[sample translations]eui sook hong, coaching a leader’s mind saves an organization eng

Sample Translations

Eui-Sook Hong

Coaching a Leader’s Mind Saves an Organization E ng l i s h

Book Information

Coaching a Leader’s Mind Saves an Organization (리더의 마음코칭이 조직을 살린다) Vision Leadership Publishing corp. / 2012 / 46 p. / ISBN 821033715274 For further information, please visit: http://library.klti.or.kr/node/772 This sample translation was produced with support from LTI Korea.

Please contact the LTI Korea Library for further information. library@klti.or.kr

Coaching a Leader’s Mind Saves an Organization Written by Eui-Sook Hong 1 *** 사례로 소개되는 인물의 경우 직함은 맨 처음 소개하는 곳에서만 넣고 이후부 터는 생략하여 이름만 쓰는 것으로 통일했습니다. 직원이 해당 인물을 지칭하는 직 접 인용문은 예외입니다.

*** 붉은 색으로 표시한 인용문들은 최대한 인물이 말했던 단어나 개념을 찾았지 만, 정확히 여기에 인용된 문구와 일치하는 원문을 찾지 못한 경우입니다. 붉은 색 표시를 하지 않은 인용문은 원문이 영문이 아니거나, 일치하는 영어 원문을 찾은 경우입니다.

*** 본문에 유명인사의 말을 인용문 형태(따옴표)로 길게 옮긴 경우, 출처도 없고 정확히 그 인물이 한 말인지 애매한 경우가 있었습니다. 이 경우에는 따옴표를 지 우고 간접인용 형태로 문장을 바꿨습니다.

*** p36의 La Loshkov의 경우, 라 로시코프라는 인물의 원어 이름이 검색되지 않 았습니다. 로시코프라는 이름으로 발음되는 다른 인물의 철자를 옮겼습니다.

Once a Day, Take Your Time

Coaching a Leader’s Mind Saves an Organization

By Euisook Hong 2

p. 14

Prologue

Many people may achieve temporary success through knowledge. Some people may succeed for longer by taking action. Only a few people succeed permanently by means of personality.

– Dr. John C. Maxwell

My very first experience with Management Training was in 1994. It was a lifechanging event that launched me on my new career as a leadership coach. As is usually the case, it took a lot of time and effort to achieve success in my newly chosen field: never underestimate the power of perseverance. However, what really put me on the map was being asked to be a guest presenter on various prime-time television programs. This public exposure led to great interest from numerous business leaders in need of consulting and coaching services. As a result, I had the opportunity to meet an enormous variety of business leaders who wanted my help in overcoming the difficulties they faced.

Working with them led me to the realization that actual experience running a company would enable me to better understand—and therefore better meet—the needs of

those whom I was coaching. So, in 2004 I took the rather ambitious step of opening my own company. I write ‘ambitious,’ because for me it meant taking on five roles simultaneously: CEO, consultant, presenter, mother, and wife.

Though it most definitely proved to be a struggle, nevertheless I thought I was doing rather well. That is until the shock discovery that some of my employees were going to quit.

In the process of completing the takeover, I witnessed some misunderstandings between persons who transferred their business and persons who took over. In most cases, each side unintentionally hurt the other due to subtle differences in expression. As a result, one had to act against their wishes. What caused this unfortunate situation was distrust. It was the most difficult experience for me throughout my whole career.

Even while dealing with this uncomfortable situation, I still had to face all the usual obstacles that almost every CEO experiences. Some of those obstacles continue to have a negative impact on my company. However, I take great comfort knowing that I have emerged from what was an exceptionally dark time, all the stronger for the experience. Furthermore, I value greatly everything gained from those unfortunate events, because I have been gifted a far deeper empathy for those who struggle with similar challenges.

I often think, “I want to be someone who is genuine.” What I mean by these words is that I, as a person who coaches CEOs and leaders, should be able to coach myself when I have difficulties. To achieve this goal, I have tried to be a genuine coach who can continue to grow using lessons learned from real-life experiences.

First, I thought about how I could overcome the hurdles in my path. Then I realized that the passages in this book, telling various difficulties that I shared with numerous companies, were helpful even to me. Whenever I read these passages, written from my personal experience, they evoke new emotions for me and give me inspiration.

According to Jeffrey Schwartz and David Rock, our brain organizes itself in such a

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way that some brain cell clusters are exclusively devoted to managing our habits and behavior.

If we want our employees to cultivate good habits and positive behavior, then everything I have learned and experienced convinces me that this will only happen if we lead by example.

In other words, we must first seek to change ourselves, for in doing so we are certain to discover that many—if not all—will follow in our footsteps. By consistently modeling the habits and behavior that we desire from our employees, we will gain opportunities for building genuine, mutually trusting relationships. In the process, we may well find that not only do we transform our business, but perhaps, even more importantly, also our lives and the lives of others.

This rapidly changing society makes most leaders lose track and become confused.

However, leaders should be able to adapt to any change or unpredictable situation. In a sense, this book presents a comprehensive message for me. I hope this book will be a silver lining for other leaders and inspire them to rebound from setbacks.

More often than not, achieving great and lasting success does not depend on being a skilled leader, but rather a skilled coordinator. It is the latter who is best suited to utilize the abilities of others for the good of all concerned. Therefore, my dearest wish is that the case studies provided in this book prove to be as inspiring to you as they have been, and continue to be, to me. Together, let us take up the challenge to lead by example, to become ever more skilled coordinators, and be known for always seeking to act with integrity and honor.

The person who achieves most is not an excellent maverick, but a great coordinator who can most efficiently utilize their colleagues’ brains and talents. The cases introduced in this book will guide contemporary leaders on how to be great coordinators who act rationally and command respectability.

Eusook Hong from Sajik-dong, Seoul

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5 p. 19

Part 1

You have been driving on without stopping.

It is time to change the direction of your leadership.

p. 20

Don’t Hesitate. Don’t Make Excuses. Do it Now! When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them. – The Analects of Confucius

“Do you know how much profit I brought this company? When I first joined, we had only a few employees and struggled with enormous debt. I dedicated myself to the future of this firm, accepted poor conditions for ten years, and made it successful. Now you ignore what I’ve achieved and push me to change my leadership style.

I don’t understand why you are complaining about my leadership, when I’ve never caused any major problems. It’s embarrassing.

Okay. Maybe I might need to make some changes, but to be honest, how much change am I really capable of at my age? Besides, the employees will probably be uncomfortable if they see me making abrupt changes. I know I’ll feel awkward and nervous if you force me to make sudden changes: I have had my own style of leadership. What will I do if my staff have difficulties with my changes?”

