Leaders Find Themselves

Grand Canyon Do Your Dreams

 Located at a Latitude: 36°15'N Longitude: 112°30'W; across of4,926 km2 or (1,902 sq mi), resides one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.  With its astounding depth in character, years and adventure, the Grand Canyon is an experience that will extract you from the cloak that shelters your spirit.  The real question on any journey you take is will you emerge as the same person you were when you began; is the reasoning for the journey a quest for transformation?

It is early February; a moderately packed blanket of snow speckles the forest at nearly 2133 meters (7000 ft) of elevation over the Grand Canyon's South Rim.  A mixture aromas from high desert-like forestry fills one's nasal cavities, the freshness of air somewhat unspoiled by the presence of mankind is omnipresent.

6:30 in the morning, and my eyes slowly opening from a body that has been passively alert since 2:00 a.m. which marked my arrival.  The thoughts of a solo adventure on my mind, into this time capsule, demand my attention.  It is a journey that is or should be on everyone's list to do before they die; not that death is the precursor to motivate anyone for this journey, but that the reality that life is not forever.  This being true, time is of the essence, relative to experiencing this extraordinary geological structure.

Back pack ready for my overnight in the valley of this natural treasure, adds roughly 20 kilo (45 lbs.) to my journey ready to accommodate my nourishment and insulation needs.  And the photographer in me would not allow my camera to be left behind.

Because it is mid-winter, the tourist population is light, making the journey to the bottom of the Canyon a low traffic trek-- no more than eight people did I see, on my descent.  Such conditions made the exploration all the more meaningful and  introspective.  Vast views from vertical and lateral perspectives provided the perfect landscape of analogies for how far and wide I would look within myself for questions and answers.

Switch-backs along the early part of the Kaibab trail were swift going, with the exception of 4-8 centimeters of ice for the first 500 meters of descent.  Mud quickly took over just below this elevation and made for a messy but more interesting hike.  It wasn't long before I began to explore the very questions that make hiking a most fulfilling experience, and result in a longing for more. Why?  There is a type of concupiscence with the natural environment when this begins to occur.  One journey simply isn't enough.

Brief encounters last long enough to increase your motivation to press on, or in some instances, step up your pace.  Whether it is to arrive at your destination sooner with a greater anticipation, to avoid the night fall, or push your physical and mental limits-- there is a shift.  These encounters, for all their similarities, also create mutual bonds among hikers.  I can only explain this as individuals on parallel journeys.  Some encounters last only a minute or two and turn into lasting friendships, others are simply passer byers-- a brief "hi", and acknowledgement of the journey you are both on in opposite directions, though sometimes the same direction.

The camp site was inviting after the joint pounding descent, the relief of the weight under my back pack was also a welcome change.  Surprisingly I took another 5 mile walk after setting up camp- just before the sun set.  Narrowing canyon wall in the valley of time, almost pull you in, resulting in a slight struggle to convince yourself to stop and preserve your energy for needs over wants.  I pass by the Phantom Ranch on a pleasant walk back to my Bridal Trail camp ground, the PR reminds me why I do not prefer to stay at sheltered location but desire something more rugged; I'm here because I am seeking a certain amount of lack of comfort not to be confused with discomfort.  The open air, sounds of the natural environment and wide open  sky, help me understand not only this space but my space.  Amazing night skies plastered with stars provides another explanation for this journey, to learn what we miss in the more modernized environment.

Temperatures dipped below freezing, yet another threshold I would have to adjust for; one I would overcome.  And so I learn more about myself.  Sunrise would be at 7:29 a.m. and though I planned on a 9 or 10 a.m. departure, my stirring soul would not accommodate such a request.  By 7 a.m. I was  back on the trail again, on my journey upward.

On these journeys I find that I don't always go in looking 4 answers, but that I often emerge with answers I did not know I was looking for.  I suppose it is the solitude which empties the space in my mind, the absence of the minutia in daily life; it is at times the prospect of encountering new friends; a discovery of new physical and mental level, a personal triumph etc.  It is always to at least to be in a place I have not yet known, within and without.  This journey is often undefined, yet always fulfilling.

For a complete slide show of the photos from this hike go to this flicker link.

Malala Yousafzai Passive and Active Leadership

 Reuters

Malala Yousafzai, a champion among leaders, chosen or not.  It is difficult to accept leadership in many instances, when one does not choose to do so but the fate of  young Yousafzai is clear at this point in time.

She has become an international icon for the struggle that women around the world suffer from, not solely in the face of the Taliban.  Yet with fear and trauma that she must know, Malala cannot dismiss the call to action on behalf of all women who are challenged with similar realities.  What is important here is not so much that Malala rise to the occasion as a result of this incident, but that the community and world rise to the occasion to support her personal struggle.  Why is this so important?

Society is a very complex organism.  We rise and fall in multiple fashions.  There are times when ones demise is clear and others when it is merely a devolution of the circumstances that lead up to that moment.  It is a rare occasion when the rise and fall occurs based on the events of a single person(though social media is making it a more common occurrence).  In this particular instance we are faced with challenging the morays of a culture steeped in tradition.  Yet and still tradition and violence are two very different events in human nature.  So what society stands behind in this instance is an individuals right to a quality of life.  No single person, group, organization, government or culture is entitled to dismiss the importance of one personal will.

