In organizations we use models, frameworks, processes, and methodologies to great extent and with effective results. It is a way of modeling our anticipated experience so we can mentally understand what is going on in our world and see how all the pieces might fit together – it is an overview perspective that gives us the lay of the land.
The danger is thinking that the model is the same as actually getting things done. A useful way to think about this distinction is the difference between the cartographer and the explorer. The cartographer creates a map of the place to be explored, which provides an overall view and puts it in context of the known world at the time. It is an excellent visual representation of what exists as we know it today. The explorer is the brave soul who goes out to the edges of the known universe, experiences the territory directly, and actually finds out what is there. At some points the map is useful and accurate, but at other points it fails miserably. The explorer cannot just complain, “Oh it is the map makers fault,” and give up as that is a sure way to death. They find a new way and bring back valuable information to improve the map and grow our understanding of the known universe.
In the business world, creating a map is called strategy and it is an analytical skill. Exploring the territory is called implementing the strategy and it is an emotional skill. Successfully implementing a strategy is often like finding your way in the wilderness – to which anyone who has successfully traversed organizational change can attest.
To actually be able to adapt in today’s world, a leader needs both analytical and emotional skills to successfully design and implement any change that an entire organization is willing to commit to following. These are fundamentally different skills and it is essential to understand the differences between them.
Everyone tends to be more dominant in one vs. the other – and everyone can increase their skill in either. Most leaders tend to be strong on the strategy/analytical side, but a little less so on the emotional side. Implementing strategy requires a deep appreciation for the risk employees take in trusting their leaders when they can’t see the big picture. As humans, every one of us has experienced being let down or led astray by someone we trusted. These are the real emotions you must help your people work through during periods of significant change – the uncertainty and the fear.
Leaders often use a fairly common protection mechanism, which is simply to brush employees’ concerns and say “get over it, this is just business.” Of course, it is not just business and you can’t program people’s emotions like computers. This reaction usually reflects the leader’s own discomfort with everyone’s fear and anxiety. As leaders, when we make decisions about change we impact people’s lives. For leaders there can be a real fear about screwing up and negatively impacting people on a large scale. Many deal with that fear by emotionally shutting down. The problem is that effective implementation requires the opposite response.
Times of change are much like exploring the territory. You don’t know what to expect and you are discovering important places where the map is not accurate. First and foremost, employees want to know that their leaders care. They want to feel a genuine gratitude for all they are doing to make the strategy a reality.
The inner work for the leader is to truly appreciate the challenges their employees face every day in the territory while trying to create a more accurate map. The leader’s journey is to generate a genuine internal state of gratitude and appreciation for their people. And to be able to openly express it while not being overwhelmed by everyone’s changing emotions. This balance requires a deep centeredness. The goal is to really care, show it, and stay focused on the key elements of implementing the strategy. In short, it is about being analytical and emotional at the same time.
Imagine the difference between a map of the Grand Canyon and actually being there – the experience, the heat, the tiredness, the emotional awe, the sense of wonder. Maps are extremely useful, but not to be confused for the experience itself. A map gives us a perspective of what is going on in an analytical framework. The experience on the ground is much different.
It is the ability to move seamlessly between the two perspectives and not confuse one for the other that is critical to effective leadership. Stay focused on the strategy, while deeply appreciating the impact on the people and letting them know it.
In the end, people know if you care or not. It is that simple. If you really appreciate what they are doing; it will be reflected in every communication, every comment, your body language, and tone of voice. Leaders have to sit with themselves and ask the central question – “Do I really appreciate what my people are doing? Do I really care?”
If the answer is “no, not really” then you will probably run into major problems.
If the answer is “yes” – then the next question is, “Am I expressing that clearly? Am I demonstrating that?” If not, then the inner work of taking a chance on communicating your appreciation is in order. When you communicate your appreciation, you may not always get the positive response you expect at first. It is a leader’s inner strength that matters here. If it is genuine, just keep doing it. It will eventually get through. The larger the organization, the longer it takes for people to get the message and more importantly, to trust the message.
In the end, as a leader, you must have a strategy and be able to execute it. That will take a map and a lot of analytical thinking. Successful implementation is all about your people’s commitment. It is amazing the depth of commitment you will get when you simply, genuinely appreciate what your employees are doing every day and they know you care.
When you demonstrate that you actually care about what they do every day you will have built the crucial bridge between the map and the territory. Once that happens, you will have a team that will surprise themselves, and probably the rest of the world, by what they can accomplish.
Copyright © 2016 Cameron Hogan, HealingTheCorporateHeart.com. All rights reserved