Thirdway Leadership | Category Archives: Decision Making and Change

Part One: Welcome to The ThirdWay

Leadership Matters
In the rapidly shifting and highly competitive landscape of the 21st Century,
leadership has a significant impact on organizational outcomes across the board;
from operational efficiency and customer service,
to employee recruitment, retention and engagement;
from creativity and innovation, to productivity and profitability.

Leadership is a hot topic. With the flood of information available, how do you begin to cut through the clutter?

In this multi-part series we will demystify the art and science of leadership and illustrate what effective leadership looks like in the new millennium: what we call ThirdWay Leadership.

And we will provide a set of tools and techniques you can apply immediately that will support you and your organization on the road to ThirdWay Leadership.

Today, we introduce the ThirdWay Leadership Model. In upcoming installments we will take a deeper dive into the specific mindsets and skillsets characteristic of ThirdWay Leaders.

Defining Leadership

We define leadership as:
A process of social influence that catalyzes the energy and imagination of others, and maximizes their efforts towards the achievement of a meaningful goal.

What are the Hallmarks of ThirdWay Leaders?

ThirdWay Leaders take ownership of their piece of the puzzle.
They recognize people are the greatest asset in any organization, and they commit to developing themselves and those around them.
They understand every organization exists to achieve results, and they keep their eyes on the prize.
They realize the nature of work is shifting, the time we spend collaborating is on the rise, and mastering the art of teaming is essential.
They know that in today’s fast-paced environment, whether incremental or monumental, change is the only constant. They learn to navigate it gracefully.

ThirdWay Leadership may or may not be tied to a formal position of authority. We see it in the CEO who envisions a new direction and inspires people to get on board and turn the ship; and we see it in the line worker who recognizes a need for better departmental communication, and steps up to make it happen.

ThirdWay Leadership isn’t about command and control, wielding power or demanding compliance through fear. It is not, “Do this, or else,” or “You’re not being paid to think!” ThirdWay Leaders recognize the inherent value in each member of the organization; they walk their talk, and they build followership with honesty, respect and trust.

The ThirdWay Model of Leadership©

We have synthesized key concepts from the study of leadership theory, organizational development, entrepreneurship, psychology, neuroscience, coaching and creativity, along with direct, hands-on experience, to create a framework for understanding and mastering the mindset and skillset of ThirdWay Leadership.

Funnel 5

A note to remember:
Mastering leadership is a journey. No one does it all perfectly. As you explore the model, remember to play to your strengths, and bring a healthy dose of humor, humility and self-compassion as you identify areas you want or need to grow.

OVERVIEW OF THE MODEL

The Four Quadrants

The mindset and skill sets of ThirdWay Leaders are organized into four quadrants which represent areas of competency.

FOCUS ON RELATIONSHIPS: Capacity to Engage

The first quadrant looks at our ability to build effective working relationships and to lead with integrity.
Primary Competency: Practice social and emotional intelligence

FOCUS ON RESULTS: Capacity to be Effective

Quadrant 2 addresses our ability to focus on the outcomes and objectives that will move the organization forward, and our ability to create an environment that allows people to do their best work every day.
Primary Competencies: Begin with the end in mind; Set the stage for success

FOCUS ON COLLABORATION: Capacity to be Inclusive

Quadrant 3 examines our ability to work collaboratively, to build strong teams, and to create a culture that supports the full participation of a diverse community.
Primary Competency: Build a foundation of trust

ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET: Capacity to be Creative

The fourth quadrant explores our willingness to take ownership for all aspects of an enterprise, to embrace creativity and innovation, and to take calculated risks.
Primary Competencies: Practice accountability; Apply creative methodologies

The Two Axes

In addition to the four quadrants, the ThirdWay Leadership model is organized along two axes.

THE RELATIONSHIPS TO RESULTS AXIS

The two left quadrants (focus on relationships and focus on collaboration) address the relationship side of the leadership equation; the two right quadrants (focus on results and entrepreneurial mindset) look at how we get things done and move the organization forward.

THE STABILITY TO CREATIVITY AXIS

The top two quadrants are oriented around competencies that support stability in an organization; the bottom two are oriented around a commitment to creativity and change.

