I recently met a man who spent his entire professional career as a marketing exec, and he was damn good at his job. However, he got his undergrad and masters degrees in accounting and finance. He cautioned me against undervaluing my accounting knowledge, noting that his greatest successes came from his ability to understand not only marketing, but the rest of the business as well.

A manager will be well-respected and deemed worthy of leading if they understand each area. Cross-departmental communication will be easier and more effective. Problem solving will become far more successful and effective if the implications of one decision on each department are fully understood. In short, the role of upper management will be far more simple and more fulfilling. If nothing else, the vision of the organization will resonate throughout the firm, prompting a united workforce and a lucid strategy.

So consider my case for omniscient management. Just because you didn’t understand accounting in college doesn’t give you the right to disregard it in the real world. Just because you’re a “numbers guy” doesn’t mean you’re above marketing and operations. It’s all interrelated, and in the modern company, a leader cannot survive without understanding that.

FAILURE: I recently took the most incredible trip to Catalina with a few good friends. It was just the best week ever. So, one morning, we woke up relatively early in order to take a hike. Now some of us were in pretty good shape while others (i.e. me) were in…not that great of shape. We started the climb and really enjoyed it for the first seven-ish minutes. At that point, I said enough. But I kept pushing because I wanted to keep up with the group. About 15 minutes later, we all said enough. While sitting there at the first little peak, we discussed what would have successfully kept us going to the top. One friend said a new purse. Another said a cool activity at the top. I said…nothing. I didn’t care about the view. I didn’t care about getting exercise. I didn’t want any presents. Nothing on earth could have prompted me to continue climbing. I was tired, and I needed a Pacifico. And an oxygen tank. Needless to say, we all turned around and headed back to the boat. Maybe our lung capacity just wasn’t strong enough. Or maybe it was the nature of our motivation that led to our downfall (ha…get it?). Either way, our attempt at hiking to the top of Catalina Island was…a failure.

SUCCESS: Last week, I got the opportunity to attend a strategic planning session with the board of directors of my university’s alumni association. These board members were some of the most accomplished and powerful professionals I had ever met…ever. And I was in a room with all of them. I was humbled, to say the least. They each came from different backgrounds and had different interests and affinities. The one thing they had in common was their loyalty and respect and admiration and deep affection for Texas A&M. Normally, when you get a bunch of CEOs in a room together, there’s a power struggle. Obviously. But this meeting was different. Everyone was so respectful and genuinely concerned with each other’s thoughts and ideas. Everyone wanted to hear each side and reflect accordingly. The whole thing was just a little slice of heaven, filled with creative brainstorming and elegant communication. The poster child for an effective team meeting. At the end of the day, I was speaking with the facilitator about how successful the meeting was. I then realized that everything went so smoothly because everyone’s interests were in that of the Association of Former Students. There were no ulterior motives and no selfish ambitions. Everyone was working towards that same goal. It was masterful. It was the stuff dreams are made of.

So…why didn’t we make it up that mountain? Even if the coolest thing ever was sitting atop that highest peak, we wouldn’t have continued. We just didn’t care enough.

Why did that board meeting go so well? Well, in short, everyone cared enough. Everyone cared about an entity higher than each individual. They were intrinsically motivated by a cause that they cared very deeply about and were personally invested in.

So…behold the power of intrinsic motivation! External triggers may get you going, but to achieve real success, real change, and real results, you’ve got to be motivated by something greater than personal gain. So, to all you HR professionals, managers, teachers, parents, team leaders, etc. etc., when mobilizing and motivating your constituents, remember to use more than gifts and compensation. Instead, hit em where it hurts. Right in the heart, my brothers and sisters. Right in the heart.

Image from: http://www.brokencountry.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/catalina-island.jpg

The trouble with theories is…

A couple examples:

1) ACADEMIA

For one of my classes this past semester, I had the option of submitting my very own management theory. Oh sweet heaven how lucky was I? Not lucky at all, as it turned out. I began to develop my theory on the basis of simple inputs. throughputs, and outputs. It started with a mindmap…it turned into a monster. Chalk it up to my inherent analytical mind, or to science…either way, I was drowning in a sea of conflicting theory. “Well, I believe that the basis for effective management is etc etc etc.” “But you know, in 1997 Dr. That One Guy proved with emperical study that the opposite is true.” “However, I have observed in numerous instances a severe differentiation from both of those theories…” Well shit. It seems that Dr. That One Guy, Dr. So and So, and Diana Mayland have all proven their conflicting theories. What now?

2) REAL LIFE

One of my closest and dearest friends and I love to ponder the unanswerable questions of the world. I would go into detail, but I wouldn’t want to compromise the identity of said dear friend. We recently have come to the conclusion that all of our “I feel like….etc etc…is true. Or etc…etc.. could be the answer. But we could also attribute this situation to etc etc…” conversations have led us to believe that we could potentially be just a couple of crazy girls. Are we crazy? Or are we right? There are theories to support both.

I do pride society on its emergence of intelligent thought and the related aggressiveness of associated parties…but it still ventures the age-old question of the indisputable truth. What actually is true? Your theory sounds pretty good. It has, in fact, been featured in a number of academic and industry journals….but that other theory has been published in those other academic and/or industry journals. So, you can’t both be right. But the ultimate decision will never be made because, in all fairness, who is fit to make it?

This topic has driven me to a point of near insanity. Like, I actually feel like I might be one of those tortured intellectuals that has caused her brain to short circuit with little-to-no chance of repair. BUT I’m far too young and far too good looking to be admitted to an insane asylum. And yet, I’m far too inexperienced to get my thoughts published and viewed by the masses. So what is a girl to do?

