Here is the list I found of what cats need to be happy and satisfied:

• Physical:  Nutrition, exercise, hygiene, stimulation, rest, and safety
• Emotional:  Interaction, treats, independence
• Instinctual: hunt, scratch, privacy

Having been owned by many cats over the years, I had not been aware of all these requirements.  I quickly caught on to "eat" and "play" and "rest."  But who knew that my feline friends were counting on me to keep them safe or at least provide them an environment  that was free of toxins and sharp objects!  After all THEY were the ones climbing up the screen door and jumping off of bookcases.

And I had made many valiant attempts to keep them from their most instinctual delights.  How dare they hide under the bed, rake nails on the sofa, and drop half-dead rodents beside my chair.

Now that I know what makes them tick, I have some choices.  I can adapt my behavior, in small but significant ways, to accommodate my cat friend's requirements for health and happiness.

Would I do the same for the folks who work with me? 

Here is what I think they need:

Physical:  Lunch breaks, exercise, rest rooms, tasks that challenges, time off, and a safe place to  work.

Emotional:  Collaboration and conversation,  rewards that suit them, opportunities to take responsibility

Instinctual: Development, success, growth , learning, and some level of  privacy

That's asking a lot, isn't it?  But I remember being in companies where I did not have suitable rewards or time off or one of the other necessities.  It was difficult.  I cannot be a leader if I am not aware of what folks require to perform well.  They may not all need each component to the same degree, or at the same time. And I will make a point of asking them how we are doing as an organization in providing these things for them.  There may be items I have missed putting on the list.


What can you do as a leader to be sure your employees are having their needs met? 
What do they want to tell you they need but are not getting?

 

It happened last week. I went out to pick up the morning paper and stood in the driveway for a few minutes. The air was fresh and clear. The sky was a bright blue and cloudless. The temperature was slightly chilly. And for a moment - just a brief moment - I could not determine if the current conditions were a precursor of Fall....or Spring!

Was the chill in the air the beginning of a seasonal cool down that would take me toward colorful leaves and pumpkin pie? 
Or was the ... << MORE >>

"I think I found it!"  In Alaina's voice I heard a mix of bravado and assurance. As she made her way back to where I was waiting, she was explaining that each time she came to the cave she made sure she left clear markings of various exits. That way she did not have to be concerned about allowing time to retrace her steps completely. But either we were not where she thought we should be or someone had removed her sign.

I marvel at all those who can keep their bearings in the dark. ... << MORE >>

No light.  No room to breathe.  Just the scuff, scuffing sound of my tee shirt against the rock floor as I wiggled through the tiny opening in the rock wall.  I paused to catch my breath and assess my decision to follow my leader.  Had I turned back, I might have been able to find my way out.  But I also might have become hopelessly lost .  What if I were hurt?  And could I just abandon Alaina?  It didn't seem like the time to call a meeting and end this trip.  Not yet anyway.

Onward!  Small breaths, shimmy shimmy, and I was out!  Well, at least out of the seven foot rock tunnel where I had spent the last fifteen minutes.  Alaina had not mentioned that I would be completely entombed before I was able to reach the other end; perhaps it was a good thing she had not told me everything.

Now we were in a large underground room with space to move and breathe.  We found some large rocks to sit on while we ate our lunch.  Caving takes a lot of energy, I was discovering, and the cool water and high protein snacks were a welcome treat.  I found myself becoming more accustomed to this dark world underground.  The panic had subsided into a mere cautionary state; I was intrigued by rock formations, strange noises, and unseen creatures skittering off in the blackness. 

Putting our snack wrappings away, Alaina and I headed off in a new direction.  We were climbing up rocks and sliding down paths and chatting about what other friends might enjoy an outing like this.  Then Alaina came to an abrupt halt.  "Don't panic!!"  Did she say that?  or did I just think it?  It didn't matter.  I panicked!  

"The mark isn't here," she said, and her voice had an interesting timbre to it.  "I always leave arrows that point toward exits. I can't find the way out. I'll have to go ahead a bit and get my bearings.  You stay right here."

The darkness closed in around me.  I felt absolutely helpless and very alone . I wanted to scream.

Recalling that moment now, a few leadership questions come to mind.

• Do you prefer to have the complete  map before setting out on a path, just in case your leader "stumbles?" 
• Or is a compass more your style?
• Do you have faith that together your team  can overcome obstacles along the way?
• How good are you at "reading" your leader to know when s/he is fully confident or just  bluffing? 

  

If you know me, you know I did the "Alice" thing and dived into the rabbit hole.  Well, not exactly dived; more like slithered cautiously on my belly.  I went from bright sunshine to deep blackness with one shove of my foot.  And then I looked up to try to find Alaina, my leader on this adventure.

She was already standing, with her miner's light ablaze.  She extended her arm and I clambered to an upright position.  Whew!  It certainly was another world I had entered.  She turned her head slowly, allowing the light to reveal the rock walls surrounding us.  As I  became accustomed to the dark, my eyes followed our flashlights up the walls, then across the floor, then ahead down what appeared to be a passage between two boulders. 

