Super Tuesday

As we count down to “Super Tuesday” wondering who to entrust our future to, I feel encouraged by the wide-open primaries, the many debates, and access to candidates ideas via the web. It has made this “selection for election” season far more interesting. As a leadership advisor, coach and consultant for nearly 30 years, I have strong opinions about what makes a successful leader of very large-scale organizations, which our nation certainly is.

Here is my framework for considering whom I might support. First is the intelligence to understand complex issues from multiple viewpoints without either becoming confused or over simplifying what is not that simple. Second, is to create and communicate a clear vision of the future that furthers the legitimate interests of all. Third, is to be able to galvanize the will of multiple groups into a higher common ground. Fourth is to attract and empower a talented team to manage and execute the leadership agenda. Fifth, to be the standard of moral authority; a leader whose character we admire and whose transparent motives are to improve the lives of all. Leaders of this intelligence, wisdom and judgment are indeed rare, but that is the kind of leader we need now.

I am looking for a leader that can unite us as a nation with common interests to drown out the voices of special interests. A leader who doesn’t use fear to consolidate power. A wise leader who will listen to the experience of others and stimulate a competition of ideas and be both humble and courageous in making decisions. A leader with elevated priorities and common sense. Above all, a leader that reflects what is best about all of us.Recently, I re-read a book, The Speed of Trust, written by a friend, Stephen M.R. Covey, that is exactly on point as to what kind of leader we should be electing President. Covey lays out a clear proven case that trust is the essential currency of leadership. We will not follow or support leaders we don’t trust. Furthermore, he points out that the roots of trust are both character and competence. An honest idiot cannot be trusted anymore than an evil genius.

Leaders we trust share their thought process with us. Their reasoning, judgments and decisions are transparent. They, in fact, don’t ask us to trust them because they know better. Instead, they invite a diversity of ideas and respectful debate. Most of all, leaders we trust are always looking for the “higher center.” They look beyond compromise to optimize. Their solutions are not the best we can do, but rather are simply the best. They focus on root causes and investment instead of symptoms and spending.

As Covey points out, when we trust our leaders friction is reduced, decisions are made, policies implemented and progress accelerates.

I like Stephen’s book because it offers a model to measure current candidates and all leaders against. I recommend you take a look at it. It may help you decide who you really trust to lead us.

As for me, historically I’ve been a Republican, but today I feel a higher allegiance, I am an American and global citizen looking for the best person possible to create a world I want my grandchildren to inherit. I don’t care what party, gender, race or age they are. I am just looking for a leader I can believe in. Aren’t we all?

To visit American Dream Project’s home page, click here.

Vote Thoughtfully

I’ve already had emails and comments from well intended readers who are assuming my description of these rare leadership qualities are a disguised endorsement for a particular candidate. But no; that simply is not true. While there are some candidates that at least for me do not make the cut, there are others who regularly but not always talk and act in ways that give me hope. I haven’t decided on any candidate for my full and final support. Yes, I will vote on Tuesday, but at this stage and throughout the election until November, I will watch and listen with great interest before I decide who best exemplifies the kind of leadership we desperately need. It’s my hope that we’ll all do the same.

Will

11 comments.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate Social Responsibility. That’s what the business world is talking about more and more. The reason I know is because that’s the topic business clients are asking me to speak about. It’s about time. The awareness of the need for social responsibility has exploded in the past three years like lightening hitting a paper dry forest on a hot August afternoon.

A recent national survey (2007 Cone Cause Evolution Survey) reveals that individuals are holding companies to all-time high standards of social responsibility and good business practices. 83% state that companies have a responsibility to support good causes. 87% say they will switch brands to those actively engaged in good causes. And 72% of American workers wish their organizations would do more to support environmental or social issues.

And the fire is raging among our next generation of leaders has even higher standards. 78 million Americans age 13-25 are the most civic-minded generation in the past 50 years. Nearly two-thirds of them feel personally responsible for making a difference in creating a sustainable future. 78% of them believe that companies have a direct responsibility in this effort. And young Americans are quite ready to punish companies that aren’t genuinely doing something to improve the world. Nearly 90% of them said that they would quit buying products from irresponsible companies and shift to responsible ones if they could find a similar product. 80% say they want to work for companies that actively contribute to the good of society. (The 2006 Core Millennial Cause Study)

The demand for new solutions to the social, environmental, health, education, political and resource problems are burning everywhere.

We see it in our popular culture. We are not surprised when Oprah calls out for greater social justice and personal integrity. We are amazed, though, when rock star Bono does it not only with passion but also with intelligent action.

