Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Dec 20, 2019 1:46 PM
Replying to Peter Rapin
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Synergy: - "the whole is greater then the sum of its parts". A big part of leadership is to encourage people of different background,interest and skill to work collaboratively towards a common goal meshing their abilities and efforts to achieve more together than they would independently. I believe that every project can be rated for synergy, say from 0 to 10 being the highest. The project can be achieved with low synergy based on the sum of the parts however high synergy (working as a fully meshed/integrated team) provides a greater degree of success. Synergy is the result of good leadership.
Dear Peter
Thanks for your comment
Interesting leadership issue
We are exchanging views on the underlying principles of teamwork.
Do you think that, for teams to work efficiently and effectively and achieve results, leadership is crucial, is that it?
Are the proposal agile self-managed teams, or am I mistaken? Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Dec 20, 2019 2:35 PM
Replying to Afamefuna Onuchukwu
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Hi Luis.
Thanks for your ever thought provoking snippets. Among many already listed, leadership or good man management is the crucible in which high performing teams are forged. Empathy or responsiveness has limits beyond which, if not jettisoned, could derail the whole team unity and effectiveness. Moderation must be the watchword when applying some of these principles else leadership failure will set in strongly and undermine the integrity of the team. Leadership determines formation, normative and performance duration of a team. When a former high performing team becomes low in performance, motivational leadership could come to it's rescue.
Dear Afamefuna
Thank you for participating in this reflection and for your opinion.
I am convinced that the different opinions that this reflection has generated allow us to grow as people and as professionals.
The theme of leadership is very interesting.
As we are exchanging views on the principles that underpin teamwork, do you think that without leadership it is not possible to work as a team, is that it? Correct me if I misunderstood your approach
What is your opinion about the self-managing teams proposed in agile approaches? Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Dec 21, 2019 6:33 AM
Replying to Daire Guiney
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I think it is important to have the right mix of people on a team both in terms of skills and experience as well as age and maturity. With the boom of internet related companies, the age profile of many companies has decreased and I believe this has not been to everyone's benefit. Incremental and iterative learning is a core principle of project management that not fully transcended start up, unicorns and fast growth Internet stocks. Their strategy seems to be to build up the customer base and sell the company. As a result their is no priority to have long term strategy built into their teams. From well established organisations the right team mix is the opposite of this approach, thinking long term in relation to growing the experience of the team and its diversity in culture, age and ability.
Dear Daire Thank you for participating in this reflection and for your opinion.
Your approach is very interesting and makes me think
Which companies can survive in the VUCA World?
How do people work in companies you designate as unicorns?
The other day I read a story that TESLA had a higher stock market value than Ford and GM. Amazing!
Is there a different way of working at Tesla compared to traditional companies?
How do people work at Google? Or on Facebook? Or at Amazon? Or at IBM? Or at Microsoft?
Why has PMI considered other than predictive approaches to how projects should be managed?
On the other hand.... One of the laws that governs is the harvest law that reinforces his point of view: "From well established organizations the right team mix is the opposite of this approach, thinking long term in growing the experience of the team and its diversity in culture, age and ability " Saving Changes...
The increase in mobility of workplaces such as hot desk, shared offices, working from home and ubiquitous devices has empowered workers to do their jobs without constant supervision. It has also removed the need for hierarchical structures to a more flat structure where employees are based on performance and contributions. Although this approach has created a lot of opportunity it has created a lot of problems that are being kicked down the road and not being dealt with. Basing a persons ability predominately on performance is storing up a lot of problems and as a result you see less loyalty by a person to an organisation, team, management and in the larger sphere of a society and country. A more selfish streak of worker has developed over the years in these type of organisation. The superficiality of helping or assisting a fellow colleague is only a mask to progress a persons own agenda and desires. Stock market value does not transfer into earnings, customer satisfaction and good will; how a company is perceived by the outside world. A VUCA world means one or two countries can not simply control the direction the world takes, even more so in the digital age. Also one or two global organisations can not control the thinking of the world. The unwrapping of the super power status is something that needed to be done, a sort of parental status that the world had in the last century. The children have become adults and have learned the power of the written word versus the power of military might. As a result flat structured organisations have propagated. However leadership is paramount to success of human endeavour and without it we just regress inch by inch.
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1 reply by Luis Branco
Dec 21, 2019 9:33 AM
Luis Branco
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Dear Daire
Thanks for your comment
Who should command the people?
I am convinced it is your conscience.
If people hear more of your inner voice, you will be more grounded in the Principles governing humanity.