It is easy enough to ask the question, would Malala Yousafzai desire to be punished this way, would she willingly chose the same fate?  Not likely.  This is not a political stance as to whether the perspective here is a judgement on the Taliban, it is not a  judgement on the cultural traditions that have formed such a society.  The matter at hand is the right to well being on one's own terms, absent of persecution for contrast of thoughts within the construct of the culture.

Leadership Change and Navigation

Having navigated your way here I thought it might make sense to focus this first article on navigation.  So welcome and thank you for subscribing.

Before we get started it should be noted that these articles are designed to stimulate conversation and ideas.  Short enough to read without taking up too much time.  Pushback and dialogue are encouraged especially as it relates to differing environments.

Navigating the web of an organization can be challenging, regardless of how familiar or how long you may have been with your organization.  What makes it so challenging is that organizations are like living organisms; they are made up of people who reflect the cell structure of the organization.  But unlike cells, despite that we may have specific functions in an organization, we don't (unlike our biological cells) perform the specific function we are designated to perform, the way we are expected to perform it, without applying our own rationale.  Ahhh herein resides the problem- our own rationale.

Animal cells are amazing organisms.  Case and point, when the body incurs an injury, the body's system immediately transmits messages for the cells within that organ to begin reparation.  Get a cut, and blood clotting and tissue reproduction immediately begin.  Until your final moment as a living being, your cellular structure is on guard 24 hours a day, non-stop.  It is truly amazing.  In fact the only flaw is that those organisms are subject to infections.  And yet even that function seems perfect, for without mutation as part of our evolutionary process, we would have perished long ago.  Genetic mutation allows us to adapt to ever changing environments; hence our success in the food chain.  Certainly by now you know where we are going with this.  We, having dominion over our cells but thankfully are not able to control their function or we would most certainly destroy them.  Our inability stop them from doing what they are amazingly designed to do is what our system so perfect.  So what is our dilemma?

Creating an organization that can navigate changes expected or unexpected is crucial to the organization's ability to thrive.  Keep in mind we are referring to organizations in general and not business specific.  Even during lulls in the cycles of an organization, a healthy organization has created the stamina that allows it to work its way through these cycles.  That stamina come in the form of high performing individuals who assume additional tasks (also the reason why they should not always be working at full tilt during normal circumstances when they can us that energy for innovation-- more on that in a future article).  Other attributes necessary for navigation include preparation, awareness, just to name a few.

Preparation is a constant process that ranges from strategic plans to ongoing training and development.  Strategic plans are important because like our biological system, mutation is eminent.  No organization remains the same, with the same needs, or functions in the exact same environment.  The explanation for this is simple, as new products, elements, or activities are introduced, new levels of needs and new levels of thinking emerge etc.  These new needs then force better performing products or services to meet these new needs.  Preparing your team for change is best understood in a cultural perspective.  In technology change is rapid, where as in a hospital setting the changes are less frequent still just as necessary.  Understanding your organizations pace of change is vital.  To best address this issue, you should do an organizational assessment.  An environmental scan of what people (internal stakeholders) believe about the organization helps to get a better grip on capacity for change among team members.  Withing the context of a strategic plan, you may want your team to significantly increase their ability to change to remain competitive.  This is when you are making a big ask of the entire organization; it requires a huge commitment from the Board of Directors through people on the front line.  You new belief system is based on the integrity of this work being tested, resilient  and on point. On a smaller scale, preparation may simply mean maintaining communication, receiving updates, developing a constant awareness of decisions that affect your operation (without micro managing).  All of these attributes speak to the culture of your organization.  Examining your culture will help the leadership understand not just who is working for the organization but how they work and what drives that how.  This is the essence of organizational culture.

The simple cycle of change is more like maintenance (kind of like the cells in your body on standby).  Everyone is carrying out their function effectively, and passing along information up and down the chains of command.  When glitches arise that require a simple fix, able-bodied individuals who you hired, believing that they are competent to not only do the work, but meet the emerging needs, both troubled and trouble-free events, kicking into action-- that's right just like our cellular structures.  We won't elaborate too much on this because 1) there is lots more to say and 2) if your organization is functioning well these things are relatively self evident.  Still it is important to understand how your organizational system is functioning.  Navigation during this mode of operation is really about awareness for red flags that can result in more catastrophic events.  Readiness is always the key and a competent team with targeted development is what is most important.  Targeted development should be geared towards what is on the horizon which helps drive innovation.

Effective navigation internally will help the organization maintain readiness for change whether it is related to staffing, competition, or growth.  All members of the organization should have a thorough understanding of the connectedness between their departments to deepen their understanding of what navigational changes may affect what they do, helping them adapt accordingly.

Beginning with our next article we will follow the format which lead you here; looking at business, institutional, and political realms as case study models of leadership in action (or inaction as the case may be).