Colin Powell leadership principles

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2. 01 Elicit Diverse & empowered Ideas “I want to hear all the rough edges of all arguments. I don’t want to concur things to death and coordinate things to death. I want to hear from you.” Create a culture where all feel heard & are empowered to develop & propose solutions. Encourage noise with creative clashes and diversity. Look for great ideas wherever they come from, at every level. Use tech to encourage & speed up interaction & drive inclusion. And can the sycophants and then hire for great ideas

3. 02 Don’t seek popularity “Being responsible sometimes means pissing people off” Leaders who care more about being liked than being effective are unlikely to confront those who need confronting . Be polite and civil because frightened people don’t step up, but be prepared to piss people off when it is right to do so. Reward your best performers and get rid of non-performers. And encourage a thread of creative disruption

4. 03 Establish trust “Why would you follow somebody around a corner? Or up the hill? Or into a dark room? The reason is trust” Influence & credibility rely on trust. Trust relies on competence, character, courage, loyalty, & confidence. Communicate often in the trenches & be seen. Be a servant leader that helps people accomplish vision-aligned goals by giving them tools and turning them loose

5. 04 Walk the talk • “You can issue all the memos & give all the speeches you want, but if people don’t see you putting forth your best effort every day, they won’t either” • Have integrity and display integrity • Practice empathy & selflessness • Use influence, not authority

6. 05 get the right people “Give me the right people and I don’t much care what organization you give me. Good things will happen. Give me the wrong people and it doesn’t matter what you do with the organization. Bad things will happen.” Powell advises us to hire, place, & promote for intelligence & judgement, a capacity to anticipate, loyalty, integrity, a high-energy drive, a balanced ego, and a drive to get things done Hire for talent & values, not qualifications. promote those whose values align with the organization, and surround yourself with people as good or better than you and who create synergy

7. 06 listen • You were given 2 ears and 1 mouth. Use them in that ratio • Learn everywhere you can • Bring outsiders into the discussion when you can • Use every means to encourage communication • Find people you trust (and who won’t ‘manage’ you or filter) and give them a way to provide you with feedback • Use symbols like round tables, a literally open office door or no dress code to encourage communication

8. 07 Own the detail • “If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude” • Don’t get too far from executionas you ascend the hierarchy – own the big picture, but remember that the big picture is delivered through thousands of daily details • Avoid analysis paralysis – attending to the fine points is not a license to micro-manage, hide from a decision, or delay • Invest in process and tech to facilitate timely & relevant data

9. 08 question • “Constantly look below the surface appearances and spin. Don’t shrink from doing so just because you might not like what you find” • Listen to your gut. Relentlessly dig and probe with a clear, unblinking eye until you‘re satisfied • Continually pick at, and harass, the organizations routines. Shine a light into the dark, unquestioned places of convention • Ask what are we doing, right or wrong, and how can it be improved

10. 09 Check your ego • “Never let your ego get so close to your position that when your position goes, your ego goes with it” • Be careful of your habits • Be careful of conventional wisdom built from what has worked in the past– be ready to change before the world surprises you with forced change • What got you here, will likely not get you there. Be always ready to reinvent yourself and your career.

11. 10 Let change lead growth • External change is endemic, proliferating, and accelerating. Therefore leaders must rewire perceptions, connecting the dots in more productive and positive ways, using change as the driver for growth • Ask ‘what if’ and ‘why not’ all the time • Learn new skills and encourage those around you to as well • Revisit your mission/vision regularly

12. 11 Seek consensus but don’t let it rule • “Everyone wants me to reorganize, but I’m not reorganizing until I’ve got these folks on my side and believing in my leadership” • Consensus does not mean, “let’s chew on this until we can all get happy with it” but it does mean aggressive inclusion in the decision-making process • Ensure a personal commitment from every member of the team – everyone is expected and invited to participate • Push, but be respectful of the limits of the organization. Change is continuous and iterative • Seek consensus, but be prepared to move ahead decisively

13. 12 Avoid one approach “Fit no stereotypes. Don’t chase the latest management fads. The situation dictates which approach best accomplishes the team’s mission” Always be ready to change, beware of packaged solutions and frameworks, and continually invest in and build your management tool box