Which leads us to self-leadership
"Exceptional leaders distinguish themselves because of superior self-leadership." - Daniel Goleman
Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Dec 21, 2019 8:13 AM
Replying to Daire Guiney
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The increase in mobility of workplaces such as hot desk, shared offices, working from home and ubiquitous devices has empowered workers to do their jobs without constant supervision. It has also removed the need for hierarchical structures to a more flat structure where employees are based on performance and contributions. Although this approach has created a lot of opportunity it has created a lot of problems that are being kicked down the road and not being dealt with. Basing a persons ability predominately on performance is storing up a lot of problems and as a result you see less loyalty by a person to an organisation, team, management and in the larger sphere of a society and country. A more selfish streak of worker has developed over the years in these type of organisation. The superficiality of helping or assisting a fellow colleague is only a mask to progress a persons own agenda and desires. Stock market value does not transfer into earnings, customer satisfaction and good will; how a company is perceived by the outside world. A VUCA world means one or two countries can not simply control the direction the world takes, even more so in the digital age. Also one or two global organisations can not control the thinking of the world. The unwrapping of the super power status is something that needed to be done, a sort of parental status that the world had in the last century. The children have become adults and have learned the power of the written word versus the power of military might. As a result flat structured organisations have propagated. However leadership is paramount to success of human endeavour and without it we just regress inch by inch.
Dear Daire
Thanks for your comment
Who should command the people?
I am convinced it is your conscience.
If people hear more of your inner voice, you will be more grounded in the Principles governing humanity.
Which leads us to self-leadership
"Exceptional leaders distinguish themselves because of superior self-leadership." - Daniel Goleman
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1 reply by Daire Guiney
Dec 21, 2019 3:27 PM
Daire Guiney
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A hierarchical structure is shaped like a pyramid. The further you go up the chain of command the less people their are at your level. The reason for this is that it take experience, skill, knowledge, proven track record and desire to progress to move up these type of organisations. Also these organisation nine times out of ten will only promote internally thus ensuring loyalty and also ensuring that programs and structures exist within these organisations to train and skill its most valuable resource. I believe true leadership comes naturally to some people, that being some people are born leader and some people are born to be led. However only in certain extreme situations do these true leaders rise above their status to shape theirs and others destiny.
Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Dec 18, 2019 3:51 PM
Replying to George Freeman
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Luis,
Important topic, thank you for posting it. Here are a some of the quotes/principles that I have written related to teamwork.
- Faith in one's team accelerates results and breaks down barriers to success. Motivational speech has value, but the words often drift away before activities even begin. Whereas continuously presenting a belief in one’s team renders increased accountability and accomplishment, as the team will constantly strive to fulfill the words spoken over them.
- Rationed knowledge starves realization. Knowledge is the accelerant that, when applied to a flame, produces the energy one needs to succeed. However, when knowledge is quenched, the flame lacks the energy to propel one forward and success becomes out of reach.
- Isolation of extremes reveals knowledge and enables solutions. To reveal solutions, one must first isolate the extremes that polarize knowledge and then execute due diligence on the facts that remain. Otherwise, misinformation will prevail.
- Collaboration is easily defined and spoken to, but will be elusive if one does not practice it themselves. One cannot simply speak collaboration into existence, as it can only be properly communicated to others through the modeling of the practice itself.
- Reaching true consensus requires the absence of assumptions and the adoption of one's ability to be wrong. Surrendering to one’s self and others that you can be wrong creates an environment that yields consensus and successful outcomes. Whereas consensus made among those who are never wrong is "future discord" masked as an agreement.
- That which you are willing to do in the trenches for your team, establishes a care fund that pays dividends in perpetuity. When the team doesn't appear to be responding to your directives, check your location as you may be on a hilltop where one’s voice is distant and obscure. Therefore, place yourself in the midst of the team and provide personal value to their objectives and then watch what happens when you speak.
Dear George
I just posted my comment on your shared reflection via the link
I recommend reading the shared article
Thanks
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1 reply by George Freeman
Dec 21, 2019 6:42 PM
George Freeman
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Thank you for your comments on the article – I know it was a long read. It’s interesting how we can find humor when we retrospectively look at our lessons learned over our careers. It would be great to hear your strategic lessons as well!
Who should command the people?
I am convinced it is your conscience.
If people hear more of your inner voice, you will be more grounded in the Principles governing humanity.
Which leads us to self-leadership
"Exceptional leaders distinguish themselves because of superior self-leadership." - Daniel Goleman
A hierarchical structure is shaped like a pyramid. The further you go up the chain of command the less people their are at your level. The reason for this is that it take experience, skill, knowledge, proven track record and desire to progress to move up these type of organisations. Also these organisation nine times out of ten will only promote internally thus ensuring loyalty and also ensuring that programs and structures exist within these organisations to train and skill its most valuable resource. I believe true leadership comes naturally to some people, that being some people are born leader and some people are born to be led. However only in certain extreme situations do these true leaders rise above their status to shape theirs and others destiny.