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Mr. Lee, a vice-president of Company M, has been of the driving force behind numerous achievements, large and small. Anyone who knows him knows what he has achieved. At least, that was what Mr. Lee believed, which is why he was so surprised by what he heard from the president. He never expected that kind of evaluation.

“There’s a problem with your leadership style. You need to make changes. If you make them this will improve the work environment, and achieving our goals will become much easier.”

Imagine someone points out something wrong about you. Whatever it is, even if it is a legitimate point, it is natural to feel hurt. Instinctively, you may try to make excuses regarding why you do not need to change.

If you have worked harder and achieved more than anyone else in the company, then you will respong even more strongly.

“How can I change when I don’t feel I need to? Why are you pushing me to change?

I will only do so when I see there are problems.”

We should remember this fact: time does not wait for us. It will not allow us to take our time learning to understand something or admit something. It just flies at the speed of light, bringing with it a lot of changes. When we hesitate, time just flies away, leaving us where we stand.

If someone advises you that you need to change, do it immediately.

In The Analects of Confucius it says, “A gentleman should be dignified. If not, though he devotes himself to learning, his study will not be solid. Valuing loyalty and faith above all, a gentleman should not be friends with someone who does not have something that he can learn. If he finds a fault in himself, he should not hesitate to correct it.”

The last sentence means it would be a major mistake to fail to correct immediately a fault when you recognize you have one.

Many people in life faithfully strive to achieve their goals and continue to accept new challenges.

To fulfill his role in an organization, a leader should consistently pursue change.

⃝

True change can be expected when we think carefully and take relevant action.

Has someone told you that you need to change? If so, do not hesitate. Do so immediately, and lead the change in your organization.

1.

Banish the thought that you missed something because of others’ faults or unfairness.

2.

Do not be nervous; do not think that any change in your leadership will make others feel awkward.

3.

Immediately put any idea for making a change into practice; incorporate it into your daily life.

p. 24

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What Matters Is Not Speed, but Direction

Do not hurry; do not rest. – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe People who play pivotal roles in the growth of their companies share a similar trait.

They are personally responsible for the results. In other words, they obtained their leadership positions thanks to their own abilities and hard work. However, what it is interesting is that some of them cause problems once in top leadership positions.

Why does this happen? The answer is simpler than some might expect. They find it difficult to let go, to delegate authority. Having experienced repeated success, they tend to become overconfident in their own capabilities and judgment. The end result is difficult relationships with others, which causes major disharmony in the working environment.

Smart companies recognize the importance of maintaining positive work environments. They know that relationships can have a massive impact on performance.

Some think that recommending the leader receive coaching is the solution. However, the reality is that the leader will probably find it difficult to make the required changes. Within only a year it is almost impossible to alter habits established over decades. The same can be said when it comes to changing one’s leadership style.

Mr. Kang, an executive director of Company P, definitely understood why he needed coaching, and how much he would have to strive to achieve change. He promised that he would respect the opinions of his staff—and actually did so, listening to them, letting them guide his decisions.

Eventually, however, he realized that something was going wrong. He found himself only going in the direction his staff wanted, while ignoring his own opinions. Sometimes he

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knew he was going in the wrong direction, but felt that he had to continue because of what he had promised.

I asked Kang, “Do you think this is the right way? What will happen to your company if you just kept doing this even though you know it is wrong, just because of your promise? If your firm makes a loss because of this, who will be responsible? Do you really feel comfortable with this situation?”

Mr. Kang’s response to my question surprised me. He said that he felt embarrassed when it was recommended that he receive coaching in relationship skills, because he thought he had a good reputation based on his achievements. He admitted that he had difficulty judging which relationships were going well. Based on what he said, he really seemed to have good business skills, but he was confused about how to manage workplace relationships.

He confessed he had a hard time dealing with relationship issues.

After much consideration, Mr. Kang had decided to pursue what his staff wanted.

Some of them seemed confused and worried about his sudden change, but he did not see any plausible alternatives.

If a person who believes they are perfect has some faults pointed out to them, they will be perplexed. Furthermore, if someone who has spent over 20 years building a positive reputation suddenly receives a negative evaluation, they may suffer a serious psychological shock. And this might make them impatient to make changes to their leadership style.

However, we need to remember that what is important in change is not speed, but direction. As leaders, we should clearly understand the reasons why we need to change and what our company expects from us. Based on this, we should be able to choose the right direction.

What a company expects from us as leaders is clear. Every company wants its leaders

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to create positive energy in the workplace, and to encourage staff to overcome with confidence any obstacles they meet. Also, leaders are expected to draw a clear line for their staff between possible and impossible plans, and to help implement the former.

If we promote changes based on this rule, we will not be confused and will easily yield

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positive results. Do not rush, but do not stop either. Just keep striving to bring about change.

If you feel you need to change after having spent a long time building a positive reputation, there is no need to rush. What is needed now is not speed but the right direction.

1. Changing your way of doing things may not always be the right action to take.

2.

Clearly understand why and how you need to change. Once you understand this, you should be able to choose the right direction.

3.

Clearly recognize what your company expects of you as a leader, and make it your goal.

p. 28

A Major Success Begins With a Small Achievement

Look for happiness under your own roof. – Gretchen Rubin

What are some of the priorities that a leader is expected to focus on in order to be efficient?

What do you have on your mind? If you struggle to answer these questions quickly, it might be because you are obsessed with the idea that as a leader you should do something more important.

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While talking with a lot of employees at various companies, I realized that what they wanted from their leaders were mostly minor things. They did not have major requests.

When I provided leadership coaching for Mr. Nam, a director of Company S, I asked his junior staff what kind of approach leaders should take. More specifically, I asked them what they wanted Mr. Nam to change in his leadership approach in order to make their workplace more enjoyable. Here are some of the answers they gave me.

“I wish he would speak more candidly with us.”

“He needs to provide us with more explicit instructions.”

“I’d like him to listen carefully until we finish making suggestions.”

“I want him to support our efforts to create a more friendly work environment. It would be helpful if we understood each other.”

Employees at other companies have similar requests. What staff want from their leaders is very simple.

“When we’re talking, I wish my manager would give me his full attention—actually look at me. I know he’s busy, but it’s so rude the way he’s always doing something else at the same time.”

“I just want to be complimented by my boss when I finish a business report for him.”

Likewise, what staff want from their boss is not a major thing. They will be pleased simply when their leaders focus on them and care about what they do.

Unfortunately, these simple requests are hardly ever satisfied. Employees of most companies have to keep asking for the same things over and over again. This might be

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because those leaders tend to consider their role to be focusing only on major things, while their staff hunger for small things.

The happiness we pursue must also not be based on major things. The trivial events we often miss in daily life might be the source of true happiness.

