The KindExcellence Blog

KindExcellence has an interesting twist on motivation.

One of the skills that are taught as a part of synthesis (or systemic thinking) is how to work with tension. Tension is defined as the gap between things. In this case let’s look at two gaps: the one between the need for the task to be completed and the fact that it is not yet complete and the gap between your want for the employee to do something and the fact the employee has not yet done it.

Both of these can be positive tension (pull) towards eliminating the gap or a negative tension (push) repelling the two ends and delaying completion.

Did you ever wonder how much influence you have on dictating the direction of tension (a push or a pull)?

Have you thought about this dance of creating a need and intensifying the positive tension of the task while increasing the positive tension of your want and your employee actually doing it?

Did you consider the two are actually connected?

Coming soon…

Comments(1)

KindExcellence is a new management model that provides an alternative—a resilient, competitive management style that brings in a combination of skills (leading to individual and team excellence) and kindness.

KindExcellence promises sky high productivity, innovation, commitment and other critical human assets that are so often out of reach for most managers.

But there is no KindExcellence without integrity.

Productivity, innovation, and commitment come from people, and we are sensitive creatures.

I met with a CEO of new start up in the telecommunications industry the other day. This guy had built a new company a little under a year ago and it is already successfully competing against the giant companies in its industry.

How did such a small company manage to position itself so well in such a short time?

The answer is simple: it’s all about knowledge and expertise (the products they are developing require expertise on multi levels and dimensions) and when we talk about knowledge and expertise we talk about people.

For years this CEO has set such example of excellence and personal integrity that when asked everyone who knew him followed. He was able to build a company in a day, literally, by instantly “stealing” the top minds in the industry from his competition.

We pour millions to send employees to retreats, on motivational bonuses, complex review processes, you name it. He’s done none of that. He combined the highest standards of integrity with excellence and people were willing to jump on board instantly, to follow him to the moon and back.

How much money is integrity worth in your business?

This article was inspred by my connection with Douglas Ross– an inspiring leader. 

Comments(1)

…are often the ones who do.

“Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers…the ones who see things differently — You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things…they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.” Steve Jobs

Comments(1)

This fantastic article was written by Steven M. Smith  for his blog.

 I think it shows the importance of Kindness, but even more so it addresses the biggest challenge KindExcellence is offering to solve: in humans, where assets like creativity, conflict resolution, problem solving, alertness to opportunities and threats, not to mention commitment and productivity are strongly linked to a choice–this problem is even more important.

A rebellious horse will kick you or refuse to cooperate, humans shut down many other systems. Kindness (provided that it is combined with the right management skills) isn’t touchy feely it’s a money making machine for higher productivity.

Is chaos like a wild horse?

By Steven M. Smith 

The root for the word “manage” is an Italian word that means “to train a horse.”Inhumane horse trainers (managers) see a rebellious animal who must adjust to a new environment. They transform the horse through a process they call “breaking.” They break the will of the horse so it submits to the will of the human. Their methods may include:

• Saddling and riding the horse until its will is broken
• Tying the saddled horse to a tree until it ceases to struggle
• Drowning the horse until it submits

Humane horse managers see a frightened animal who can adjust to a new environment. They transform the horse through a process they call “gentling.” The horse is led to trust human beings. Their methods include:

• Observing the horse carefully
• Familiarizing the horse gradually with the saddle and additional weight
• Securing the horse’s willing agreement

If a people manager sees chaos as rebellious, they may resort to tactics similar to a inhumane horse trainers. They may try to break the will of the people in the organization. That makes the surface of the organization look smooth, but underneath it’s churning with fear and anger.

Effective organizational leaders, in my experience, see chaos as a period of adjustment. A time when things that were working have broke down and need renewal. A time when things can be reassembled in creative ways to respond to the disturbance between the organization and its environment. For instance, when the organization doesn’t make its revenue goals for two consecutive quarters.

Leaders realize the things can’t be recreated until the impacted individuals discover their own transformational ideas for how to respond so that it benefits themselves and the organization. They give people the time and space to respond willingly.