I began to wonder who had been here before - besides my guide Alaina.  Had animals wintered here?  Perhaps food had been cached by local tribes in a long ago past.  "Ready to explore?" The voice brought me out of my reverie.  "Sure," I replied, which was a big fat lie.  I was anything but sure at that moment.

We walked toward the passage I had spotted.  In between the rocks the way narrowed so much that we had to turn sideways to squeeze through.  "Put your feet where I put mine," cautioned Alaina when we reach the next wide spot.  She seemed to be straddling something.  My  flashlight revealed a large crevice in the floor - a hazard to trap legs and twist ankles!  I was beginning to long for the tourist catwalks and hand rails.

The next obstacle sent me further into a panic.  The way ahead was block by a solid rock wall.  My guide pointed to an opening at ground level about 2 feet square.  "The best way through is on your back, like this" she advised as she stretched out on the floor. "I'll go first.  Oh, and what ever you do, don't breathe too deeply or you might get stuck."  And as her feet disappeared into the dark I began to weigh my options.

Can you remember a time when the "adventure" was just too much and you wanted to turn and run?
How have your leaders prepared you for tough times?  What would you have liked them to share with you?
What are the options for leaders/followers in the midst of change?

When you visit in the Shenandoah Valley, you tour the caves.  This area is famous for the beauty and mystery of its underground caverns, and I have always longed to wander off the guided tour and explore  those dark, treacherous, rocky chambers that are just out of view.

So when a friend of mine offered to take me spelunking I jumped at the chance.  Alaina gave me the list of equipment - sturdy shoes,  gloves,flashlight, black garbage bag (?) - and I dutifully gathered up supplies.

We met at the local McDonalds and set off for the cave.  I have to admit I was a bit confused as she pulled off the country road and turned into some farmer's driveway.  I was even more unnerved when she waved greetings to the two elderly folks sitting on the porch of the farmhouse.  "They are such sweet folks," she offered. "I can come here any time I want."

How nice,  I thought, assuming she meant she was used to taking a short cut across their property to the parking lot in front of  the cave.  Imagine my surprise when Alaina stopped the car at the base of a small hill.  "Let's stop here and check out our equipment out ."  Okay.  In just a few minutes we are ready to go.  But I still couldn't see the entrance to the cave.

Then we walked up the hill ; there just ahead of us was a small hole in the ground.  I mean a very small hole - about the size of a trash can on its side.  I think Alaina was talking to me, but all I could hear was the silent scream of panic in my head as I realized what I was about to be asked to do.  I regained awareness as she advised "Go in head first, but as soon as you can, pull your feet under you and look for my light."

This was not what I had in mind!  This did not jibe with any of my expectations!  Like Alice I was going to dive into a rabbit hole!  Could I do it?  Did I trust my friend enough to take the first step?

The story will continue, but let's stop here to consider:

• When have you been asked by a leader to follow into the unknown? How have you expressed your panic?
• When have you expected your followers to trust that you have wonderful things planned for them when all they can see is a dark hole?

It was late afternoon and my partner and I were in the middle of a round of golf.  We both were playing well and looked forward to a final score that might  improve our handicaps.

We were on the twelfth tee when we heard a thud followed by a crunching noise.  Our first thought was someone had dropped their bag of clubs off a cart.  Then we looked up toward the clubhouse and saw a whiff of smoke and what looked like a golf cart on it's side.

Without a second thought we both threw our clubs in the bags and headed up the hill toward the scene.  My partner is a retired nurse and wanted to offer first aid if needed.

What we found was unsettling.  The golf cart  was not involved; it's occupants were Emergency Medical personnel who had been playing in a charity tournament that day.  They had  abandoned their cart to assist at the accident scene.

My partner joined them as they knelt on the pavement beside vehicle, talking calmly to the person trapped beneath the car. A young man had been hit while riding his motorcycle and was pinned beneath the axle.  He was conscious, but he had broken bones and possible head injuries.

My friend got up and hurried over to me.  "It's Josh!"  she said. "Go get his mom."  Ginny is our  friend; she works at the Pro Shop. 

I don't remember what I said to Ginny, but we both raced back to the accident.  I stood by helplessly as those with medical training talked to Ginny, and tended to Josh, and waited for the emergency vehicles to arrive. 

Then I looked around and realized that all the participants in the charity tournament were trying to leave for home.  Most were unfamiliar with the local roads and did not know how to avoid the accident scene.  It was a monumental traffic jam.

I wanted to be sure to keep the road clear for help to reach Josh.  I also wanted the golfers to be able to make their way home.

So I walked over to the intersection and began directing traffic!  Not my primary skill set, to be sure, but a friend later told me I looked  confident as I talked to drivers and signaled with my arms.  Several other folks who had been standing by saw me and  hurried to other intersections to guide drivers around the scene.  

None of us wanted power or praise or prizes for what we did that day.  We just wanted the best results for everyone, and we took the opportunity to lead others who needed directions.

Where are the people in your organization who are looking for your leadership today?  How will your confidence inspire others?
 

