The Pursuit of Craft

-By Development Network- For the last six years, I have been convinced the best tactics and intentions will not result in effective diversity management unless diversity practitioners master the craft of diversity management. 1. What is a craft? I define craft as a mixture of task-related elements, such as concepts, principles, skills, tactics, decision-making frameworks, art, savvy, practice requirements, continuous learning requirements and mastery requirements. 2. Who needs a craft? Individuals seek out the elements of a craft only when absolutely necessary. Initially, those addressing a given task focus on tactics, and only move to appropriate other elements of the mixture when they discover what they are doing is not enough - that more is required than was anticipated. Stated differently, people reach for a craft only when there is ample motivation to justify the commitment required for mastery. 3. How can practitioners access a craft mixture? Books provide one vehicle for accessing craft mixtures, as do research reports and other documents where knowledge about a given task might be accumulated. If such documents and books do not exist, interested parties have to develop, discover or assemble the craft elements by researching across related mixtures or observing practitioners in action. This is different than ascertaining best practices with respect to tactics. It is focused on developing and evolving the craft. 4. Do all members have to achieve mastery? Individuals charged with leading the adoption process, and those playing a major role in performing the task in question would be expected to master the craft. To support adoption and mastery of the craft, others would be asked to secure only a basic understanding. Certainly, there are those who can master a task without having to access the elements of the related craft. These individuals deserve special mention and often earn the label of being ''a natural,'' such as a ''naturally gifted'' speaker with no public speaking training, or a ''natural teacher'' with no study of the art, science or education profession. 5. What are the benefits of accessing a craft? Craft elements provide a road map for task mastery and for the transference of capability. This explains why practitioners who know and understand the craft, but are not necessarily the most skilled, often make better coaches and mentors than those who naturally excel with the given task. By facilitating the transference of capability, a craft can help push decision making down to where the requisite information resides. This downward thrust of responsibility should enhance the likelihood of quality decision making. Also, a craft mixture provides a common framework that can be used across the organization at all levels and geographic locations. In the era of globalization, this benefit is especially attractive. 6. Where are we with diversity management as a craft? I see few organizations reaching for the craft. Most place an emphasis on tactics in hopes of securing results as quickly as possible. Few are motivated to commit the time, energy and financial resources necessary to master a diversity management craft. This is unfortunate. I believe if the diversity field's development is to be taken to the next level, practitioners will have to reach for the diversity management craft mixture. This means accessing what exists or creating the elements needed to establish a craft. CDOs who seek to adopt and foster the mastery of diversity management as a craft must take two initial steps. First, they must nurture an understanding of the nature of a craft within their organization. This will help their executives realize what they are missing by focusing primarily on tactics. Second, they must foster the commitment required to master a craft. Inadequate commitment will greatly hamper efforts to adopt and master the diversity management craft. CDOs who meet these requirements will be able to create a readiness to access and master a diversity management craft. Those unable to achieve this shift to craft will find that progress to the next level will be difficult. [About the Author: R. Roosevelt Thomas Jr. is CEO of Roosevelt Thomas Consulting & Training, founder of the American Institute for Managing Diversity and author of World Class Diversity Management: A Strategic Approach.] -For more Articles and Information:   http://www.developmentnetwork.co.nr/