We see it in philanthropy. When Bill Gates resigns from business and convinces Warren Buffet to give his fortune to solve society’s problems or when Bill Clinton and George Bush work together for world relief, or when large-scale giving is built into the core business models of corporations such as Google and eBay, something is up.

We see it in business. When eco-conscious Patagonia clothing company pioneers the use of organic cotton in tee-shirts, it’s cool. When they teach Wal-Mart how to do it, it’s jaw dropping. When the largest for-profit company in the world transforms itself into the largest seller of organic food, fair trade coffee and organic clothing in the globe, when it converts part of its truck fleet to alternative fuel and mandates recycling, we must sit up and take note.  And it’s only the beginning if consumers and employees demand it.

Of course many skeptics see this as nothing but “green P.R.” Others lament that the true costs of these efforts make them either futile or the environment or actually worse. Their only solution is to prohibit, live small and simple, and return to our cabins on the prairie.

But developing countries like India, China, and Russia will have none of that. They want a western lifestyle. Our best hope is to quit wringing our hands and invest in new ways of achieving sustainable abundance. Is it possible? Well, when countries like Denmark get much of their power from the wind, we are not impressed. Most macho Americans think Europeans are eco-weenies. But when big box stores like Circuit City and Target are putting solar panels on their stores and warehouses to cut their energy costs, we take notice. New companies like SunEdison have created a brand new business by installing the solar panels for free in exchange for a 10-year contract to buy the generated electricity. Yes, mainstream entrepreneurs and venture capital firms are beginning to scale large businesses using new solutions that are better for everyone, something positive is happening.

What’s happening is a revolution in how we define quality. Now the term also means sustainability and responsibility. Our personal expectations of the things we buy, how they are made, their safety, how long they last and how they are recycled is being dramatically raised.

But something is missing. Maybe we are moving too slow. We’ve created a consumer economy instead of a producer one. What we don’t need is an endless supply of me-too products that waste resources to make and cost us a lot to dispose of. The world needs products creatively conceived to offer unique value. Products to replace the ones that are killing us. This is the opportunity of 21st century capitalism. To achieve it we need bigger goals, new incentives and a revolutionary concept of value, creativity, and courage. And we need moral leadership. Capitalism needs a soul as well as a brain. In little ways and big ways people are stepping up. These are the enterprises we should start, fund or work for. Are you?

To visit American Dream Project’s home page, click here.

4 comments.

2008 Diet and Investment Plan

There is nothing you can buy that is worth the price of peace of mind. If you want a dream life, live in a place you can afford, working at a career you love, now. Not twenty years from now.

Last August I wrote about the upcoming “financial winter.” Well, it’s evidently arrived. Suddenly everyone is talking about inflation, job losses, foreclosures, and a drop in consumer spending. This is a big deal. The ratio of household debt to income is now 130%. Fifteen years ago it was 80%. Gulp. In my view, all of this was avoidable, but when we have policies that promote endless borrowing and buying instead of producing and saving, we’re bound to be hit by a blizzard of woe. A consumer economy simply creates a culture of dependence, a producer economy a culture of self-sufficiency. So why not create your own economic world in 2008? One that is largely self-sufficient and independent of the hand-wringing whining of policy makers.

Here’s how I think about it. Get on a healthy financial diet. Financial adviser Ann Morosy (http://www.moneta.com.au) says your fixed costs (mortgage or rent, credit card, car, and personal loan payments, insurance, taxes, etc.) ought to be no more than 40% of your income. Variable expenses (food, clothing, cell-phone, gas, repairs, etc.) ought to be no more than 30%. Fun expenses (vacations, entertainment, presents, jewelry, etc.) ought not to exceed 20%. And savings, 10%. Sounds great, right? But in our consumer economy an increasing number of people pay nearly 50% of their income to housing related costs alone! Throw in gas and medical insurance, and it seems hopeless. That’s exactly what many forces in our economy would like you to do. Surrender to the inevitable. It’s called debt slavery. Wait for 100-year mortgages. It will be part of the “solution” to our mortgage crisis. The idea is like modern sharecropping. All your work will go to pay minimum payments on debt that never disappears. Live different.

The first part of the solution is a healthy financial diet. Get serious about reducing variable and fun expenses to pay down fixed expenses. Be aggressive, steady, and consistent. But even then your financial mountain may seem too huge to save your way to sanity. If that’s true, invest in yourself. That’s right; your best investment is usually in the economic opportunity you have the most control over. That’s you. That’s where the second part of the solution comes in.

