Forget theory. Read about practice.

I'd highly recommend you read Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War. It's a book about many things: the ridiculousness of war, friendship, valour, politics, racism, overcoming adversity, and so much more.  At its heart it is also a book about leadership . . . leadership under the most unimaginable conditions. The writing is so vivid that you can literally "see" the agonising decisions that the central character of Lt. Mellas has to make as a platoon leader.

The novel is also a welcome escape from the shelves full of leadership theory books - some written by people who are "experts" in the field but wouldn't actually know how to lead their way out of a paper bag.  The author of Matterhorn, however, has the kind of credentials that oblige you to believe him.  Karl Marlantes is a highly decorated Marine, a veteran of the Vietnam War and, among other things, a Rhodes Scholar. The guy knows what he's talking about when it comes to leadership.

Hope you get as much out of it as I did.  Enjoy.

Be the Beacon

I've been in PEI this past week for some much deserved R&R.  It's an idyllic island with stunning beaches and some of the best seafood you're ever likely to eat.  PEI, not surprisingly, has a lot of lighthouses. Many of these lighthouses were retired long ago due to modern navigation methods but some lighthouses remain very active - shining their lamps out over the water to help ocean craft stay on course. 

The PEI lighthouses have become quite the tourist attraction.  In fact, one of the families that we're staying with on the island took their kids to see one of them just yesterday.  They said the lighthouse they visited was interesting, but they were disappointed that it wasn't operational.  The kids were all excited about seeing the giant revolving lamp up close and although the structure itself was unique, the fact that the lamp was turned off just didn't cut it for the little ones.  Without the lamp, the lighthouse was a structure without a purpose.  Its soul seemed to be missing and everyone could feel it.

Companies need leaders the same way that rugged coastlines need working lighthouses.  They need the kind of leaders that shine a light over their people, guiding them safely to where they need to be.  Leaders without the lamp are neither effective nor attractive.  They're artifacts that have an outer shell but no inner soul and while their presence may serve as a reminder of past contributions they are not much use to us today.

Be the beacon not the bones.

Message in a Bottle

I can't deny it any longer.  I've been struggling to motivate myself to write . . . something you may have deduced from my lack of recent posts!  It's not because I've fallen out of love with writing, it's because it's bloody difficult and time consuming, which - for a hedonistic, forever active, family man who's working a pressure cooker day job and still trying to be a good husband and father - are not easy things to overcome.

I posted this quote from Canadian author Farley Mowat on my Linkedin page not long ago and I think it's somewhat appropriate to re-post here:

"Writing.  It’s tedious, tiresome and often frustrating as hell.  I don’t write for pleasure.  I write because I’m an impulsive masochist.”

Thankfully, my lack of motivation got me thinking about lack of motivation - not in writing, but in leadership.  If a regular schmuck like me can lose motivation then the guys and gals at the top must be just as fallible.  God, I hope they are.

So . . . how can you spot when the Captain loses motivation?  In the beginning it's not so obvious, but I think the single biggest sign is retreat.  Retreat into comfort; into ease; into pleasure; into routine; into grey; into blah; into Mad About You re-runs.  If leadership "retreat" is the big bucket, here are some of the behaviours that fall into it:

• Never being around 
• Never being available
• Delegating a little too much
• Only engaging with people when something is needed
• Shut door policy
• Moodiness 
• Complacency
• Selfishness

The list goes on.  

When leaders lose motivation it can have a devastating affect if left unchecked.   Lack of motivation in a leader perpetuates a lack of motivation in the people around them, and that sets the ship on a treacherous course for the Gulf of Aden.  Not a journey you want to be on if you value your career or your life.

Leaders are as vulnerable and fallible as anyone, because ultimately they are nothing more than a someone.  They aren't superhuman.  It's okay and even understandable for a leader to lose motivation at times.  It's just not okay for a leader to make a career out of it. 

If you see your Captain continually swigging the Cutty Sark when he should be checking the sextant, then it's time for you as the First Mate to step up (with your one good leg).  You need to find your inner impulsive masochist, hop over to the helm, take the wheel and change course for the Maldives.  The survival of any crew lies in the strength of individuals, their ability to recognize problems and to do what needs to be done to correct them.