What is your Leadership Framework?

One of the greatest opportunities I had when working for Pfizer was to be included in an executive leadership development program conducted in Sandwich, U.K. All IT executives, Director level and higher, attended a multi-week program taught by Steve Buchholtz, author of "Creating the High Performance Team" published by Wiley in 1987. That's where I developed my leadership framework. Our VP at the time was a great advocate for leadership development. And so am I, since attending the Leadership Development Program at the Center for Creative Leadership in Goldsboro, NC. In fact, it's one of my passions. That program literally rescued my career from the fast path to destruction. It taught me about the power of self-awareness and the mighty gift that is feedback. I learned that people are not often aware of the impact their words and attitudes can have on others. It doesn't matter what level you are in an organization or how well you think you are performing. The pure truth is, how people perceive you is your reality, whether you agree or not. People can be taught leadership skills. People can change. I am living proof. Along my leadership development journey, I attended a six-month long online program from Villanova University for Strategic Organizational Leadership. One of the classes taught us about developing a leadership compass for ourselves. A leadership compass is a self-reflective tool that provides an understanding into different work styles relative to team work. It allows us to understand our skills and weaknesses more thoroughly. The leadership framework takes the leadership compass concept to new heights. It defines, in your own words, who you are as a leader. Think of the leadership framework as a leadership compass on steroids. If you’re not familiar with the notion of a leadership framework, the document I wrote is my response to the following challenge which can be found in the materials provided by Mr. Buccholz: “Imagine for a minute that you have to prepare a resume where you can’t highlight the college you attended, what degrees you hold, your work experience or the project achievements you have had up to this point. The only data you can put on your resume pertains to who you are as a leader and what you have demonstrated. How would the resume read?” I've used this very question when interviewing candidates while functioning in the role of hiring manager. I've never heard one person answer it sufficiently and I've interviewed a lot of people over the years. Most folks are thrown off track by the question. It amazes me sometimes how many so-called leaders there are out there who cannot adequately express anything at all about who they are as leaders. Interestingly, I learned from a discussion I had with a US Navy submarine Captain that he was required to write a leadership framework before assuming command of a fast attack vessel. His framework was distributed to his crew the day he took over. It’s a highly effective means for potential colleagues to learn about you and who you are as a leader so that you can all work together better. It sets people's expectations early in the relationship. After reading my leadership framework, Cindy Colonna, President of Team Technology, Inc. in Matthews, NC, just yesterday wrote, "I found your Leadership Framework very interesting, much more so than a resume." So let me ask you, if you were asked this question in a job interview, how would your resume read?

Expect Great Things!

Imagine losing your job during the worst global recession since the Great Depression. That's what happened to me. I knew it was going to happen. I sensed it coming for several months. No, I'm not psychic or anything like that. I've been in this position before. Three years ago, I was working for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals' R&D Division in New London, CT. After two very large mergers over a 5-year period, my position was eliminated in their "Adapting to Scale" initiative. That's just a fancy way of saying "RIF," reduction in force. I was one of an estimated 40,000 world-wide who learned to adapt. This time, I was working as the Director of IT Process Improvement for CARQUEST Technologies, LLC, the IT group supporting one of the largest automotive aftermarket parts distributors in North America. The CIO walked into my office on December 9th and said my position was being eliminated in the 2010 budget cycle due to continuing economic concerns. Instead of feeling upset or fearful, a sense of relief warmed me as I responded. "I've been anticipating this." I asked the him to keep this quiet. Dec. 9th was the one year anniversary of a 2008 RIF where we lost 200 on the corporate campus. It was the first time in the 40 year history of the company people got laid off. It was a bad day and it was still fresh in the minds of those who survived. The last thing I wanted to do is cause a panic. If my colleagues saw me packing my desk and leaving, there's no telling how they may have responded. So, we kept it quiet and I want to publically apologize to all of my friends there for not saying a proper "so long." Keeping things quiet was needful. Please understand my motives. After our discussion, I filed everything I was working on, packed my office and left the following day. When I got home, I said to my wife "Praise the Lord! God is moving in our life and I'm expecting great things." Today, 12/30, is officially my last day with the company.