When employees are happy, they work more efficiently and the whole organization is filled with positive energy. This is simple but logical. Likewise, if a company makes its employees happy, the business will naturally be successful.

This may remind you of the story of The Blue Bird (1911) written by Maurice Maeterlinck, a Nobel Prize winner. Most of you must be familiar with this story as a children’s book. On the night of Christmas Eve, a woodcutter’s two children, a brother and sister, have a dream. In it, the children meet a fairy who asks them to search for the Blue Bird of Happiness. The brother and sister make a long journey to find the Blue Bird, but do not succeed. When they return home, however, they see the Blue Bird under the eaves of their house.

Leadership is not something grandiose. Start with saying things such as “Thank you,” and “Good job,” to those working with you. Then you will witness how attention to trivial things can lead to remarkable changes.

1. ⃝

If you want to be a good leader and achieve things, care about the small things.

What most employees want from their leaders are kind and thoughtful gestures that make them feel cared for.

2. Do not ignore things you consider to be trivial. Your staff are hungry for small things.

3.

Say “Thank you,” and “Good job,” to your staff.

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p. 32

Every Leader Can Change

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Leadership is not innate. It can be polished by learning. – Dayle M. Smith

Mr. Kang, the CEO of Company K, sent a final notice to Director Kim, warning him that if he refused to change his leadership style, his current position as well as any possibility of promotion could not be guaranteed. The purpose of the ultimatum was to ensure Director Kim’s leadership style improved immediately.

Following discussions with the employees in Director Kim’s department, the CEO concluded that there were some serious problems with the Director’s leadership style.

The employees felt they could not trust and follow Kim’s instructions because he was indecisive. They said that until this changed, they would not be able to have any respect for him as a leader.

The CEO asked me to give Director Kim some leadership coaching. What I discovered was that he was already well aware that he was not coming across as a strong leader. However, he had no intention of changing his approach.

“I struggled a lot in the company I previously worked for because the CEO’s leadership style was too strong. When he encountered thinking that was different to his own, or when hit staff failed to meet goals or expectations, his reactions were very harsh. The company was growing, but at a high cost to everyone’s wellbeing—especially mine. What I learned from this experience is that while the success of the company is important, it

is

worthless for the employees if they feel mistreated. Is this the right way to lead people? I

don’t think so.

When I left that firm and joined this company, I decided to take the opposite approach. I thought I was doing the right thing, but my staff consider me a weak leader and do not respect me. Honesty, now I just don’t know what to do.”

Director Kim’s business skills were fine. If he lacked the capabilities to do the job, he would not have been hired.

The core issue was his wishy-washy leadership style, and if he carried on like that he would never command the respect of his staff, and might well lose his job.

What does Kim need to do to become the competent leader he is capable of being?

First, he needs to separate his personal emotions from his work. It is not necessary for him to take an approach that is directly opposite to the style of leadership that he dislikes so much.

Rather than basing his choice of leadership style on an emotion, he should search for the style that best plays to his strengths as a person. This should result in gaining the respect of his staff, and thereby improve relationships with them.

People take many different approaches to leadership. You might be using an inappropriate leadership style. If that is the case, then by recognizing this and making changes you can establish a new approach.

⃝

Remember this: every leader can change.

If you have adopted a flexible and friendly leadership style, and your staff view that as being indecisive, do the following: 1.

Establish why you chose your current leadership style.

2.

If you discover it was for emotional reasons, or in reaction to unpleasant experiences, re-evaluate your approach.

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3.

Make it your goal to help your company grow, and based on this goal and your strengths, re-establish your leadership style.

4.

Build solid relationships with your staff by communicating with them throughout this process.

15 p. 36

Throw Away Your Superiority and Keep Your Sincerity.

If you want to make enemies, reveal your superiority. If you want to make friends, compliment their strengths. – La Loshkov

President Jin runs Company D, which manufactures semiconductors at the Banwol Industry Complex. His company partners with a major firm for which he previously worked.

He was 50 years old when he started his new company. It was an exciting but

risky move

for him at a time when others are retiring or considering doing so. He invested almost everything he had, betting his entire future on the outcome.

Within the first month, the reality of the challenge he had taken on hit him. The workplace culture shock was severe to the point that at times it actually made him afraid. He had to deal with issues that had never been his responsibility before, in particular managing employee behavior. The way they behaved in the workplace bothered him on a daily basis.

For example, they often argued , even to the point of shouting, and would abruptly leave when faced with something that displeased them. He had no idea how to deal with such issues, lacking the required experience, knowledge, and insight into human behavior. He particularly struggled with managing young men from other provinces, who had joined the company following discharge from mandatory military service. As far as he was concerned, they lacked the self-control required to apply their energy appropriately. Instead, they caused major disturbances due to their raucous behavior.

Existing employees mistreated new hires, thinking that they failed to show due deference. The quality of working relationships was exceptionally poor, with little or no trust and cooperation. As a result, the faulty portion of products climbed ever higher, leading to a corresponding increase in customer complaints.

Jin tried various things he had learned in his previous job. He put up a banner at the entrance with the slogan “I am the best! My company is the best!” He often made personal appeals to his employees such as, “I want to make this company the best it can be with you!” and, “Every one of you is vital to our company.”

However, the staff were not receptive to his appeals, failing to make any significant changes in their behavior. What was most painful for Jin was the cynicism of Director Park, his second in command.

Jin lost confidence and himself became cynical about what he had done. He began thinking that things such as slogans on banners were nothing more than letters.

Finally, realizing this was not something he could solve by himself, he asked for my help. I surveyed the staff and analyzed the situation. I determined that the primary problem was that his staff felt they were not trusted. This shocked Jin because he had always considered his employees to be the primary source of the problem. He thought they lacked capability, but that it was obvious he still trusted them in spite of their weaknesses. Jin did not

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suspect how they actually felt.

While being coached by me, he also came to understand why Director Park was cynical of Jin’s leadership. Park had had bad experiences with a previous president when the company was taken over. When Jin took over the company, Park suffered again, because he felt Jin obviously ignored both him and the employees. The employees thought Jin was always comparing them with those he had previously worked with. They felt he did not respect them when he was upset, because they did not understand what he was saying.

Jin’s commitment to making his company the best it could possibly be was sincere.

He genuinely wanted to give his employees the best working environment he could, while enabling them to be the best they could be. It hurt him to realize that he was instead judging his employees as inferior and in reality ignoring them.

Overcoming his shock, Jin made the decision to change himself first, and struggled to do this for an entire year. He started demonstrating to his employees that he believed in them, and the result was a dramatic decrease in product defects. The employee turnover rate also fell markedly.

