ANNOTATION

Leaders in general have a mix of traits, but most are ruled by two dominate mindsets. Maideque and Hiller describe six basic mindsets that capture how a leader rules by who they choose to serve. The six mindsets include the sociopath, who serves no one. The egoist who pursues self-interest. The chameleon who serves anyone. The dynamo who is goal oriented and sometimes singular in their pursuit. The builder who is always focused on the institution and the transcender, who serves society at large. The beauty is that as leaders we may eb and flow between these mindsets depending on the situation but identifying them help us determine not just who we are but who we want to be.

SELF REFLECTION

I myself tend to swing between being a chameleon and a dynamo. While I’m usually a doer, focused with motivation and mission I also am a people pleaser. This innate desire to serve multiple groups can be difficult. When combined with my dynamo side, I often overcommit and take on more than I should. On the flip side, these traits are incredibly powerful. My ability to empathize with a variety of interests paired with the skills to move among different groups can be incredibly fruitful. It’s no surprise that I work in public relations, where these mindsets are needed and rewarded.

LINK TO FULL TEXT: https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/the-mindsets-of-a-leader/

Maidique, M.A., & Hiller, N.J. (2018). The Mindsets OF a Leader. MIT Sloan Management Review. 59(4), 76-81.

ANNOTATION

This article really breaks down the basics to understanding the need for diversity in debate and unity in deciding. The three “C’s” of effective decision making include conflict, consideration, and closure. The idea is that a good decision maker invites counsel but knows when to pull the trigger. There are great benefits to a considering variety of solutions. When a team feels heard and, most importantly considered, they are more likely to be on board with the end-result regardless if it was their idea. Another trait of a great leader is explanation. When there are opposing and diverse options for resolution, a good leader can explain how they came to make the final call. This more democratic way of inviting support vs. dictating endorsement signals to the team that they matter.

PERSONAL REFLECTION

Having spent most of my career working for old power organizations with extremely hierarchical management teams, this hits home. I can’t count the number of management meetings where a former CEO used to say, “thank you for your input” which was code for the decision is mine. The team became extremely frustrated with sharing perspectives or ideas that were regularly dismissed or ignored. It wasn’t until a new CEO came on board that we actually felt heard. And much like the article stated, even when he made decisions that we didn’t initiate he had our support. We believed that each perspective was heard, so when it came time to initiate, we believed that the best idea was the one we would adopt.

LINK TO FULL TEXT: https://hbr.org/2001/09/what-you-dont-know-about-making-decisions

Garvin, D. A., & Roberto, M.A. (2001, September). What You Don’t Know About Making Decisions. Harvard Business Review,79(8), 108-16, 161.

ANNOTATION

In a world becoming ever more connected, the age-old rule that who you know impacts what you know is still true. People who network successfully gain access to better jobs, clients, information and talent. While this seems obvious, the way we may perceive networking is not. If we approach building relationships (aka networking) with authenticity, reciprocity and shared meaning we take the “ick” factor out of it. By using four basic tips to help us shift our mindsets, we can learn to love networking. The first is to focus on learning. The second is to identify common interests. Next thing about what you have to give to the relationship and last find a higher purpose. This is so true when it comes to representing a larger voice by giving your own volume.

SELF REFLECTION

As a publicist I’m conditioned to promote others. This works great because I can hide behind the persona that is on the stage. It’s much more difficult to toot my own horn. With this said, I tend to develop small networks with strong ties. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it can be very limiting. Being visible means being vulnerable. Today I’m faced with the task of breaking into a very strong and cliquey network new to me. By calling on these tips, I hope to develop transparent relationships built on what I have to offer and how we can both benefit by the shared connection.

LINK TO FULL TEXT: https://hbr.org/2016/05/learn-to-love-networking

Casciaro, T., Gino, F., & Kouchaki, M. (2016, May). Learn to Love Networking.
Harvard Business Review. 94(5), 104-107.

