Steve Jobs' Leadership Lesson 2 - Simplify

According to Isaacson*, Jobs had the ability to zero in on the essence of a 'thing', aiming for a 'simplicity that comes from conquering' complexity.  What does this mean for leadership?  It means understanding the essence of the organisation's purpose and eschewing activities and complications that absorb people's time and spirit, and wastes organisational resources.

Next: Lesson 3 - Take Responsibility End to End


*Adapted from "The Real Leadership Lessons of Steve Jobs" by Walter Isaacson, in hbr.org. 

Moral Leadership and Multi-culturalism
Going back to my first 21722 lecture last Saturday, I remember thinking about how Australia has changed in its cultural diversity.  When I was at school my suburb was mainly Anglo-Saxon with a smattering of Mediterranean.  Now, I'm told, it's Somali!
While my 21722 classmates were introducing themselves, the wide range of backgrounds became apparent.  Of course, many were international students, but many others had emigrated to Australia from all parts of the world.

As I said, it wasn't always like this.  Things changed in the mid-seventies when the Fraser government decided to accept thousands of Vietnamese refugees.  This was quite a change and Malcolm Fraser showed great moral leadership and deserves heavy praise.

Not that I ever voted for the bloke!

The Real Leadership Lessons of Steve Jobs
Walter Isaacson, Steve Jobs official biographer, has written a very interesting article, with the above title, for hbr.org.  To me it doesn't present any lessons, but describes how Jobs worked.  The danger of treating the article as a guide to leadership is that one may "make a dangerous mistake" by adopting some aspects of Jobs' style but not others and so miss the benefits, or worse.
But there is a lot to learn from Jobs and this article so, over the next week or two, I'll provide my interpretation of the lessons presented in the article, starting here with "Focus".

Steve Jobs' Leadership Lesson 1 - Focus

Isaacson describes how Jobs restricted his attention to a small number of matters, be they products, people or problems.  More generally, one could say that Jobs had a clear purpose and mission - consistent with Collins and Porras' company Vision approach.  A good leader clearly articulates the intent of the organisation and ensures the whole organisation understands it, and conducts itself in accordance with that purpose and mission.

Next: Lesson 2 - Simplify

Mass and Velocity

Yesterday was the first lecture of my 21722 Leadership, Coaching and Mentoring subject and it was thought-provoking and enjoyable, although for those who haven't completed 21800 Management and Organisations with Dr. Walter Jarvis it may have been hard going.  A number of ideas and observations will lead to blog entries over the next week or so, but the first one that struck me has to do with public scrutiny of leaders.

This is very readily apparent whether it be of politicians, companies and business people, or sports stars.  But modern communications is making it all the more difficult for leaders to 1) avoid scrutiny, 2) evade being caught mishandling the truth, and 3) avoid being damagingly misquoted or misrepresented.

Mobile phones, social media, and other technologies expand both the audience (mass) and the velocity of communication of a leader's words and behaviour.  Any gaffe is very soon widely known.  Further, the images/sound are digitally recorded and saved in many places, allowing them to be replayed and compared.  Any inconsistencies or errors are easily detected and themselves rapidly and widely communicated.

But this doesn't apply just to a leaders own activity.  A critic's view can also "go viral" particularly if it is sensationalist.  Witness how quickly the resignation note of the Goldman Sachs employee sped around the world.  This happened without any corroboration being supplied (or perhaps even considered).
Consistency and the Truth

This intense scrutiny is therefore very dangerous for a leader if he/she fails to handle it well.  Of course, PR companies are onto this and must be madly seeking the big money that is available to protect reputations through "spin".  But how should a moral leader behave?

I read somewhere some time ago that its much easier to tell the truth than lie.  This is because, if one lies, one must remember what one said if asked again later - it's very hard to lie consistentl.  However, if one is always truthful, one simply repeats the truth.

A leader, then, must always be honest to survive the intensity of public scrutiny in this new age.

Leadership and Tragedy

The Sydney Morning Herald today (March 21, 2012) published an article on the tragic shooting at the Ozar Hatorah school in Toulouse, France.  It reported that the French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, "cancelled campaign appearances" and flew to the school.
Although Mr Sarkozy is fighting a hard presidential campaign, it is not uncommon for national and state leaders to drop what they are doing to travel to the scene of such a tragedy.  We can see that in Australia with Prime Minister Julia Gillard visiting flooded areas recently and Premier Anna Bligh of Queensland stepping in when Brisbane was flooded.  It is now seemingly expected that leaders will do so, particularly after the criticism that President George W. Bush experience when he failed to personally visit New Orleans after it was devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

But why is this the case?  It wasn't always so.  President Roosevelt didn't rush to Pearl Harbor, although Winston Churchill did tour London streets after bombings during World War 2.  Perhaps faster travel makes more common an involvement that has always been expected - that a leader should lead from the front?  Even in business, CEOs are lauded when they drop in on the factory floor, or walk around the office chatting to employees, rather than locking themselves away on the top floor with their management team.
The experience of politicians suggest that the modern business leader should spend more time with employees, building their morale and level of engagement.  Not to do so risks criticism and perhaps lower company performance.

My feelings about keeping a scrapbook  

Although I’ve never kept a journal, or even a diary, I wish I had, and am quite excited over the prospect!  I’ve created a blog “Philip Radburn on Leadership” as the medium for my Leadership Portfolio as I think the format suits the task.  And I’ve been wanting to write a blog for a little while now.  This is my chance.
In “21800 Management and Organisations” I was introduced to “reflection” and saw its value in building personal capability.  This scrapbook gives me an opportunity to apply the technique to my self-improvement as a leader.
I haven’t in the past spent much time thinking or reading about leadership.  I’ve had formal leadership roles in the past - school prefect, project manager, business manager and so forth.  My appointment to such positions has been more based on my achievements rather than alpha male behaviour.  Any success I have had as a leader comes from moral, social and emotional facets rather than overt leadership posturing.  The “Reflected Best Self” exercise has made me think about leadership and my own leadership in particular.  The words of my friends and (former and current) colleagues, managers and staff have been pleasantly surprising.  Much of my behaviour that they have outlined I hadn’t thought of as leadership, but some of it certainly is.
So here we go.
Dear Diary,….....