When seeking to make an authentic appeal to employees, a leader needs to put aside

⃝

any sense of superiority and be humble.

If you think you are being sincere with your employees but find that they are not responding as expected, check the following points: 1.

Do you unintentionally compare your employees with those in other companies?

2.

Do you really trust your employees and show them respect?

3.

Do you think all problems are caused by your employees? Some problems are caused by both sides. Look at yourself first to work out what is wrong, then try to correct it.

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p. 40

The Starting Point for Change is Close to You 18 The cleaner polished the sign, whispering melodies, reciting poems, singing songs, retelling novels he had read. Passers-by stopped walking. They had finally met a cleaner who knew poetry and music. – Der Schilderputzer, Monika Feth

“I’m sorry, but I’m too exhausted to keep my promise to you. Our business is not the kind that can be planned precisely in advance. We have to respond to each change in circumstances, and it’s not possible to predict when this will happen. When it does, we need to have a meeting for each issue to deal with it, and sometimes that means working overnight.

Today is a case in point because in order to finish the report in time I had to do exactly that.”

Mr. Park, the director of Company K, believed he was allowing daily business needs to determine how he spent his time. This busy lifestyle was exhausting him physically and mentally. The more tired he became, the guiltier he felt, because he thought he was failing to care for his employees enough. Director Park always wanted to do good things for his staff, but found it difficult to put into practice. He wanted to change this pattern, but had no idea how to do that, so he asked me to coach him.

It was a massive step for Park to accept coaching, but often he could not arrive on time due to his ongoing struggles with his business.

I asked him, “What do you want to stimulate yourself for your business? As a leader, in what ways do you want to change?”

“I want to be the kind of leader who is able to present a respectful business image, for business, someone who brings vibrant energy to my company.” I recommended that he think about what he considered to be a respectful image, and that he also determin how much he actually knew about his core employees.

While mulling these questions, Director Park realized that although he wanted change, he did not know specifically what he had to do to make that happen.

In Monica Feth’s Der Schilderputzer (The Happy Street-Sign Cleaner), a simple cleaner lived happily polishing street signs.

One day, he realized that he did not know anything about the writers and musicians displayed on the signs that he cleaned every day. As this made him ashamed, he decided to do everything possible to learn all about them.

To learn about the musicians, he looked at all the different dates for recitals, operas, and concerts. Purchasing a ticket for each one, and wearing his very best clothes, he would attend the performances and meet the artists in person afterwards. He greatly enjoyed doing this and before he knew it he had become very knowledgeable about all kinds of music. Soon he found he had become a respected expert and was even invited to lecture at a college.

However, as he liked his job, he turned the offer down and continued to work as a cleaner. As he worked in the street, he gave his lectures there instead, and many people gathered to listen.

The street sign cleaner was not the kind of person who did his job only to make a living. He was someone who knew a very simple but great truth: that doing what you enjoy brings happiness.

Most leaders wish they could improve. In many cases, however, they do not know what changes to make, or, when they do know, they do not know how to go about making the

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changes.

Like the cleaner, you may discover something quite close to you that stimulates you to seek a change. All you need to do is look around you.

Take the time to learn more about your employees. What strengths do they have?

What are their dreams? What will encourage them? If you find the answers to these questions,

⃝

your work will be more meaningful, and you will become more satisfied with your life.

If you want to bring vibrant energy to your company, but do not know exactly what to do, check the following: 1.

Keep in mind that the starting point for change is close to you.

2.

Observe those working with you in order to better understand them.

3.

Spend time learning your employees’ strengths and what dreams they have.

4.

Discover what is most helpful and motivating for them.

p. 44

They Know What You Did Last Summer

People ask the difference between a leader and a boss. The leader leads, and the boss drives.

– Theodore Roosevelt

“Who respects their employees’ free will and encourages them to work by themselves more than I do?” asked Jeon, a director at Company K. He constantly bragged

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about his excellent leadership skills, but the results of his multidimensional evaluation told a different story—revealing that he failed to delegate authority and did not compliment employees.

Director Jeon was not pleased with this result. In fact, he had received the same evaluation two years previously, and thought he had made done a lot to improve. One of the things he had started doing on a regular basis was saying to employees, “Good work,” or “You’re doing well,” and so on. He did not understand at all why the evaluation showed no improvement.

When I interviewed the employees, I found that they had a very different view of the situation. According to them, he was no different than he was two years ago.

They said that he considered himself to be an expert, and thus was rarely satisfied with their work, often complaining about their performance.

What was even more frustrating was that he did not give them any alternatives or suggestions on how to improve. He never taught them anything, he just complained.

The reason, according to the staff, was simple: he could not do this because he had nothing to offer.

“Director Jeon seems to think he is devoting himself to the business. I have worked with him for three years in the same department. He always says the same things. I know he has to be capable, because it is not easy to obtain a position as a director. But I think he doesn’t get as much recognition from the president as he did in the past.”

“It is okay if he doesn’t have magical solutions. I would just like him to admit this and ask for our help.”

“It would be wonderful if he helped us and made this a much more pleasant working environment. But he just criticizes us even though he doesn’t actually know what to do."

Everyone knew that Jeon had the same old habits; only the man himself was unaware of the

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fact.

So, how can a leader change his organization while improving employees’ capabilities at the same time?

As a leader, you should always be ready to provide your employees with detailed alternatives, demonstrating that you have a clear vision. Most of all, when communicating with them, you should show your devotion and passion for the goals you set for them. You should pour all of your energy into achieving those goals throughout the entire process, just as artists devote themselves to their artwork until it is done. However, make sure that the employees can see that you are doing this.

Bumble bees can freely move around in the air even though their wings are very tiny in comparison to their bodies. This is because they flap them over 300 times a second.

One leader manages a lot of people. If you want to make your organization go further, you may need to equal, or even surpass, the combined efforts of all the employees you are responsible for. This is how you can develop the power to bring about genuine change.

Do you think you are really giving everything when you work for your organization?

Think about how you can put all your heart and soul into your work in order to motivate the

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employees you lead.

Ask yourself if you have fallen into a rut and now do your work without passion.

1.

Check if you only criticize employees and do not give suggestions or alternatives.

2.

Examine yourself to see if you have a clear vision for your work.

3.

If not, establish that vision before coming up with detailed alternatives.

4.

Set goals for yourself and pursue them with passion.

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p. 48

If You Still Believe in Someone and do Not Want to Give up on Them 23 Someone who knows how to wait will have everything at the appropriate time.

– Norman V. Peale

Mr. Kim, a director of Company M, had worked with ten different department heads.

One of them, Manager Park, made him feel very uncomfortable. Because of him, Director Kim did not enjoy participating in head meetings.