ANNOTATION

Understanding informal relationships within an organization is the key to managerial success. As companies become less hierarchical, managers will need to know who the players are in the informal networks. There are new technologies available that can help map out three vital networks, the trust network, the advice network and the communication network. These maps represent the way people share information, who they talk to, who they go to for advice and who they rely on to keep delicate information safe. Understanding how these networks operate will allow managers to build stronger more effective teams, identify key players, and reveal holes in the network that may have gone unnoticed in the larger picture.

SELF REFLECTION

The first thing that most of us get on our first day on the job is the organizational chart. We all need to know who’s who in terms of leadership and who each department head is so that we can determine protocol for “following the chain of command”. This is an old system that mostly works. Yet there are always those who block information, make our jobs easier and most importantly serve as mentors and confidants. I wish that I had a tool like this early on in my corporate career. While I do believe that such a map would infringe on some privacy issues, if used appropriately it would have been so nice to skip the months and months of speculation to identify these lines of connection organically. I look forward to one day having the opportunity to test such a map in the real world.

LINK TO FULL TEXT: https://hbr.org/1993/07/informal-networks-the-company-behind-the-chart

Krackhardt, D., & Hanson, J. (1993). Informal networks: The company behind the chart. Harvard Business Review, 71(4), 104-111.

ANNOTATION

Tortoriello shares with his readers how leaders can increase innovation within their organizations by encouraging the sharing of information across social and geographical spaces. The theory is based on understanding the informal networks within the company and being able to identify the key players that connect individuals with network range and who can serve as conduits for information. There are four key factors in an effective network: boundary spanning, tie strength, network range, and network structure and cohesion. The power of your network can be harnessed by analyzing and mapping vital informal networks, identifying areas of weakness, bolstering tie strength, range and cohesion and by knowing when not to push it too far. The best way to leverage the power of a network is by listening to your people, hearing their needs, and by helping them create their own conditions for improving network connections.

SELF REFLECTION

As a publicist, I’m often in the role of bridging networks. My personal ties are strong, but I’m limited to a few conduits in each network bubble. This means that I’m highly reliant on a few people and have little access to the networks outside of these individuals. I think what resonates most for me by Marco’s research is that it is the information shared that really matters. The network is just a channel in which we have access to better information and the potential for greater innovation. I’m enlightened by his practical strategy for improving network strength and bandwidth.

Tortoriello, M. (2014). The Importance of Strong Ties: Understand Your Network and Let Knowledge Flow. Expert Insight. pp 58–65.

ANNOTATION

Advertising is the means in which we have monetized our attention. The trail blazers for this new commodity trace back as early as 1833, one of which was Benjamin Day. Mr. Day was a pioneer for selling ads in a newspaper that he created for the common person. He underpriced his competition by showcasing local businesses and merchants. This new idea that financing could come from advertising rather than paper sales was a revelation. Day also changed the way we viewed news. He was neither political nor propagating his own agenda. Others learned by Day and followed his lead by printing news that the general public would be interested in. This led to the development of larger ads, such as attention-grabbing posters and billboards. Over time society began to reject such drastic advertising methods and since have encouraged regulation. Today our attention is harvested by almost every medium and the competition to grab us is fierce.

SELF REFLECTION

As a publicist, my expertise is largely based on obtaining the attention of a targeted audience. There are several ways to achieve this, but the key is understanding channel options and how the audience interacts with each one. For instance, understanding the when and where is as relevant today as it was a century ago. The way in which we communicate with our publics may have evolved, but the basics remain the same. People engage when they are invested, interested and entertained.

Wu, T. (2016). Chapter 1—The First Attention Merchants. In The Attention Merchants: The Epic Scramble to Get Inside Our Heads (pp 11-23). Knopf.

ANNOTATION

To effectively communicate something, you need to understand your audience. Who are they, what do they know and how much do they know about your subject? These are key points to crafting an articulate and effective message. This chapter does a wonderful job exploring how theory and practice align and differ in terms of understanding your audience and how to craft a story that makes sense to your target. Adjusting how information is displayed, designed and explained all depends on the knowledge of your audience. When the audience has knowledge of a topic they will likely need less of an explanation of data, but when your information is unknown it’s great to provide more information such as data, images, narrative, and graphs.

