loma812

The World Isn’t Flat!Leadership Lessons from

Around the Globe

LOMAMarch 2, 2011

Barbara Mulhern FowlerJ.D., LL.M, CLU, ChFC

Go to the peopleLive among the peopleLearn from themLove themStart with what they knowBuild on what they haveBut of the best leaders,When their task is accomplished,Their work is done,The people will remark,“We have done it ourselves”

By Lao Tzu

Old Chinese Proverb

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Cultural Diversity

1. Hearing that a nine year old girl was not allowed to play with a classmate because the classmate did not do well in her school grades makes me feel …..

2. Seeing a six-year old getting on a subway alone in a major city makes me think her parents are …..

3. Finding out that a good student was giving her answers to several other students taking a test made me think that …..

4. Seeing someone throw trash on the street makes me wonder if …..

5. Interviewing a candidate for an executive level position who answers several questions with the preface “my psychologist and I have discussed this” makes me feel……

Choice in Culture

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When making choices, do you consider what is best for you or what is best for you and the people around you?

In what areas do you like to have choices? Where would you prefer not to have a

choice? Individualist versus Collectivist culture?

Making Assumptions

Don’t make them

If you do, assume the best intentions

Our assumptions are always biased

Seek first to understand, then to be understood

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Failing Forward

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“Good people are good because they have come to wisdom from failure. We get very little wisdom from success.”

William Saroyan

Failing Forward

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Inexperience

Inability Inaction

Fear

FearCycle

Failing Forward

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Experience

AbilityAction

Confidence

Fear

ForwardCycle

Success

Failure

Don’t Make Excuses

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“Do what you can with what you have at the time.”

Teddy Roosevelt

Take Responsibility – 100%

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I need to do a better job of explaining this…

I must not have been clear enough…

I was at fault…

Learn to Have Difficult Conversations … Constructively

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“If we avoid confronting people…we rob the other person of the opportunity to improve things.”

Douglas Stone

The Power of Teams

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T – E – A - M

Together Each Achieves More

Or…

Together Each Achieves Mediocrity

Making Dreams into Reality

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Write them down Say them out loud Make them specific Ask for help Give permission to others to hold you

accountable

“It is never too late to become what you might have been.”

George Eliot

Use Open-Ended Questions

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To develop a team

To give/get feedback

Get independent opinions, not group consensus

Second person to speak

Give Them Permission to Supervise You

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If you see me having difficulty, please….

If I am not clear, please….

I would appreciate it if you….

Change is Not Easy

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“Without change, there can be no growth. Without change, there can be no improvement.”

Robin Sharma

“The Common Denominator of Success”

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“Successful people form the habits of doing the things that failures don’t like to do.”

Albert E.N. Gray

Make it Harder “Not” to Get Up

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Michelangelo’s David

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Questions?Contact

Barbara Fowlerwww.chiefoutsiders.com

bfowler@chiefoutsiders.com

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