“Mr. Park is an excellent employee. Before being promoted to his current position, he successfully led a lot of overseas projects as a section chief and deputy head. All of the executives in my company, including me, are well aware of his capabilities. But his attitude these days is unacceptable.”

I asked him, “Has the work environment changed since when Mr. Park was achieving more?”

“Mr. Park usually worked with administrative staff. The organization had a combination of Korean and international staff. Now he is only working with Korean staff in the manufacturing department. Those employees usually have more field experience than Mr. Park, and many of them are older than he is. It cannot be easy for him to communicate with them.

I have already reminded him of these issues in the field several times. I have no idea why he still doesn’t understand. I also explained to him the kind of attitude he should have as a manager. I know I am a little impetuous, but this is too much.

The other managers are also worried about him. Nowadays, they don’t seem to talk with him. I didn’t want this situation to

go unresolved. It’s just really frustrating. I don’t

know how to lead in a way that will produce a more enjoyable work environment.

How can I help him change his attitude? I really believe in Mr. Park and don’t want to lose him.”

I told him that what Mr. Park needed was just time. When you are put into an unfamiliar situation, you cannot fully demonstrate your own leadership abilities. It will take a little while to adapt to the new environment. This is true for everyone.

Director Kim admitted that he should give Mr. Park the time he needed to adjust to the new situation. He said that he was curious to see if Park really would change.

According to psychiatrist Jeffrey Schwartz and leadership coach David Rock, leaders who hesitate due to skepticism like this are able to be more positive once they understand mind-brain interaction.

Apparently the human brain makes patterns, recognizes them, and standardizes them.

The brain automatically stores all experiences as documents. As more and more experiences are added, an increasing number of documents is stored raw, unedited. When information similar to an existing document is added, it is stored using a pre-established mechanism.

When new information enters the system, the brain determines if it is harmonious with an existing mechanism or conflicts with it. Based on this determination, it quickly and efficiently classifies the new information and organizes it. As this process repeats itself, the brain establishes a unique mental structure, one which includes our way of thinking, our prejudices, and points of view. This process apparently forms all of our mental activities.

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In Mr. Park’s case, it was not necessary for Director Kim to do anything directly to cause him to change. All Park needed was enough time for new patterns to form in his brain.

Imagine you have just started learning a new sport, or how to drive. At first, you will feel uncomfortable until you adjust to the activity. What you need to do is consistently practice the required skills. Eventually, the new ability will be acquired and become second nature. It can take longer for some people than it does for others, but ultimately everyone can adapt to change.

If you have leaders who are placed in new situations, allow time for them to become used to it. They will gradually internalize all the required changes and skills, eventually developing the ability to act appropriately as leaders in the new environment. Sometimes, just

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waiting is the most practical way to help someone.

If one of your leaders is not demonstrating their normal capabilities, how can you help them?

1.

Try to understand the new situation they are in. Check if the new working environment differs with their previous one.

2.

Try to determine what you really need to do for them. Is it providing sincere advice, or practical information? Do you need to allow time for them to adjust to the new situation?

3.

p. 52

Be patient until the required changes have been internalized.

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Wear a Different Mask if Necessary

It is not difficult to know something. It is difficult to properly practice what you know. – Han Fei Tzu 26 “Persona”’ usually means personality. Originally, this Latin word referred to a mask worn by an actor. Based on this meaning, persona implies a face that is presented to the world in various situations. In other words, we put on or take off this mask as needed.

In The Alpha Male Syndrome, Kate Ludeman and Eddie Earlandson claim that people have an advantage in being able to choose what they wear in different situations.

Apparently, the reverse is also true—ie, that wearing the wrong clothes can be a disadvantage.

They define an “Alpha” as “…a person who has the qualities and confidence [required] for leadership.” They divide alpha males into four types. First, commanders lead their groups using authority and passionate motivation. Second, visionaries use visions to inspire the groups they lead. Third, strategists focus on data and facts when leading their groups. Finally, executors are goal-orientated doers who drive the groups they lead forward, holding each person accountable.

This book reminded me of Mr. Han, the CEO of a construction company. Han had a very strong personality. He worked with tremendous passion in every situation, and was very direct when expressing his opinions. His nickname was “The Bulldozer” because he had a reputation for always pushing ahead no matter what the obstacle. He never understood, nor did he accept, hesitation or a lack of confidence in his employees. From order to purchase, Mr. Han was involved in every aspect, making every decision, ensuring that things were done his way and only his way. Consequently, the employees were required to follow his orders

passively. This did not afford them the opportunity to experience the thrill of achieving their own successes, and growing into roles with greater responsibility.

As the volume of the company’s business increased, Mr. Han complained more often about his staff. As a result, the relationship between them grew increasingly worse. Whatever his employees said, he would not give an inch. Many left.

Eventually, Han found himself ignoring even the opinions of his closest and most trusted advisors. This was very much a wakeup call, and he began asking himself confronting questions such as “Why am I so aggressive?” and “How long can I continue behaving this way?”

Among the different types of Alpha Males, Mr. Han is a Commander. It was not easy for him to change the way he led employees and approached situations. Though a particular set of clothes may be gorgeous, you must wear something else if it does not fit or is inappropriate for the situation. If you are a natural striker, you cannot fully develop your capabilities in a defender’s position.

If you find yourself in conflict with others, think about persona. This is not to say that you should change your personality. The idea is to temporarily suppress your innate personality using a persona that is more appropriate for the situation.

Do you want to use different leadership styles depending on the situation? Then, I recommend using the four masks that Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard introduce in their “situational leadership theory.” According to this theory, leaders can select the appropriate leadership type based on various situational factors or the desires and knowledge of their staff.

When an employee is under-motivated and possesses limited knowledge, a leader should consider wearing a “directing style mask.” Using this style, the leader can set up necessary tasks and goals for the staff member. When a staff member is highly motivated but possesses limited knowledge, a leader can wear the “coaching style mask,” explaining tasks

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and guiding performance. When a worker is under-motivated but possesses a lot of knowledge, a leader should consider wearing the “supporting mask,” using a democratic approach to stimulate and motivate involvement. When a member of staff is highly motivated and possesses a lot of knowledge, a leader might wear the “delegating style mask,” granting greater autonomy.

It is my view that there is no value in debating which of these masks is best, because the situation determines which one is the most effective.

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In conclusion, you can change your mask if necessary.

Whether or not you think you need to make some changes in your leadership style, check the following: 1. It is important that you are the one who determines whether or not change is required.

2.

You do not have to adopt an entirely different leadership style.

3.

Understand the current situation, your employees’ motivation levels, and how much knowledge they possess.

4.

