. What comes so naturally to children seems sometimes to be such a challenge to adults who are overly conscious of others' opinions.

As as the world grows and seems to be busier and faster, I wonder what our scouts (and more so other young people not fortunate enough to be involved) miss out on as we see less and less people making the time to get out camping and into the great outdoors. 

Whatever you do don't deprive your kids (and scouts) of this opportunity.  Make the time to give them the memories of smoke drifting up from a dying campfire between the leaves into a star speckled sky as you talk in hushed voices.  Those will be memories and lessons they will treasure all their days.

Leading in Crisis

Situational leadership dictates that you should employ the appropriate leadership style (or leader) for each context and group.

But in an emergency we all tend to fall back on our natural leadership style. You know, the one that we all have, like a favourite coat that we really shouldn't wear in public anymore.

So what do people you lead want in a crisis? They want to know you are there for them and that you have their backs.  Your team needs to understand that the solution is more important to you than finding a scapegoat to blame for the crisis. 

They need to understand that you will work with them to achieve the solution and take on any external pressure to shield them.  More than anything they need to believe that no matter how bad the storm.is that you see a way forward.  When they see you loose your way then they start to panic.

So how to acheive this?

1. Communicate the infomation you have about the situation clearly to them.

After all, anything you understand is far less scary than the unknown.

2. Have a plan and let your team understand the plan.

If they see a steady hand at the tiller they will be more.confident and trust you.   If you need to break down and rave about the situation do it elsewhere away from.the team.  And always have a plan b, c and d.  Only the very  simplest problems don't have unseen complications. Be ready for them when they arise.  And if you only see one choice you have blinded yourself to at least two others namely doing nothing and going crazy, and if you missed those what other options are there that you haven't seen?

3.  Never ever lie.

The only real currency you have in any crisis situation is your team's trust.  When you lie, even with the best of intentions, you undermine your credibility and everything further you say will be suspect.

4. Share the ups and downs

Keep the team abreast of the successes and setbacks in resolving the issue.  The openness adds to your credibility and the team may offer solutions you didn't see.

5.   Accept that you cannot solve all the worlds problems

Be open to the fact that some issues are bigger than you or your team.  Don't be afraid to seek support or input either from your team or from the right outsiders.

Ping.... Ping...... Ping......

That's the noise that has been heard every four minutes on one of the local radio stations (702).  Why you might ask?  According to the latest statistics every four minutes a rape is perpetrated in South Africa and this is part of a Lead SA Campaign to bring awareness to this horrific state of affairs.

So what does this terrifying statistic have to do with Leadership? The answer to that question is two tiered and speaks to the social context and the response and leadership exercised by people to these incidents. 

If we look to the social context we must acknowledge that most people, sociopaths aside, attempt to live up to the role models  that they see.  If the perception is that might is right and that the person with power (political, physical or psychological) has the ability to do and get away with anything, then what is the incentive to not take what you want and act without considerations for consequences that, in truth, are unlikely to arise. 

Underlying this perception and attitude is a sense of deep frustration.   It is often seen that in a group of people when they feel powerless to change their situation, and see no light at the end of the tunnel, they compensate by (viciously) exercising whatever power they can in their circle of influence.  The more disempowered the individual the smaller circle of influence becomes and the impact falls on neighbours, wives, children and those who randomly happen to be passing by. 

Consider how you would feel if you had no education, no money, no job and no reasonable way of changing any of those facts legally.  When society either directly or through its actions effectively tells you that you are of no value enough times you come to believe it and you no longer value other people.  The ramifications of that belief play a part in what we see happening with every ping.... ping ...... ping.

This context and frustration in no way excuses, exonerates or justifies any such heinous act. As a member of any society we have the obligation to stand for what we believe is right and value, and to speak out against the abominations that is signified by each lonely and intrusive Ping.

So how does social leadership come into play?   In stepping up to your responsibilities as a member and citizen of any society, you can display leadership in your daily life.  

When did you last treat every person you meet as a valued member of society? Not just because you needed something from them or because you felt sorry for them but because you truly believe they have a role to play and are of value?

   

And when you saw someone acting contrary to that belief how did you respond?  Did you turn you head and pretend not to have seen?  Did you close your ears to the cries and the scream and the condemnation?

To be a leader doesn't only mean standing on hill waving a flag, it means stepping up to your values and living them in your day to day life.    It means being an example, a role model - even in the small things.

If every one of us just impacted the lives of three or four other people in this positive way it would be incredible what could be achieved.   We all have the potential to be social leaders; it doesn't take any special skills or position, just self-belief and trust in your own values.

Every Ping on the radio is an indication of a opportunity to change things that didn't happen in time.  What will you do to stop the Pings? 

Do you treat your Members as Passengers in an Airport or as Family

I have the "pleasure" of travelling a significant part of the year for business and so have a unique appreciation of airports and their foibles.  Some of you who may appreciate some insights that one of Seth Godin's recent blogs triggered for me.

As a leader in an organisation that deals with youth in clearly defined age groups, there is a temptation to treat them as passengers passing through an airport, a necessary, but ultimately irritating temporary engagement.

So to paraphrase Seth, there are so many things we can learn from what they (airports) do wrong:

1. No one is (visibly) in charge. The airport doesn’t appear to have a CEO, and if it does, you never see them, hear about them or interact with them in any way. When the person at the top doesn’t care, it filters down to what the members / passengers experience.  What's worse is that when they get special treatment when they engage with the system they don't understand what everyone is complaining about.   Unless the management suffers the positive and negative ramifications of the rules they promulgate, how do they know if the changes they make are positive for the organisation.
2. Problems persist because organizations defend their turf instead of embracing and tackling the problem. The middle manager (DC) blames the operations (Group) people, who blame someone else, and around and around. Only when the member’s problem is the driver of organisational behaviour (as opposed to people attempting to maintain power or the status quo) do things change.
3. The organisational offering (think about all those little stores offering items no one buys in airports or in our case the Scout and Cub Programme)  is aimed squarely at the (disappearing) average of the market. People who like fancy luggage and expensive shirts never have a problem finding something to buy at an airport, but when can you find a package of panado’s or a toothbrush?   Apparently, organisations haven’t realized that we’re all lot more used to being able to get ultimate variation in offerings and have come to expect it from everyone.  The average Joe has gone and we have a million different people in his / her place all clamouring for what they need.
4.  Airports see customers, as sometimes does Scouting its members, as powerless transients. Hey, you’re going to be gone tomorrow, but the organisation will still be here, so your opinion is of less than any value.  Besides you are one of a hundred possible members/customers so why should we value you?
5. By removing spare capacity, airlines create failure. In order to increase profit, airlines work hard to get the maximum number of flights out of each plane, each day. As a result, there are no spares, no downtime and no resilience. By assuming that their customer base prefers to save money, not anxiety, they create an anxiety-filled system.  We take our volunteer base and try to minimise the people in our support structure and try to maximise the people who are supported by them.  We figure that a more efficient service support is “better” for the people on the ground, and sometimes lose sight of the comfort that is lost as we lost the visible people of the support structure for the groups on the ground.
6. The Organisational leadership is ruled by superstition and rumour, not fact. They often act without data and put on a quite serious but ultimately useless bit of theatre to support these. These rumours and beliefs become the reality of the organisation despite the glaring gaps between these and the facts on the ground.
7. The ad hoc is forbidden. Imagine an airplane employee bringing in an extension cord and a power strip to deal with the daily occurrence of travellers hunched in the corner around a single outlet. Impossible – it will never happen. There is a bias in most organisations toward the permanent and improved, not the quick and effective.  Why do we not delegate power to make changes and the responsibility for those changes that are made?  Could it be that we don’t trust the people we appoint?  These actions say more about the organisation than about the people who work in it.
8.  Everyone is treated the same. Effective organizations treat different people differently. While there’s some window dressing at the edges (I’m thinking of slightly faster first class lines and slightly more convenient motorized cars for seniors), in general, airports insist that the one size they’ve chosen to offer fit all.  We all believe in the fairness of dumbing down the system to provide the same standards to every member, but are the needs of a group that serves youth without parents the same as those of a group that has an active and committed parent body?  Does a group of members in the deep rural areas require the same support and systems that a group in a modern urbanised suburb does?  Clearly not and yet we insist on one size fits all.
9. There are plenty of potential bad surprises, but no good ones. You can have a flight be cancelled, be strip searched or even go to the wrong airport. But all possibility for delight has been removed. It wouldn’t take much to completely transform the experience from a chore to a delight.   When was the last time you were delighted by an organisation that actually made your life easier?  What have you done to delight and surprise the people who you support?
10. No one is having any fun. Most people who work at airports have precisely the same demeanour as people who work at a cemetery.   How often have you heard of adult members delighting in the programme they are going to run on Friday evening - it happens but its rare!   When did volunteering become a chore, a job that had to be done, instead of fun for both the adult and the youth members?  I would argue that this is partially that we have lost the community of scouting were we can share our joys and our successes – let’s take a leaf for the cub scouters – for most of them scouting is a game writ large.
11. Lastly Airports and many scout groups are sterile. Everyone who passes through leaves no trace, like every morning starts anew. There are no connections between people, either fellow passengers or the staff. No one says, “welcome back,” and that’s honest, because no one feels particularly welcome.   When a cub goes up to the troop, or a scout finishes and wants to come back either as a Rover or a Scouter, who goes out of their way to make that person feel like they belong and that their on-going committee and contribution is valued?

If we don’t take a lesson from this we as Scouting run the risk of mistaking our (one time and long passed) market domination for a you-have-no-choice monopoly.  And make no mistake there are hundreds of choices out there including people just staying at home.  If we are looking for merely reliable, predictable outcomes, we are losing sight of our actual goal which should be motivating and enabling our members to realise their full potential and excel.  

So next time you sit down to write that Friday programme consider this, when the kids go home will they have had an airport experience or feel like they are leaving a warm family environment.  The choice to make this a reality is in your hands.