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3 replies by Adrian Carlogea, Daire Guiney, and Luis Branco
Dec 21, 2019 3:56 PM
Luis Branco
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Dear Daire
Interesting your perspective
Were we born to be a leader or do we train to be a leader?
Dec 22, 2019 6:35 AM
Adrian Carlogea
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"I believe true leadership comes naturally to some people, that being some people are born leader and some people are born to be led."
I strongly disagree with this. I know from experience and I was also told in a management course that leadership does not come naturally but it has to be learned. Also before you become a leader you must have relevant work experience as a "non"-leader.
What it is true is that some people have a natural talent of becoming good leaders while others don't. But even those with the talent must learn and gain experience in their relevant domain before they become leaders.
In addition the term leadership in my opinion is abused as many so called leaders are doing to a large extent just a purely administrative non-leadership job.
Recently I have come across a project ran by a consultancy for the company for which I currently work (as a contractor). I am not working on that project but I have to interact with the people that are working on it. The consultancy has provided a Solution Team Lead responsible for looking after the solution developers.
The Team Lead however is an entry level employee in her mid 20s (less than 3 years work experience) and with no technical experience in software development. All she does is chairing status report meetings with the team, keeping track of the tasks being worked on and attending management meetings to report what has been done so far. Is she a true leader? Not in my opinion.
The team also has a so called Technical Architect who is de facto the leader of the team. This architect really makes all the decision and both the developers and the so called Team Lead follow them. He is the true leader of the team not her. I think the only reason she exists on the project and was given the "Lead" role is for the consultancy to be able to charge higher daily rate for her.
Dec 22, 2019 11:16 AM
Daire Guiney
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Dear Luis, Adrian, Peter
Ultimately it is an organisations leadership that implements the type of hierarchy that should exist within an organisation as their style of leadership and its policies will direct an organisation. People do train to become leaders and do fulfil positions of authority but in a lot of case they are a rubber stamp appointment with others pulling the strings. Any meaningful decision is made by others with a lot of operations leaders reliant on the leadership above for the organisation strategy with these leaders being the footmen to implement the orders.
Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Dec 21, 2019 3:27 PM
Replying to Daire Guiney
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A hierarchical structure is shaped like a pyramid. The further you go up the chain of command the less people their are at your level. The reason for this is that it take experience, skill, knowledge, proven track record and desire to progress to move up these type of organisations. Also these organisation nine times out of ten will only promote internally thus ensuring loyalty and also ensuring that programs and structures exist within these organisations to train and skill its most valuable resource. I believe true leadership comes naturally to some people, that being some people are born leader and some people are born to be led. However only in certain extreme situations do these true leaders rise above their status to shape theirs and others destiny.
Dear Daire
Interesting your perspective
Were we born to be a leader or do we train to be a leader?
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1 reply by Daire Guiney
Dec 21, 2019 4:33 PM
Daire Guiney
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I think some things in leadership cant be learned, they are in us as naturally leaders. Training is training according to somebody elses opinion and ideals of what a leader should be and history has taught us that people are not always good judges of leaders.
Were we born to be a leader or do we train to be a leader?
I think some things in leadership cant be learned, they are in us as naturally leaders. Training is training according to somebody elses opinion and ideals of what a leader should be and history has taught us that people are not always good judges of leaders.
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1 reply by Luis Branco
Dec 22, 2019 4:19 AM
Luis Branco
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Dear Daire
Thanks for your comment
We think differently
I think we can learn everything in life
Saving Changes...
Peter RapinSubject Matter Expect; Project Delivery| Independent ConsultantOntario, Canada
Let us not confuse leadership with corporate hierarchy or organizational structures. Although obviously related they are not the same. Leadership takes more than authority. In the armed forces typically the best leaders rise to the top (not always) however in the corporate world and politics this is not the case. There are so many factors that influence the corporate rise that have nothing to do with leadership. Why, even in project management the team leader may not necessarily be the senior administrator or PM.
Leadership ability in my opinion is primarily learned from childhood, progression through education and into your professional career. Some of the learning is formal (training) most is through lessons learned and mentoring. The combination of attitude, upbringing, education, natural skills (plus a few more I'm sure) influences your leadership abilities. It is nor as simple as "born to lead" or "learn to lead". Like everything else, its complicated.
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1 reply by Luis Branco
Dec 22, 2019 4:30 AM
Luis Branco
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Dear Peter
Thanks for your comment
We agreed to write: "Let us not confuse leadership with corporate hierarchy or organizational structures. Although obviously related they are not the same"
Best definition of leadership: "Just as a sculptor can see the work of art hidden within a shapeless rock, a leader can see the talents within a team member and help them discover their true calling or potential" Kiron Bondale
Can we learn to recognize other people's talent and tell them about their enormous potential by inspiring them to be extraordinary?