Based on this understanding, choose the ideal mask to use.

p. 56

A Warm-Hearted Leader Wakes the Staff’s Potential

Imperfection is more beautiful than perfection. You don't need to try to hide your shortcomings. Some flaws reveal humanity, and people like that more.

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– Jason Fried

Mr. Park, the CEO of Company K, wanted to improve his employees’ competence without upsetting them. He tried all the different methods he knew, but did not achieve the desired results.

Park often interviewed his staff individually, and spent a lot of time sharing his business knowledge with them. He was confused why these efforts did not yield fruitful results, and complained to me about it.

Being an industrious man, Mr. Park considered abnormal any employee who was not willing to make the effort to improve. From his perspective, all the problems he witnessed in his company were caused by this type of worker.

When I interviewed them, I discovered that they considered him to be a perfectionist.

They said that he had excellent business skills and rarely experienced failure. The expectations he had for them were exceptionally high and were the standard he used when evaluating their performance. As a result, they felt very distant from him.

Park was always polite, and whenever he spoke it was always in a logical and systematic manner. His staff, though, wanted their CEO to be friendlier, to provide more opportunities for them to engage in two-way communication.

They also hoped that Mr. Park would recognize their individual strengths and consider not only their results but their working process.

After learning what his staff thought of him, Park changed his leadership style. He started being more open with them, and instead of only speaking of his strengths, he actually began sharing about his weaknesses, too.

His employees recognized the sincere nature of his efforts to change how he led and interacted with them. The relationship between them became far closer and more trusting, and

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the employees’ levels of self-motivation increased enormously.

Jason Fried said, “There is a beauty to imperfection.” Compare an artificial flower with a natural one. The former will always appear perfect, the latter will slowly wither and die. Nonetheless most people find the imperfect natural flower to be of far greater beauty and value.

Some people say that we live in the age of the organization. The constant drive to become bigger, better, and ever more efficient has resulted in the dehumanization of people, who are perceived and treated as nothing more than disposable components in an impersonal corporate machine. One of the numerous problems with this is that it stifles creativity in the workplace. Smart companies are beginning to realize this and are working hard now on identifying and changing processes and procedures that block creative expression. These companies are constantly searching for better systems, ones that both enable and encourage creativeness in the workplace.

To discover the most appropriate solution to this issue, examine yourself to determine whether as a leader you actually have a positive effect on your employees.

If you consider yourself to be perfect, then you may not feel any need to change.

What you may well do instead is pressure those you lead to change. However, this unilateral approach to leadership will never result in the kind of real changes you desire to effect.

Rather, what it will most likely do is create or escalate conflicts in your workplace.

Ask yourself, do you really want to make a vibrant change in your organization?

What will guide you to the solution is not far from you. Take a sincere look at what you have been doing previously, and approach those you lead with openness. Then, in a

⃝

relatively short period of time, you will find that change will occur.

If you think that your staff are not responding positively to your efforts, check the

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following: 1.

Do you act as if your thoughts and judgments are always right?

2. Are you either intentionally or unintentionally keeping your distance from employees?

3.

Do you share not only your strengths but also your weaknesses?

4.

Are you actually engaging in authentic, open, communication with those you are leading?

p. 60

If You Want Permanent Success, Improve Your Personality

One's personality is one's own architecture. – Louise Nevelson

Mr. Lee, an executive director in Company A, had a large whiteboard in his office.

When I visited him a year ago, I could not help but notice that the entire surface of it was covered with various projects and businesses. Throughout the time I coached him, I rarely (if ever) saw any free space on that board.

We were approximately six months into the coaching process when, during one of our sessions, he pointed to it asking me if I noticed anything different about it. I replied that as far as I could tell it looked the same as it always had, crammed full of things as usual. He asked me to look again, and pointed out that there was not one but several different handwriting styles.

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“Only three of the things on that board were written by me. Everything else was written by various team members. This board used to be one of the main ways I communicated my thinking to them. Now, thanks to your coaching, it serves an even better purpose. It provides an excellent way for them to communicate their thinking to me.”

Mr. Lee went on to say that he would continue searching for additional ways to ensure it was an inspiring work environment, one which both welcomed and encouraged spontaneity.

It was about a year later that I ran into Mr. Lee again when I had returned to coach a different executive. He invited me to his office for a chat and showed me something written by a consultant who had recently worked with him. It was a blog post discovered by one of his staff in which the consultant had shared what he thought of Mr. Lee. This is what it said:

“Visiting a local factory is like making a forced march. However, while I struggled with a tight schedule, Director Lee was always supportive. He tirelessly discussed with staff solutions for each issue. He was a vigorous worker: even while eating dinner after work, he was always available whenever his field managers needed to discuss something.

Throughout the whole process, not once did I see him become irritated, or lose his temper. He was always calm, but still captivated the people around him with his charisma. He spoke with a soft voice and appropriately complimented staff when talking with them. By observing him in action I learned a lot regarding the true nature of good leadership.

I could see that his fellow executives also followed his lead with great respect.

Whenever he spoke they would always pay careful attention to what he said. Nonetheless, communication most definitely went both ways. They clearly felt very comfortable expressing their own thoughts, knowing full well that he would highly value their thinking in return. The relationship was obviously one of tremendous mutual respect and loyalty.”

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Lee gave a humble smile, saying that he still had bad habits that needed changing, but that significant progress had obviously been made.

We said goodbye to one another, and as I was leaving his office I recalled something that I had read in one of my favorite author’s books: the highly regarded and internationally respected business coach Dr. John Maxwell.

Only a few people succeed permanently by means of personality.

⃝

I smiled quietly. I had no doubt that Director Lee would be one such person.

To ensure you achieve genuine change and permanent success, check the following: 1.

If you have started making changes, are you being consistent and following through?

2.

Is your communication with your team members a one way street?

3. Are you giving them opportunities to share their thinking with you in various ways?

4.

Keep in mind that one of the true secrets of success is learning to control one’s personality consciously.

p. 64

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We Need Feminine Leadership with Resonance

Confidence is not something that falls out of the sky. When you have a clear goal, dream, and vision for your life, and when you are fully dedicated to your work, little achievements will lead you to success. – Byong-Moo Yang

Executives of companies usually reach their positions thanks to recognition of their excellent business skills and achievements.

While they are great at business, sometimes they feel frustrated when they are in a situation that requires them to deal with the emotional needs of those they are responsible for leading.

The reason is simple. These success-oriented people tend to think that caring about personal emotions, or anything for that matter that is not directly related to business, is not a fundamental part of their responsibilities, and therefore is a waste of time.

However, leaders are not supposed to work in isolation; they are expected to bring out the very best in the people they lead. Therefore, part of being a good leader involves knowing how to motivate staff.