Bringing it All Together

With all the component pieces in place, the ThirdWay Model of Leadership creates a simple, user-friendly approach to understanding and mastering leadership.

Focus on Relationships (Relationships – Stable)
Our ability to build strong relationships creates a stable environment for the work of the organization.
Focus on Results (Results – Stable)
Our ability to generate positive results provides the consistent performance required to support growth.
Focus on Collaboration (Relationships – Creative)
Our ability to collaborate takes our relationship skills and moves them into a creative realm.
Entrepreneurial Mindset (Results – Creative)
Our entrepreneurial mindset sets us up to see ourselves provides the spark that will drive innovation and create a true competitive advantage.

Stay tuned for Part 2, where we will dive into the mindset and skill sets of relationship mastery!

In the meantime, reach out to us to talk to you about how you can bring the ThirdWay model into your organization and begin the journey towards leadership excellence!

Presenting the “Weather Girls” (a.k.a. One-Hit Wonder) Retreat

It’s the day after the company retreat, and there’s a buzz in the air. Everywhere you look, people are engrossed in lively conversations.

“I can’t believe I finally got up the nerve to ride the zip line.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard as I did watching our CEO’s karaoke rendition of ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’!

“We’re going to have to recruit more muscle for the sales team so we can reclaim the Tug of War trophy at next years’ event.”

What’s wrong with this picture?

There’s lots of engagement and excitement but none of the energy is directed towards the objectives of your organization or delivering outstanding value to your customers.

We call this the “Engagement Without Objectives” scenario.

Now for the “Never Even Made It Onto the Charts” Retreat

It’s the day after the company retreat, and it feel like all the air has been sucked out of the room. On each desk; a fresh, 3-ring binder filled with sales figures, Gantt charts, projections, market surveys, customer surveys, employee surveys and a printout of the 247-slide PowerPoint deck presentation that was the highlight of the retreat. Goals, metrics, and performance criteria have all been carefully spelled out, and now it’s time to deliver.

Engagement not Despite the CEO’s half-hearted end-of-the-day attempt at motivation (when most people would rather be sitting on a bar stool sipping a margarita), no one really has any sense of how they’re going to get from here to there.

We call this the “Objectives without Engagement” scenario.

What’s the alternative? How can we create an event that is interactive, energizing and memorable, and at the same time creates sustainable change tied directly to your mission, vision and objectives?

Introducing the “Aretha Franklin” (a.k.a. Lifetime Achievement Award) Retreat

Step 1 – Identify the Challenge (The Framework)

What is one significant challenge or opportunity facing your organization today? Perhaps you’ve become so process heavy people feel strangled and there’s no room for improvement. Or you’ve become siloed and there’s a lack of cross-functional collaboration. Or perhaps you’ve become complacent and you’d like to create a culture of creativity. Once identified, that challenge becomes the framework for the retreat.

Step 2 – Know Your “Why”

Clarify why this challenge is important. Why does it matter if you adopt a program of continual improvement, or if the sales team and the operations team are collaborating to create an outstanding customer experience? Why are creativity and innovation critical components of your competitive advantage? Be prepared to communicate your why in a clear and compelling way when you come together.

Step 3 – Identify Your Learning Objectives and Outcomes

Ask yourself: if this event were wildly successful, at the end of the day, what would be different? What would people have learned? What would they start doing that they’re not doing now, or what would they stop doing that isn’t working anymore?

Step 4 – Follow Up

It’s relatively easy to do things differently when you’re away from the office in a controlled environment set up to encourage alternative ways of interacting. It’s a different animal under the pressures of the workplace. To keep the momentum going, follow up is crucial. Let the group design what needs to happen next, set actionable goals and identify how they can take ownership of their piece of the puzzle.

Step 5 – Track Your Success

Devise ways to track success. Keep tabs on what’s working and what’s not and use the information to inform your next effort.

Step 6 – Hire a Professional

Design and delivery of training and development programs is an art and a science. Given the time and money you’re investing in the day; don’t skimp on the one piece that translates to return on investment: program design and facilitation. To insure your next event not only rises to the top of the charts, but becomes part of a long and illustrious development culture, give us a call. Click the Contact Us button.

We’re here and ready to assist.

Category Archives: Decision Making and Change

DEMYSTIFYING LEADERSHIP IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM