on leadership
Post on 20-Aug-2015
621 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Hi, my name is Filip
ex-hacker explorer founder ¢ Securax Hacking Community (1998) ¢ Eiger Nordwand (2006) ¢ Argus Labs (2012)
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Everybody needs to be a leader
A reason to sustain a 2.4 US$ coaching industry
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
You can’t get it from a textbook
Bullsh*t (but big $$$)
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Doesn’t come from mimicking others
Pathetic (and funny)
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
There is no formula to develop it
Delusional (and a bit sad)
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Corporations don’t want leaders
They want obedient workers, the illusion of leadership comes in a clever disguise
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Everybody can be a leader Sometimes you can’t. Not all of the time.
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Your position defines leadership
Biased and antiquated opinion. Rubbish.
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Titles don’t mean anything.
Manager
Entrepreneur
Teacher
Inventor
≠ Leader
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Dick and Maurice McDonald had annual revenue of US$ 350k. Ray Kroc bought them out for 2,7M US$ and today has 31,000 stores in 199 countries.
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Before you lead: prepare to give up
• Be fearless. Your fears are a prison to yourself, limiting your range of action. Being fearless give you more power and freedom.
• Let go of preconceptions. Become a free thinker. Unlearn all corporate B.S. See mystery in everything and everyone.
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Some elements that may help
• Charisma. A charm that can inspire devotion. Become exemplary of character.
• Eloquence. Conveying your message is everything ! • Intelligence. Communicating sensibly is a plus J • Transparency. Allow others to look into your life • Optimism. A positive attitude radiates !
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
“ I honestly believe that if Redfin were stripped absolutely bare for all the world to see, naked and humiliated in the sunlight, more people would do business with us ”, Glenn Kelman (Redfin)
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Passion is everything
• Leadership is personal. Your passion is the most personal and strongest leverage you possess.
• There is no room for an ego. Everything you do is for the greater good.
• If you can’t sacrifice, you can’t lead. Passion is the only thing that will keep you going.
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
“ Every time my company is financially challenged, I am the first to give up my paycheck or invest my own savings, even though my family depends on it “, personal story on the early days of Argus Labs (2013)
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
You need to like and read people
• Next to passion, empathy is your biggest asset. At the end of the day, even your enemy is a human being.
• A leader without followers is simply an idiot. • Learn to see the potential in someone, before he does. • Always (always) treat everyone with the greatest
amount of respect and honesty.
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Know that people will attack you
• Their main weapon will be to instill in you doubts about yourself, your worth, your abilities and potential. They will often disguise this as an objective opinion, but invariably it has a political purpose – they want to keep you down.
• Learn to look at the world as populated with allies, enemies and traitors.
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
You need to make sense
• Most people don’t understand the world and seek for guidance
• A leader dares to takes a stand and creates clarity, even though he is operating in complete uncertainty
• Develop a strong Reality Distortion Field • Become outspoken about your vision.
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Andy Hertzfeld first described the Reality Distortion Field as “Steve Jobs’ ability to convince himself and others to believe almost anything with a mix of charm, charisma, bravado, hyperbole, marketing, appeasement and persistence.”
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Become a hero brand *
• Your game defines what you do, and what it means to people
• Make your name stand out, brand yourself as to support your game
• Make sure can be recognized from far away, this is your fame
• Find and claim the right words for your acts
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Game: Revolutionize the world through innovation Name: Steven Paul Jobs became “Steve Jobs” Fame: Turtleneck, Jeans, Sneakers and Glasses and the famous “oh, and one last thing” Claim: Make super user friendly consumer devices
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
You never back off
• Everything is an experiment. Execute, learn, adapt and have another go at it
• Your perseverance is the only ticket to success for you and your followers
• Develop a disdain for anything or anybody that restricts your mobility. Get a chip on your shoulder.
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
It’s a continuous learning curve
1. You don’t know what you don’t know. Not aware you could become, or are, a leader.
2. You know that you need to know. You realize you need to develop your skills.
3. You know what you don’t know. You identify the gaps you need to work on.
4. You know, grow and it starts to show. Nearly there…
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Leaders only do change
• Leadership only is required in times of change • People don’t like change, so this means there will be
struggle or confrontation ahead. Prepare to dine in hell.