Mr. Kang, a director of company B, had a very strong personality and a successoriented mind. As he had led the way to excellence, however, his staff struggled with overwhelming stress. Maybe it was because of the work environment he had created that his division had the highest turnover rate in the company.

Concerned by this, the CEO told him, “If you don’t do a better job leading your division, I am not sure we will be able to keep working together. In my position as CEO, I

34

will give you my full support regarding whatever you need to do to fix this problem. Examine how you operate and start changing how you do things.” After hearing this, Director Kang requested my services as a business coach.

When I interviewed his staff, it was clear that they all recognized he had excellent business skills and had made major contributions to the firm. Many, though, were frustrated that he did not care about their feelings.

“Why do I have to care how my staff feel in regards to business?”

His reaction is typical of older businessmen who have grown up in patriarchal cultures. In their view, it is totally unacceptable for staff to complain like this when the leader’s approach is resulting in success.

To help Kang gain a better understanding of the situation, I decided to provide him with a detailed account of what his staff actually wanted from him.

What they wanted was actually nothing substantial. They simply wanted him to pay them more attention

and be sympathetic to their situations. They also wanted him to listen

to them and provide clear feedback when they were unable to solve problems.

When Director Kang read the detailed account I gave him, he did not know what to do. He confessed that, “It sounds simple and easy, but I have no idea where I should start.”

In response, I explained the concept of feminine leadership, comparing it to a mother caring for her children. Most mothers try to understand things from their children’s point of view. In other words, a feminine leadership approach is not success-oriented, but relationship-oriented. Those who utilize the feminine leadership approach recognize the need to maintain good relationships with their staff.

In the era of knowledge, what do those who want to be successful with employees need to incorporate into their leadership style? The suggestion is that they need to develop the skills required when dealing with emotional issues in the workplace.

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Our employees often find themselves struggling with urgent situations on the battlefield called business. As leaders, we have a responsibility to acknowledge their difficulties and use those skills to reduce their stress as much as possible by providing stable

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and comfortable working environments.

If you are a success-oriented leader raised in a patriarchal culture, ask the following: 1.

Do you recognize that failing to care for the emotional needs of your staff can negatively affect their performance?

2.

Have you developed the routine of having daily conversations with your staff concerning their emotional needs? If not, consider doing so.

3.

Are you listening carefully to what your staff are saying and providing them with clear feedback in return?

p. 69

Part 2

It is time to access your internal resources.

p. 70

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Focus on Your Strengths. Then, Your Weaknesses Will Be out of Sight.

Keep your face to the sun and you will never see the shadows. – Helen Keller

37 Several years ago, Donald O. Clifton and Marcus Buckingham’s Now, Discover Your Strengths was loved by many readers.

For me, the most impressive part of the book was the definition of talent. In general, talent means the “special ability or skill someone has innately.” However, based on the case studies of excellent leaders, the authors redefine it to mean “a repetitive pattern of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that can be used productively.”

When we work for organizations, we often encounter moments when we are required to make important decisions. According to the authors, we do not tend to decide something based on rational judgments, but rather tend to take action instinctively using these brain patterns.

Mr. Kim, a director of Company K, who had been in his position for over half a year, struggled daily. In his previous role as a team manager, he received a lot of compliments and was very confident. However, after he was promoted to director, he lost his confidence by comparing himself to other executives.

“What makes you less confident?” I asked him.

“Other executives have excellent English skills, so they can be assigned to overseas business as required. They are good at golf too. In comparison I speak very little English and can’t play golf.”

“Then, why do you think they made you an executive?”

“I think it’s because they valued my business and relationship skills.”

“Are those skills needed in your current role?”

“Absolutely!”

“I see, and do you need to be able to speak other languages?”

“No, not really.”

“I think that your company put you in your current position because they know you have all the skills required to perform brilliantly.

In the discussion that followed, Director Kim shifted his focus from his colleagues’ capabilities to his own. Eventually, he totally agreed with me that if he developed a better understanding of his strengths and how to utilize them effectively to meet his current responsibilities, he was assured of excellent results.

Where are you placing your focus now? If you are comparing yourself with others then stop doing so. Focus on your own capabilities and do everything required to ensure you effectively utilize them in meeting your responsibilities. By doing so, you will put yourself in a much stronger position to be able to achieve remarkable outcomes.

Remember what Marcus Buckingham says: that one of the things successful people have in common is that they have learned how not to allow their weaknesses to dominate them.

Successful people focus around 80% of their time and effort on enhancing their strengths, and only about 20% on attempting to control and/or eliminate their weaknesses.

Focus on your strengths, then your weaknesses will be out of sight.

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⃝

How can we maximize our internal resources?

1.

Believe that we possesses what we require.

2.

Stop comparing ourselves to others, and focus on understanding our strengths.

3.

Demonstrate those strengths to others.

4.

Take the actions required to enhance those strengths.

p. 74

A Leader’s Confidence Empowers Staff

Confidence is not something that falls out of the sky. When you have a clear goal, dream, and vision for your life, and when you are fully dedicated to your work, little achievements will lead you to success. – Byong-Moo Yang

“I have put everything I have into this project over the past year,” said Team Manager Mr. Kim to his CEO Mr. Ju, “but every single time we’ve been beaten to the punch with products similar in nature to our concept flooding the market before we launch. Don’t you agree that we need to speed up our development process and release our products sooner?

It’s so frustrating the way we keep delaying things until it’s too late, by having one meeting

39

after the other—some of which are obviously a pointless waste of time. Mr. Ju, I’m no longer confident that we can succeed. I know we can’t go on like this. But I’ve no idea how to fix the problem. What do you think the solution is?”

Mr. Ju told me that he found Mr. Kim’s criticism painful to hear. It drained him of energy and was very discouraging. He wondered what the other employees would think when Mr. Kim, whom he regarded as his most supportive executive, was now heard to be complaining. He expected some of them to jump ship. He felt it was very unfair that he was being blamed for the problem when, in fact, it was the Team Managers’ fault, not his. They were ones who had advised against rushing to market, so he did not see why he was the one considered responsible for taking too long to launch new products. Consequently, he confessed that he felt like giving up, quitting so he could escape this awful situation.

In the IT industry, being beaten to market is not uncommon. It is one of the most competitive industries when it comes to trying to gain a first-mover advantage.

In 1519, Hernán Cortés sailed with around 600 soldiers to Mexico. His intention was to conquer the entire country.

After landing, he ordered all of the ships sunk except for one, which was kept for the purpose of communicating with Spain. Now, if they wanted to survive they had to win, and of course they did.