14. 13 simplify “We had to make sure that we took the new mission and drove it down to the last private. Whoever came in and emptied the trash can at night had to understand the vision” Whether it’s the realm of values, policies, performance standards, or appropriate conduct, keep it simple. Define the rules of the game clearly and expect everyone to play by them. Then, align daily activity with overarching objectives

15. 14 Lead the situation • Effective leadership depends upon a thorough immersion in the here and now and the ability to shift strategy and tactics as the situation warrants. One size never fits all. • Don’t fight the last war. Most leaders fall into the trap of returning to the familiar when things get rough

16. 15 Push the envelope “You don’t know what you can get away with until you try” Great managers seek forgiveness, not permission. By taking calculated, intelligent risks, you are likely to accomplish more than by playing it safe. But, in order to encourage this behaviour, leaders must not punish failure an honest, well-meaning, first-time mistake.

17. 16 Close w/the enemy “Once we have looked at all the rough edges and we have made a decision as to what we are going to do, then we are all going to move out in that decision and stick with it, with coherence and consistency over time, unless it has been proven that we should move in a different direction” Execution is key. Do not articulate a vision unless you are prepared to implement it with overwhelming strength,. Stay cool under fire, think big, act fast, and go for the big win. Pick your battles so you can eat what you bite off, but be willing to take advantage of opportunity as it arises.

18. 17 people are partners • “Our ability to successfully perform our mission depends first and foremost on the quality of our people. We’re all part of one quality family, working together as a family. No component more important than any other.” • Ignore hierarchy • Depend on people, not plans • Spend at least 50% of your time on people

19. 18 challenge • “Every organization should tolerate rebels who tell the emperor he has no clothes” • Tolerate rebels – encourage them to challenge you and your team • Emphasize respect while disagreeing • Challenge the pros to get a better solution

20. 19 Don’t rely on org charts & titles • “Plans don’t accomplish work. Goal charts on walls don’t accomplish work….it is people that get things done” • Respect authority, but don’t be cowed by it • Use org charts as a guideline, but be ready to abandon them if the reality is different • Titles are just titles- they don’t translate to wisdom

21. 20 Trust the one in the trench • “The people in the field are closest to the problem, closest to the situation, therefore, that is where the real wisdom is” • If your division is not decentralized, consider a deep, pervasive, structural, and cultural reorganization • Use technology to help collect front-line information • Decentralization is no excuse for being out of touch. Stay involved and supportive

22. 21 Make optimism a priority • “Never let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision. Never step on enthusiasm” • Spread optimism around the organization • Don’t take counsel of your fears or naysayers • Achieve!

23. 22 Have fun in your command • “I told the ambassadors to take seriously their role as the President’s personal representatives. At the same time, I encouraged them to have great fun in their new assignment. Fortunately, the two are not mutually exclusive” • Work hard and play hard • Create a fun environment for others • Minimize unnecessary stress

24. 23 Strive for balance • “Never become so consumed by your career that nothing is left that belongs only to you and your family. Don’t allow your profession to become the whole of your existence” • Take leave when you’ve earned it • Don’t clock hours for hours’ sake • Don’t always run at a breakneck pace

25. 24 Prepare to be lonely • “Sitting alone in the dark in the back seat of my car, I felt full of foreboding. I was going to be involved in conducting a war, one that I had urged, one that was sure to spill blood. Had I been right? Had my advice been sound?” • Accept responsibility • Lead by example • Know when to exit

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28. CREATIVE COMMONS ATTRIBUTIONS & REFERENCES Title Slide: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcconnellcenter/ Ideas Matter Slide: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mnfiraq/ Popularity Contest, Trust, Walk, Talk, Pick People, Details, Listen Slide, Ego Change, Situation, Close, Simplify, Fun, Lonely, People as Partners, Trenches, Charts, Optimism, Balance, Consensus, and Pro Slides: http://www.flickr.com/photos/defenceimages/ Disorganizer Slide: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tobyjm/ Stereotypes Slide: https://www.flickr.com/photos/soldiersmediacenter/ Push The Envelope Slide: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwizzy/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oren_Harari