How to Regain Employee Trust

-By Development Network- Perhaps the biggest loss from the recent economic crisis was that of trust in business leadership. Publicly, the leaders of the country's largest banks were cast as criminals. Inside many corporations, employee engagement levels decreased as layoffs wreaked havoc on morale, and trust in managers sank to all-time lows. Some employee angst remains. According to a recent poll by Maritz Research, an employee satisfaction firm, just 10 percent of employees trust managers to make the right decision in times of uncertainty. What's more, only 12 percent of employees in the poll said they believe their manager genuinely listens to and cares about them. All is not lost, however. According to George Kohlrieser, a professor of leadership at business school IMD in Switzerland, there is a leadership model fit to promote and reignite trust in business. His book, Care to Dare: Unleashing Astonishing Potential Through Secure Base Leadership, aims to steer leaders to become a ''secure base'' for their employees so they feel more engaged and comfortable to stretch their limits in their work. ''A secure base leader is someone who creates the environment of trust [where] that fundamental interest, that fundamental caring, transparency and honesty creates the possibility of the [employee] then to take risk, to push their edge of talent development, to do what needs to be done outside the box and explore [to] their potential,'' Kohlrieser said. The human brain is hard-wired for survival, which means that employees tend to sway toward what's safe. Like many organizations, this survival instinct has had employees - and the organizations they work for - playing not to lose instead of playing to win, he said. Secure base leadership seeks to provide employees with a sense of safety to take risk, so they feel like they're working in an environment where it's OK to make mistakes, stretch limits and take control of their own professional learning and development, according to Kohlrieser. Such emphasis on personal trust and humanity that the model is built on has grown even more vital as innovation and collaboration in firms have become valuable building blocks to success, said Rose Gailey, a consultant with Chicago-based leadership development firm Gagen MacDonald. CLOs should not only aim to develop secure base leaders, but they should also work to embody the characteristics of one as they, too, work to become more advanced executives within organizations. Kohlrieser said secure base leaders have the following characteristics: 1. Stays calm: They remain composed and dependable, especially in high-pressure situations. ''You cannot [have] a caring environment if people are explosive,'' Kohlrieser said. 2. Accepts the individual: They often accept the basic human worth of all people beyond their role as employees. ''A secure base leader is able to deliver pain and then [have the employee] say thank you,'' he said, meaning secure base leaders should feel comfortable giving tough love. 3. Sees the potential: Leaders must see employees' potential talents as well as their current functioning ability. Secure base leaders don't focus on short-term potential but are often looking at growth over a 10-20 year period. 4. Uses listening and inquiry: Secure base leaders ask open-ended and constructive questions, rather than talk and dictate instructions. Deep dialogue is one of the most powerful tools. ''When you have a good teacher, a good leader, they're always looking for talent. They're always looking for what's best for the individual,'' he said. 5. Delivers a powerful message: Great leaders don't necessarily ramble on in a long speech; instead, they have the ability to cut to the chase and say the right thing at the right time. ''We train secure base leaders to say what they have to say in one sentence,'' Kohlrieser said. ''Then to say what they have to say in four sentences.'' 6. Focuses on the positives: They help others focus on the positive and see their potential for learning, even when things may not be going well. 7. Encourages risk taking: ''If you're a leader, you put [employees] in situations where they can stretch themselves,'' Kohlrieser said. Actively dare people to unleash their potential by providing tangible opportunities for risk taking. 8. Inspires through intrinsic motivation: They don't motivate with money. Their followers act because they find their work engaging - not because of external pressures or rewards. ''The chief learning officer has to build into the environment the intrinsic values that people have,'' Kohlrieser said. '' That means every leader must know what motivates someone.'' 9. Signals accessibility: They are always accessible and available, instead of being too detached or busy. They don't necessarily have to be available at all hours of the day, however; being supportive has more to do with a sense of the person and of the relationship rather than the actual amount of time spent together. [About the Author: Frank Kalman is an associate editor at Chief Learning Officer magazine.] -For more Articles and Information: http://www.developmentnetwork.co.nr/

10 Qualities of a Complete Winner

-By Development Network - 1. Positive Self-Expectancy Always expect success - embrace the challenge 2.  Positive Self-Motivation Go after the rewards of success, not away from the penalties of failure 3.  Positive Self-Image If you can see it, you can do it 4.  Positive Self-Direction Ink what you think--write down your goals.  Strive to be better today then you were yesterday. 5.  Positive Self-Control Winners make things happen - losers let things happen to them.  Trust yourself and your preparation. 6.  Positive Self-Discipline Practice winning every single day.  Be mentally tough - deal with the situation. 7.  Positive Self-Esteem Single most important human quality - feel good about being you.  Always respond with a positive reply. 8.  Positive Self-Dimension Little successes lead to victories.  Live in the 'Precious Present' - It's the only moment in which you have control. 9.  Positive Self-Awareness See your unlimited potential.  Force yourself to push the envelope. 10.  Positive Self-Commitment Measure success against self.  Don't get caught up with competing against others.  Commit to Excellence - Adapted from D. Scott Ward, Ph.D. -For more Articles and Information:  http://www.developmentnetwork.co.nr/