Invest in your own earning power. In today’s global workplace you really have no choice but to become an expert at something. It should be something that you’re naturally good at and that holds your interest. It could be nearly anything from being a bookkeeper, tailor, sales person, project manager, and dog groomer. It doesn’t matter much what you choose if you are absolutely great at it. Even in depressions there is a wealthy class that will pay for the great, the unique, and the dependable. When I say expert, I am not saying merely good; I mean you devote yourself to excellence. To be great requires intelligent effort. The formula is learn-do-teach. Be an eager student of your interests and a constant developer of your gifts. Never settle for a final plateau. Next, be excellent on the doing. And finally, teach others what you know. Write, blog, lecture, publish—just tell the world. It doesn’t matter what it is; there is always room at the top of any profession. Hey, the world still needs cowboys. Ty Murray makes millions being a rodeo star. The world also needs train engineers, nannies, diesel mechanics, and copywriters. And the people who are great and dependable at nearly all of these jobs often make close or better than $100,000 a year. (Yes, even world-class nannies. And if you’re already making $100 K but are still broke, don’t despair. My experience is that nearly anyone can triple their income if they are willing to become a truly amazing expert and be dependable.)

The point is it’s easy to get derailed by stress when gas is $5 bucks a gallon and politicians are calling for bailouts for this and that. But don’t be distracted. No one is going to bail us out. At best they can help change economic and trade policy to foster a production economy instead of a consumer one. And that’s what we need to do with our personal economy. Become a producer of your maximum value. And don’t waste money on stuff whose true cost is your own piece of mind.

To visit American Dream Project’s home page, click here.

5 comments.

2008

As I look forward to 2008, I stare into a crystal ball and see…..fog! It could be a real stinker. I just read that the number of natural disasters (flood, fires, etc.) last year was 43% greater than the average from 2000-2004. Real inflation is raging, foreclosures mounting, the war is unresolved, Africa is in turmoil, and of course we have an interesting Presidential election. OK, OK. There is a lot to be stressed-out over. But if we channel that stress energy productively, that’s a lot to be energetic about. No, this isn’t anything like the Great Depression or World War II no matter what the media says. It’s vital we don’t let all the feelings of overwhelm over what we can’t personally change distract us from what we can. Today we have more resources at our personal disposal than ever in history to take control of our destinies and impact change.

All of us have our own hero’s journey to face. We all have a choice. As author Joseph Campbell pointed out, there is only one life story. It is the hero’s journey. This one story is the foundation for all great literature, myth and popular film. The hero’s journey is simple. All of us, individually and collectively, eventually find ourselves faced with something in our life that is intolerable. Or at least should be. One of our chronic challenges is that we are so good at adapting we mal-adapt. We accept that which we should not and tell ourselves it’s normal, or we have no choice. But every day presents a choice.

Every day we can take the coward’s way out or choose the hero’s response.

The coward’s choice focuses on what we don’t want. We invent excuses as to why we can’t change and instead just try to dull the pain of our lives. Usually with superficial pleasures like shopping, sports or T.V. Or dangerous ones like alcohol and extramarital affairs.

But the coward’s choice always results in more loss and more pain, more confusion, a shrinking of vision, a dumbing down of our life.

The hero’s response comes from a vision of what we do want. It always creates a higher-level solution. A hero’s response arouses open-mindedness and a willingness to change. It means questioning our assumptions. It means looking for the grains of truth in new points of view rather than clinging to familiar opinions. Heroic thinking creates hope, optimism, and energy to take us toward a higher level of life satisfaction.

So this is how I am advising myself as I face 2008:

What are the best parts of my life that I want to magnify or expand?
What parts are not working for me?
What thinking, circumstances or fears are holding me back from changing what should be intolerable?
What have I gotten used to that I shouldn’t have?
What am I willing to stop doing that will improve my life?
What am I willing to over-invest in that will make life extraordinary?
If my life was a clear reflection of my unique traits, talents, interests and relationships, what would it look like?

I have found these questions deserve deep, regular reflection. And then action. Pick one thing you want to stop and one thing you want to do more of. Then, stop and do. Keep stopping and keep doing until your life feels more extraordinary. We are alive to grow, so let’s grow. It’s a time to stop just thinking and start doing. A time to turn up the volume on your life.

So no matter the circumstances of our society, or despite the many excuses we could have to give up, we can still make the hero’s choice in our own lives. We can make the difference that is our difference.

That is all we can do. And if we all did it, it would be more than enough.

Happy New Year.

To visit American Dream Project’s home page, click here.

2 comments.