SELF REFLECTION

Each industry seems to have its own language, so it’s critical to have a little understanding of who your audience is before you craft your message. As an event publicist, I am tasked with sending out information to very diverse audiences. This can be difficult when trying to articulate technical information and I’m often forced to dumb down language so that is digestible for all. This is inevitably lost on the individual segments that hold more knowledge. Therefore, as our data segmenting becomes more sophisticated, so will our need for more defined audiences. Highly targeted messages are always more effective than mass messaging.

Chiasson, T., Gregory D. (2014). Chapter 9 – Communicating Data to an Audience. Data + Design: A simple introduction to preparing and visualizing information (pp. 211-231). Infoactive.

ANNOTATION

Avoiding conflict in the business setting can be unconstructive, unauthentic and puts you above the needs of the business. When dealing with conflict it’s important to keep calm, stay constructive, and to focus on being objective and clear. When we take the focus off fear or emotion, we make room for productive dialogue. There are a few ways to stay objective. Make requests and use observations rather than labels. Remain approachable and non-judgmental. When a conflict arises, practice being calm. Give yourself 48 hours to evaluate your triggers before you take action.

SELF REFLECTION

As a public relations professional, I am constantly faced with conflict. Most often the conflict is not with me directly, but between a public and individual or organization. So much of the practice I have in dealing with conflict is between others. The few times that I have been faced with personal conflict, remaining objective and calm were instrumental toward a resolution. I would also agree that remaining approachable and non-judgmental provide necessary space for considering opposing perspectives. This isn’t always easy when pride or passion is involved.

LINK TO FULL TEXT: https://hbr.org/2014/06/get-over-your-fear-of-conflict

Su, A. J. (2014, June 6). Get Over Your Fear of Conflict. Harvard Business Review.

ANNOTATION

A beautiful composition of poetry, humor and rhetoric. This piece was originally written by Gorgias, a great philosopher, who presents an argument that Helen of Troy is innocent of all charges. For those that know the story, Helen was a great beauty that was blamed for a war of two countries because each leader wanted her for his own. Gorgias articulately and logically layers arguments for each possible perspective (all sides) as to why Helen should be relieved of blame. It’s a wonderful example of persuasive dialogue that is entertaining, engaging and makes sense.

SELF REFLECTION

Being a good marketer does require a bit of finesse when it comes to articulating persuasion. I think what I find most entertaining about Gorgias is that he almost mocks reason with the constructed beliefs of his audience. What I’ve learned in practice is that the values of my audience should dictate my speech. I start with understanding who I’m speaking to before I decide what to say. The art of persuasion still relies on relatability. This is most evident when I’m building advertising decks and campaigns.

Dillon, J., Gergel T. (2013). Gorgias, Encomium of Helen in The Greek Sophists. pp 76-84. London.

ANNOTATION

Apologies are an essential method of repairing relationships in the workplace. Admitting when we are wrong can be very difficult and sometimes create conflict. When we react to such conflict without sincerity or authenticity, we end offering an ineffective apology. There are four main types of ineffective apologizing in the workplace. They include being empty, excessive, incomplete, and in denial. To apologize effectively, we must stay humble, keep our emotions in check and keep it real. Real apologies often include personal change. When done right, not only will you effectively repair work relationships, but you can also grow personally from it.

SELF REFLECTION

Staying humble and calm can be very difficult when we think we are right. I worked with a client who was known for being difficult. For years I never experienced this side of her directly. Then about two years ago we worked on a project together and it went badly. The relationship was damaged. I agonized for months over needing to reconcile. Sadly, neither of us were really willing to change our ways and the window for change closed. We are still cordial, but we know that our methods are two different to work together again. It was a hard lesson.

LINK TO FULL TEXT: https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-04-2015-0072

Molinsky, A. (2016, November 25). The 4 Types of Ineffective Apologies. Harvard Business 38(3), 420–437.