Why did he not fear removing the opportunity for escape? It was because of his firm conviction that this was the right move. He had strategies coupled with a clear vision and the willingness to do whatever was required to force his soldiers to achieve his goal.

When leaders attempt something new, they will often be confronted with doubts and concerns

40

rather than positive responses and enthusiastic support.

A leader is someone who charts the course ahead based on their grasp of the larger picture. Confident leaders empower their staff. Whatever their staff cannot do is something the leader should be able to do. Leaders should clearly demonstrate that they are confident and believe in their workers’ ability to succeed. This is the driving force that leaders can use to motivate the people they lead.

What Mr. Ju needed was confidence. Once he recovered that he would be able to resume his role as leader, something he should never have lost in the first place.

It takes many people to sail a large ship, but only the captain has the authority to decide the direction the ship will sail. Never forget that you, the leader of your organization,

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are the captain.

If you feel discouraged because you think that your staff are not responding positively or actively supporting you, do the following: 1.

Ensure you are keeping the larger picture in mind when making your plans.

2.

Take responsibility for your choices.

3. Restore your confidence by making bold decisions that eliminate negative factors.

p. 78

The Size of a Leader’s Thoughts Determine the Size of his Success

41

Believe Big. The size of your success is determined by the size of your belief. – David J. Schwartz (The Magic of Big Thinking)

One of the questions I often asked my audience when I ran seminars for CEOs was, “How proud are you of your employees and your products?”

Some CEOs complain to their staff about poor sales, while simultaneously not even using their own products.

Do their complaints make their employees work harder to increase sales? Not at all.

The staff know what their CEO thinks of the firm’s products. When the CEO has no belief in those products, it is unlikely the staff will have the confidence or motivation to sell them.

Employees want to be proud of what they do and the products they make and sell.

According to Lee Iacocca, the former CEO of Chrysler, leadership is a process of constructing a model for others to follow. When you are in a leadership position, your followers will pay attention to your every move.

Therefore, you should never forget that every single word and gesture is critical.

Then, what is required to lead a company to growth? First, a leader needs to believe in his company. With a clear vision for the success of the business, a leader needs to provide a master plan for the employees, making it clear to them what goals must be met within the next three-to-ten years if the company is to enjoy significant growth.

In The Magic of Thinking Big, David J. Schwartz writes, “Believe big. The size of your success is determined by the size of your belief.” What he means by belief is having solid faith in something, a faith than knows no doubt.

Unfortunately, however, there are things that can and do weaken our belief, and when

42

that happens we need to know what to do in order to revive it.

Amazing things can happen when one has a person has a strong belief in themselves.

The way to maintain the strength of that belief is to push away negative thoughts and keep challenging yourself to achieve ever greater things.

Imagine your company produces the very best products in the world and is well known for the quality of those products. Visualize this as if it is already a reality. Push out any negative thoughts and fill the empty space with positive ones.

Here is a process that can be used to change your thinking: 1. Together with your employees determine the strengths of your company.

2. Be generous with praise regarding company achievements, both minor and major.

3. Share your conviction that you and your employees can do anything.

4. Have a clear vision, and imagine that vision has already been realized.

Going through this process will make your vision more specific. Consistently share this specific vision with your staff, and encourage them to do what is required in order to achieve the goals set before them. As a leader, this is what you are supposed to be doing.

You are a leader. No one can say to you, “This is the size of your bowl. Don’t be greedy. Be satisfied with what you have.” You own the right to decide for yourself the size of your belief, and therefore the size of your success.

Being the leader, you should have a stronger belief in your vision than anyone else does. Draw a large mental picture, smile, and go forward. You will experience the amazing

⃝

power of imagination before long.

If you lose belief in your products and/or company, do the following: 1.

With your employees, determine your company’s strengths.

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2.

Compliment and encourage each other for both minor and major achievements.

3. Make your vision as specific as possible, and share it with your employees.

p. 82

Doing Your Best Will Bring You Pleasure

Thinking too much reduces bravery. Moderate thinking is wise, but thinking too much just makes me a coward. It is not helpful but distracting. – Erwin Rommel

Mr. Yang is the CEO of an apparel company. It was in a good shape, but he was not happy. He had never expected to be made CEO of the company and still doubted he was qualified for the position. He was also concerned that his employees thought the same way.

Mr. Yang’s situation proves yet again that we cannot know someone based on appearance alone. Mr. Yang might have appeared every inch a confident man of business, but in reality, he was constantly assailed by doubts. I felt deep sympathy for him because he was unable to believe in himself despite his successes.

He was more than competent, having successfully guided the company through the Asian Financial Crisis while other companies struggled, in some cases even closing down. So why was he unable to believe in himself?

Part of the reason was that he had never been required to solve any truly major

44

problems. Nor had he ever had any spectacular successes or failures. All of his experiences with the company had been rather average.

What he needed was to face a major challenge and come out on top. Success begets success, while failure begets failure. An ambiguous attitude begets further ambiguousness.

Your thoughts and attitudes as a leader can have a critical influence on your employees. If they do not witness you passionately doing your best, how can they be motivated to push themselves? Mr. Yang needs to see himself from his employees’ perspective. If he had a leader like himself, he could easily imagine how his employees felt about him.

There is an interesting point here to which we should pay close attention. I have met many leaders who complain about their employees. In many cases, though, the employees were often simply mirroring their leaders. Unfortunately, leaders very rarely seem to be aware that this is so often the case.

For example, imagine a leader complaining about the workplace being too quiet— “more like a temple than a place of business”. They wish their employees were more active and joyful instead of being so passive. Looking closely at this leader; we discover in many cases that his personality is on the quieter side. As a result, he probably does not like people with loud, strong, forceful personalities. Such a leader is more likely to approve the hiring of those who have personalities more similar to his own. It is ironic that the leader is complaining about one of the things these employees’ were hired because of—ie, their quiet personalities.

I suggested to Mr. Yang that he attempt to demonstrate to his employees a more active and passionate attitude. I also recommended that he put aside a block of time during which he would allow no distractions whatsoever. During this time, he was to think about things such as what had caused his negative attitude, and what some of the happiest moments

45

in his life were.

If you have to do something, it is wise to pour everything you have into it. Then your employees will see your passion, and this will be directly reflected in their attitudes. In the process, you will definitely experience more pleasure in your work.

Give it your very best; then see if it is really what you want. If not, choose another direction to discover something that will thrill you. It is never too late in life to make a

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change.

If you find very little pleasure in your work, and if you are not passionate about your current position: 1.

Check if you have done your best.

2.

Take time to determine what you truly think.

3.

Simplify your thoughts and discover ways to passionately challenge yourself again.

4.

Pour everything you have into what you do.

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