This is not some touchy feely nonsense. Would you rather own a horse that was gentled or a horse that was broken? I’ll take the horse that was gentled every time. I want a partner rather than a servant.

Some people believe that a leader who is kind can’t be firm. I guarantee you that a humane horse trainer is firm. You can manage horses and people both kindly and firmly.

Chaos doesn’t have to be interpreted as a rebellion. If it its interpreted positively, as a signal that the organization is adjusting to it’s environment, there will be more opportunities for growth and positive change

I suggest following the lead of humane horse trainers — transform chaos through gentling rather than breaking.

Comments(1)

Receptiveness, the ability to detach your own views and emotions when looking at a situatio and the ability to see things as they truely are is one of the core components of KindExcellence. No effective planning, feedback or growth exist without it.

Acknoledging our projections on reality enables us to move from a judgmental one sided position to a cooperative team work place. The point I would like to add is that integity isn’t just good for the soul– it is a key to helping others accept feedback and learn, feel safe enough to be innovative, and care about each other enough to want to stick around longer and work harder. I found Douglas’s article to be right on target (Reut).

By Douglas Ross

Joseph Campbell’s book “Thou Are That” inspired this recent funny dialogue with my seven year step -daughter.  “Thou Are That” simply means what you see in other people is within yourself. This is an important first step in the development of integrity.   

When people take this small step, people accept responsibility for their perception and feelings about others. It then becomes a force in our decision making and a code of behavior for our actions and words. It is amazing how children can lead us to important truths.

It was a fun conversation! I wasn’t trying to be a parent or an adult, it just happened. She was sitting in the back seat on her way to gymnastics class. As we were talking, she told me that one of her classmates was dumb.  I immediately shot back that “what you see in others is what you are inside.”  So, I jokingly concluded “when you call others dumb, that really means you are dumb.”

She became very quiet for a moment.  She then responded “Well, I think you are nice.” My heart melted and I thanked her for her kind words.

 She giggled in that little girl way and told me that I didn’t get it. I asked her what she meant. She smiled and said “Since I said that you were nice, that means I am the nice one.”  

I got it.  For the rest of the day it became a fun game. We enjoyed correcting ourselves and saying nice things about each other and other people. There was much laughter in the car in our travels that day. 

Later that night, as she was talking with her mother, she said something negative about someone else. I looked at her with a smile and she covered her head with a blanket saying that she didn’t want to hear the truth at that moment.

A child’s game perhaps. Perhaps not!

 As I talk with people and attend meetings, I see the same lack of integrity.   

In public situations, some people make judgmental and sometimes negative comments about others through logical arguments or factual incidents.

In private, among others with whom they consider themselves safe, some people ridicule and slander others without any restraint. Rumors are embellished and reputations are ruined.

Sometimes people who speak up in public against this type of behavior are labeled as troublemakers. Some who do not openly join the bandwagon are banished as non-players in the world of organizational politics. Many good and intelligent people have lost positions and influential   power in this way. They as individuals not only lost but the organization also lost an important and valued perspective. 

Joseph Campbell concluded that what we see in other is inside of ourselves. When we see people in need, we are moved by compassion to do what is right in that moment.

 So what does this have to do with integrity? Integrity is wholeness, consistency and purity. What you see in other is a part of you. When you separate yourself from others you separate that part of you from yourself.

This is a step away from integrity and away from your self. When you condemn others, you diminish yourself, especially in front of your family and colleagues. It is a slippery slope of anger, frustration, blame and denial.

 The next day, my step-daughter asked me “What happens if the person is really not smart?

I answered –your friend is who she is. If she really isn’t smart, then she needs your help not your condemnation. The dumb thing was that you separated yourself from her because of how she did in school.

Would you like others who do better in school to call you dumb? Or would you like them to help you in a kind way?

  She got it. Did you?   

 I want to speak to you about the integrity advantage and how it can help you and all of us

Comments(1)