It was time to welcome back students to the campus and provide orientation for new enrollees.  Flags flew; the alma mater was sung; people scurried past classrooms waving schedules and greeting faculty; some stood in line, waiting to register for courses that would move them one step closer to their dream.

I gathered together leadership studies folks- present and future -  to discuss the burning question "why study leadership?"  As I loaded the PowerPoint presentation each of the people in the room shared the snapshot of the circumstances that brought them to this place on this day.

As I listened to their stories I wished I could have captured them for others to hear. 

• Women who had successful careers but were laid off and now their experience wasn't enough.  They needed a degree.
• Men who came from branches of the military desiring to make the transition back into the workforce.  They needed to finish their degree. 
• Entrepreneurs who had made it through all the hoops of starting their own business and now wanted  to gain the strategic insights that would help them compete and grow.
• Managers who, after several decades in their job, knew that doing it the same way for the next ten years was not the answer to business success.
• Business graduates desiring more knowledge of how to develop people and build relationships with partners and customers.

One of the current students began to share her experience entering the undergraduate leadership program and completing two semesters.  With candor she talked about the adjustments to her daily routine, the impact on her family, and the satisfaction she received from the reading and research. 

Questions from new students led to more stories, and I sat down quietly and let the magical interchange continue.  No longer a "paid public announcement, "  the session became heartfelt sharing and student - to- student bonding. 

Leadership is  knowing your story and sharing it with others.
Leadership is making others want to know more about their own gifts and abilities and about how to write their own stories.


PS    I still have my  presentation if anyone wants to see it. 

You may not remember school houses with bells in the tower.  I do. 

Stanwick School had a bell with a long rope that the principal pulled every morning; it was the signal for us to line up on the playground with the other students in our room and wait to be escorted by our teachers into the building.

Each week a different class member was the "line leader."  That person got to stand in the front of all the other children and lead them - to the rest room, to the lunch room, to the playground, to the bus stop.  It was an honor to be the line leader.

As a shy kindergarten student I was excited when it became my turn to be the leader.  I could walk slowly, and everyone walked slowly.  I could move quickly and everyone had to keep up.  What a sense of power.  And no one DARED walk ahead of me! 

One morning the teacher announced that our class had been chosen for a very special duty.  For the next month someone from our class would be selected to ring the school bell each morning!  That person would come to the principal's office as soon as they arrived at school and wait there until it was time to pull the rope and  ring the bell.

I was overjoyed!  Ring the bell?  Give the signal for all the line leaders to take their places?  Why, that person would be the leader of the Leaders!

Throughout the month, each student took his or her turn ringing the school bell.  The next day was MY day.

In the morning  when I got to school several of us got engrossed in our hopscotch game.  I was on "fivesies" when I remembered to my horror that I was supposed to ring the bell.  I dropped my stone and headed for the door, only to hear the bell chiming overhead.
I continued into the building and the principal met me in the hallway. 

"We waited for you this morning," he said in a kind voice. "I am sorry you missed your turn."
"Me too," I offered looking at the floor. My disappointment was palatable.

The month ended with no more days for me to get a second chance to ring the bell.

We all have opportunities to assume leadership.  In organizations, in communities, in our families we are given chances to lead the line as well as lead the leaders.  When we are chosen or called upon, do we shy away and wish later we had acted?  Or do we say we will take the lead and then get distracted by life events and miss the chance?

Be alert to the potential for  leadership responsibilities and follow through when you accept them.

My friend got back from the doctor and called me right away. 

"The x-rays show I have severe degeneration in my left hip," she shared, holding back tears. "I knew the pain was getting worse, but I thought diet and exercise would help.  Now I am afraid to move!"

As I listened I recalled my own experiences with x-rays, mammograms, and sonograms.  On the one hand I wanted to know what was going on in this body of mine; on the other hand the information can be paralyzing.

Sometimes the only option is surgery.  Often the condition requires further tests - biopsy or MRI.  But in these days of medical advances there are always options.  In fact it is often the range of options that locks us into indecision.

 We could let someone else make the decision for us.  Then if it didn't turn out well we would have someone to blame.  But in truth the very activity of weighing the benefits against the risks of any and all options can help us move forward.

My friend and I discussed her options that day.  A complete hip replacement would relieve the pain; however, there are risks with all surgeries, and extended recovery periods, and the accompanying expenses.  Pharmaceutical approaches - injections or medications - might also help with the pain but have their own side effects.  Physical therapy, along with lifestyle changes, was also an option.

After thinking it over, my friend chose an MRI to get more definitive information about the condition of her hip before making a decision.  She also consulted an orthopedist who helped her plot the progression of deterioration more accurately.

Risk analysis is a key skill for decision making, whether it's a choice of medical procedures or of business actions. 

As leaders we must take the information we have ("It hurts!") and do the testing to pinpoint the root cause of the pain.  Once we discover the problem we can look at the options for action.  Do we need to intervene immediately?  Is there something in the organizational culture that can be changed?  What are the unintended consequences (side effects) of each of the actions I might take to resolve the issue?

What tools do you rely on to assess risk and make decisions?  Are you helping all your people to develop their own skills in risk/benefit analysis?