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Leaders inspire
• Leaders let their followers work with the vision, not with the execution
• Leaders walk their talk
WHY
HOW
WHAT
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Leaders work two shifts
• Internal. To inspire and influence their followers to reach a common goal
• External. To mitigate risks and eradicate problems and opponents.
• Two different approaches.
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Leaders are not managers
• Managers need to maintain a process or system, and ensure things are done right.
• Leaders need to change a process, system, or establish a new process or system, and ensure the right things are done.
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Leaders over vision
• People follow leaders, not a vision (a common misbelief)
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
When Maurice Saatchi was ousted by the board from Saatchi & Saatchi, the talent and accounts followed him out the door, and the company’s stock dropped 50%
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Assess yourself
• Character – who you are • Relationships – who you know • Knowledge – what you know • Intuition – what you feel • Experience – where you’ve been • Past successes – what you’ve done • Ability – what you can do
Elements a leader has to persuade followers Requires continuous Improvement !
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Leadership is about influence
• … not power, or manipulation • Most corporations still struggle with power plays, and
traditional hierarchical lines of command. • Power is to have people do stuff against their will
(army). • Influence is to empower and have people reach their
potential towards a common goal (startup).
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
It’s not a democracy
• Leaders listen to what others have to say. This is considered input before taking a decision.
• Listening to everyone ≠ joint-decision making. • Democracy is a nice notion. But it doesn’t work. It’s
slow and a breeding ground for frustration. • Leaders don’t waste their time on issues that disrupt
momentum.
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
“ Mandela would later use his father's technique, gathering leaders at his kitchen table or in his driveway and holding discussions. Mandela would always listen first, and speak last.” on Nelson Mandela’s tribal decision making technique.
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
It’s charting towards a destination
• Leaders see the whole trip in their minds before they leave the dock. It’s not about steering the ship.
• Draw on past experiences to ensure a safe travel. • Listen to what others have to say. • Include faith and fact in the decision.
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
“ I have no idea how the landscape looks like, but I keep my eye on the horizon. ”, when discussing Tesla Motors, SolarCity and Space-X with Elon Musk.
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Be strong, trustworthy and consistent
• Character communicates consistency. Everything around a good leader may be changing, even his own strategy, but his character remains the same.
• Assessment: do other people openly share their opinion with you ? If not, you’re not a leader.
• People are forgiving, if you admit to a mistake.
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
“… you might think that being consistent with this image will make others respect and trust you, but in fact over time you seem predictable and weak. ”, 50 Cent on consistency
As a weakness (external)
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
“ He has the power of drawing the hearts of men toward him as a magnet attracts the bit of metal. He merely has to smile at you, and you trust him at once. ”, British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery on Dwigth Eisenhower
As a strength (internal)
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Are you a respected leader ?
• Leadership ability – take things in charge • Respect for others – leadership is voluntary • Courage – a leader gives hope • Success – a leader demonstrate success • Loyalty – show loyalty towards others • Value added to others – engender respect
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Leaders trust intuition
• Intuition is a culmination of years of experience. You can’t explain, you just “feel it in your gut”.
• Leaders read people and can sense what’s happening in a group, room or with people individually.
• It seems magical, yet is a skill that can be trained.
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Peter Crisp invested US$ 300,000 for 10% equity of Apple in 1979. “ We had nothing to go on, other than knowing that they were honest and smart. “
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
You attract who you are
• Effective leaders are always on the lookout for good people.
• Make a mental list of characteristics you look for in a person.
• Hire fast, fire vast vs. patiently develop potential. • A positive attitude is a crucial element.
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Touch the hearts, not the mind
• Know who you are and connect with others • Always be sincere, even if it means admitting a
mistake • Know your audience and speak to what they care
about. Focus on them, not yourself. • Offer direction and hope (hope = future).
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
“You know, here in middle Europe we have over 80 million Germans. These people, too, have a right to life. A piece of life pertains to them. For 300 years they have been cheated of this”, Adolf Hitler at Berlin Sportspalast (Jan, 1940)
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Inner circle defines potential
• Do they have high influence with others ? • Do they bring a complementary gift to the table ? • Do they hold a strategic position in the organization ? • Do they add value to me and to the organization ? • Do they have a positive impact on other members ?
