Susan Schneider’s Blog

Lessons for Leading in a Crisis

Amidst all of the rhetoric that we read in the papers or on the internet, every once in a while we come across something not only worth reading from beginning to end, but sharing with others. Recently my CEO shared just such an article with me. The entire article was posted in the Wall Street Journal last month, written by Bill George whom I have sited before as the author of “True North.” I thought it worth sharing the highlights with you over the next few blogs. Whether you run your own business, lead a team of employees, or are self-employed, these lessons can be applied to strategic thinking.

Lesson #1 – Leaders must face reality. Reality starts with the person in charge. Leaders must face the truth and work with their teams to understand the issues at hand. It is critical to realize that you can’t solve the problems unless you acknowledge them.

Lesson #2 – No matter how bad things are…they will get worse. Sounds a bit harsh but many leaders try to convince themselves that things are not as bad as everyone thinks and therefore undershoot the mark when it comes to taking corrective action. True leaders will make plans for the worse case scenario so that they can always be ahead of the issues. They can then take solace in the fact that even though they didn’t have to go to extreme measures, they were ready.

Lesson #3 – Build a mountain of cash and head to the highest hill. You may not be able to control the overall financial stability of your company but you can make a difference. If there are efficiencies or creative ideas you know that can make a difference, then let them be known. We have to make difficult decisions during this time, but the ability to do this is what truly defines leadership.

Stay tuned next week for Lessons 4 thru 7. And remember as I mentioned in my last post, it is the small steps that keep that flywheel going… as long as we are all focused on the right outcome!

The Flywheel or the Doom Loop

I am really beginning to dislike the phrase “hunker down.”  I hear it so often these days. It’s not that I don’t think people need to be diligent in their thinking or actions, but to “hunker down” seems so short-sighted. So, for those of you who are seizing opportunities during this difficult time, I am going to remind you of the Flywheel concept from Jim Collin’s book “Good to Great.”

As a refresher, the flywheel is a “massive metal disk mounted horizontally on an axle, about 30 feet in diameter, 2 feet thick, and weighing about 5,000 pounds.” Collins says that it’s your job to turn this wheel, even though it is hard in the beginning, and get it going as fast and long as possible. Turning this flywheel is like moving a company in a way that it will go from being good to great. The interesting piece of this concept is that it is never just one defining action, one killer innovation, or lucky break that makes it happen. It is all about the total momentum of a team, focused on an agreed upon outcome that delivers the results.

As you know, with every positive there is a negative. So, if a company, team, or individual decides not to grab on to the Flywheel, they inevitably end up on the Doom Loop. Doom Loop adopters believe that speed is of the essence, even when there is very little thought given to the plan. They believe it is important to embrace the most recent fads and often end up changing course mid-project in hopes for the next big breakthrough. They are looking for the “quick” fix.

I find this concept critical at this stage in our economy. It is tempting to look for short term results with real estate, benefits, and employees when in fact what we need to be doing is reminding ourselves to stay focused. Teamwork, consistency, and a common goal is the key to the Flywheel!

More from Singapore

Even though I have now returned to the States, albeit jet-lagged and freezing in the Midwest, I promised my newfound friends that I would write yet one more blog about my learning’s in Singapore. I had the pleasure of spending three days earning my Global Mobility Specialist (GMS) certification, where I was the only American in class, forcing me to relinquish my US centric perspectives.

So here are my top take-aways:

• As hard as I tried to make the comparison, the logic applied to US thinking, has no relevance in Malaysia. The same principals cannot be carried over, and often for good reason.
• They have what they call the “dark side” of expats, including the Rock Star Syndrome. This is where Americans are treated like royalty with great apartments and maids. They literally need to be dragged back across the pond when their assignment is completed.
• Assumptions cannot be made that just because someone has lived in China previously, it does not mean that they will necessarily adapt to the ways of doing business and living in the culture.
• While cultural training often gets deleted from the budget when assignments are planned, it is absolutely critical for all family members when moving to the Asia Pacific region.
• I learned that if you have an open-mind, most people are willing to take your hand and teach you anything. And if you really open your vulnerable side, they will have a great time making you the brunt of their jokes, most of which I am sure I deserved.

It is too bad that we all don’t get this experience more often. It was worth every moment I spent there, and I look forward to experiencing it again in the near future.

Hello from Singapore

Other than enjoying the 70 degree swing in temperature, I have to say it is refreshing to be half-way across the world and engaging in global mobility discussions. I am not sure if it is the jet-lag talking, but my sense is that while those in the Asia-Pacific region clearly understand the market crisis, they are not acting quite as shell shocked as we are in the states. As I sit and talk with many of them, their tone is much more optimistic and their outlook on the crisis is more along the lines of the saying "this too shall pass". 

This morning, I moderated a session with HR leaders from the Asia-Pacific region. We spent quite a bit of time talking about finding solutions and innovative ideas for this economic downturn.  While I somehow thought their message would be unique to the region or varying in some degree to ours in the states, the premise was exactly the same; getting back to the basics.  From London to Mumbai to Shanghai, the keys to navigating through these unchartered waters are to focus on your core initiatives and to take a strategic viewpoint. While some may be resisting the attention that their relocation programs are receiving from upper management in terms of cost containment and restructuring, plenty of others are embracing the opportunity to have their voice heard.

As I say just about every week...in these challenging times lie the greatest opportunities, especially for those in the human resource and global mobility field.