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
“ If you can’t feed your team with two large pizza’s, your team is too big “, Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon.com
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Only secure leaders empower others
• Barriers you might face as a weak leader: • Desire for job security – won’t I make myself obsolete ? • Resistance to change – won’t things change too much ? • Lack of self-worth – won’t others be better than me ?
• A secure leader is confident and aims to make an organization consisting of your best people that live to their fullest potential
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Only secure leaders empower others *
• Intrapreneurship = empowered employees • For serial entrepreneurs, this is a detrimental
characteristic and process: • Found company • Attract talent • Cultivate and empower talent • Step down (and restart)
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
“ None of the big expensive seat design firms seemed able to solve the design problems posed by our specifications for our Upper Class cabin, but a young designer, Joe Ferry, volunteered (insistently) to give the project a go “, Sir Richard Branson on Virgin inventing the herringbone-configured private sleeper suites
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Monkey see, monkey do
• Remember that people are watching you • Walk your talk, all the time • Improve yourself before you improve others :
• Make a regular character audit. What core values you want to work on ? • Ask a trusted colleague to observe you and record inconsistencies. • List five things you want others to do better, then compare to yourself.
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Jim Sinegal (Costco) has an office without walls, wears a nametag “Jim” and works together with his workers day-in, day-out. Employee turnover rate is five times less than his competitor Wal-Mart…
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Leaders hate losing
• Leader mindset is as following : • Leadership is responsible • Losing is unacceptable, a leader is dedicated to winning • Creativity is essential • Quitting is unthinkable • Commitment is unquestionable • Victory is inevitable
• Embrace the failing forward principle
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
JK Rowling was turned down by more than 10 publishers before securing a book deal, only then to be told to get a part time job as there is no money in childrens’ books
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Leaders apply Pareto everywhere
• Leaders are able to make 30 decisions in 30 minutes • Leaders don’t do meetings, they talk with people and
work together with them • Focuses on the 20% in order to achieve 80% • Decision making must be done on little facts, where
intuition helps to speed things up
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Momentum is everything
• Leaders develop a sense to create momentum, the place where luck meets preparation.
• Igniting momentum requires shifts in attitudes, behaviors, methods, and results.
• Some famous moments: • Landing on the moon = space exploration gives hope • Release of iPhone = reinvents the way we communicate
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Growth or multiplication ?
• To add growth, lead followers. To multiply, lead leaders: • If you develop yourself, you can experience personal success • If you develop a team, your organization can experience growth • If you develop leaders, your organization can achieve explosive
growth
• Leading leaders is hard ! Hard to find, hard to gather, hard to keep. Clear away the red tape !
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
“ Jack Dorsey, the only co-founder who still works for the company, is said to rarely speak to fellow co-founder Evan Williams, who actually replaced Dorsey as CEO early on ” on the Twitter leaders
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Seek counsel or advisors
• Refrain from having shrink sessions. • Having a beer and speaking your mind, and listening to
others who have gone before you. • Select strategic and meaningful relationships. • Keep the relationship mutually rewarding. When no one
gets rewards, stop the relationship.
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Succession is one’s greatest reward
• Define the legacy you want to pass on. This should be already defined in your vision.
• Become the legacy during your leadership period. • Choose who will carry on your legacy. Choose someone
that has more potential than you. • Ensure you pass the baton… Transfer power !
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Make others feel safe to speak up /1 Make decisions /2
Communicate expectations /3 Challenge people to think /4 Be accountable to others /5
Lead by example /6 Measure and reward performance /7
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Provide continuous feedback /8 Properly allocate and deploy talent /9
Ask questions, seek counsel /10 Avoid procrastination /11
Positive energy and attitude /12 Be a great teacher /13
Enjoy your responsibilities /14
2013 © Filip Maertens ¢ me@filipmaertens.com
Personnel determine the potential of the organization
Relationships determine the morale of the organization
Structure determines the size of the organization
Vision determines the direction of the organization
Leadership determines the success of the organization
top related