Oh, woe is me…how often do I find myself engulfed in the plight of the young and curious mind…One can only hope it is merely another phase I’m going through. You know, like that one song…

Thoughts? Insights? Please, I beg you, enlighten me.

This was the case with an article I wrote for a newsletter published by the Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship, housed in Mays Business School, about my blissful journey into the world of entrepreneurial leadership. In my opinion, my college experience has been nothing short of an exemplar of true academia.

Read it and weep, suckers…

Every leadership theorist writes his NYT best-seller about some leadership construct that has been reorganized and shifted and reworded and packed with various euphemisms to such an extent that the majority of readers would believe the theory to be novel. But I’m onto these guys. So is every other management enthusiast. The jig is up, “greatest leadership thinker of our time.”

So here’s my thought: What if I made an entire leadership construct about what makes a terrible leader? Genius!

Why am I so into this idea?

1. The basic concept of learning from past mistakes (except in this case, you don’t have to be the one screwing up)
2. This is how I live my life. I can’t say that it has been entirely beneficial, but at least partially. Every time I see someone doing something that really irks me, I make a mental note of it. Then the fun begins. I meticulously observe them. I immerse myself in their disgustingly annoying actions. I force myself to endure the pain until I am about to scratch my own eyeballs out. And after that, I can move forward knowing that I will never, I repeat NEVER, act like that person.
3. I hate being told what to do. Why? Because I’m a rebel. Because I’m so cool and into doing my own thing. Because I’m still a bratty 14-year-old at heart. Because I’m arrogant. BUT MOSTLY because getting the answer upfront takes all the fun out of it. If someone tells you the exact formula by which to do something, and then you follow that formula, you’re nothing but a lemming. Part of the trip is forging your own trail. So when these leadership gurus hash out the 11 best ways to change an organization’s culture, these wannabe leaders copy the list directly out of the book, post it on their bulletin board (right next to their motivational affirmations and Dilbert comic strips), and then proceed to go down the list as if it were a daily to-do. What have they learned? Nothing. Where do they go next? Nowhere. Where will they be when a situation transpires that has not been mentioned in that leadership bible? Dead.

So I want to find out what makes an absolutely terrible leader. I’m balls deep in literature right now, so I’ve got that covered. But I want to know what real people think. This isn’t a begging-for-comments situation, but rather me asking you, the reader, to help out a fledgling leadership theorist. This will also be the concept for my term paper in my Organizational Leadership seminar. So I need sufficient data. Please please PLEASE help me out. Just one word.

Think about that teacher/coach/boss/etc that made you want to just die. Then think deeply about it. Remember what pissed you off so much about that leader. Get yourself all riled up. Then tell me what was so bad about them. Everyone loves to complain. So here’s your outlet.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation. My appreciation is so great that it’s almost painful.

Over the past few weeks, my blog has been discovered by more and more people. It has become a source of stress and just another line item on my thousands of to-do lists. I have come to resent it. I feel obligated to post to keep my visibility up, but then I don’t really know what to write about, so then I force something, then the post sucks. Then my friends talk to me about it, then I get bashful, then I get really embarrassed, then I get writer’s block, then I get anxiety, then I go to sleep. Then I wake up. Then I repeat.

This girl seems to have experienced the same thing (sans the updates), although maybe to a more serious degree. (AND If I were to be animated, I’d be a bit more forlorn, and definitely wearing beige, not pink). But it’s the same idea.

So I’m going to take a bit of a break.  If I get some inspiration, you might see some posts. Other than that, for the next couple of weeks, I will be attempting to chill out on writing subpar blog entries. Ipso facto, no blog entries shall be written. I thank you for your ongoing support, and I promise to return to you someday. You will always be in my heart. Always.

I once had a friend ask me why people always seem to want to tell me everything about themselves, and then walk away from the conversation loving me. And instead of my usual “oh, you know, it’s just me” answer, I told him. I told him the scientific process I use to essentially take over the world. And I regretted it immediately. From then on, he would see me engaging people in conversation, then proceed to give me one of those disapproving looks that you just hate to get. It really ruined my edge.

I’ve found much of my success from being able to do something brilliantly, and inexplicably. No one can pinpoint exactly why it’s so great, or how I did it. I’ve always been very, very private about everything I do. If everyone knew how I went about my life, they would (1) understand how do duplicate my success (2) no longer find me mysterious (3) probably hate me for being so manipulative. So, instead of sharing my secrets with the world, I took a while to reflect on the importance on the importance of protecting my competitive advantage.

Wikipedia provided me with a pretty good little run down:

A trade secret is a formula, practice, process, design, instrument, pattern, or compilation of information which is not generally known or reasonably ascertainable, by which a business can obtain an economic advantage over competitors or customers

OR

A trade secret is information that:

• is not generally known to the public;
• confers some sort of economic benefit on its holder (where this benefit must derive specifically from its not being generally known, not just from the value of the information itself);
• is the subject of reasonable efforts to maintain its secrecy.

It’s sort of a hard concept to verbalize, but I feel like the greatest companies/products/brands/people in the world gain the approval of the masses by being inexplicable, rare, and unable to be duplicated. That thought is straight out of my Intro to Entrepreneurship textbook, but if you really sit down and think about why love something, it sort of blows your mind.

If everyone knew the exact recipe for Coke, would it still be the most popular drink in the world? No. If everyone knew how to look, act, talk, and live like Diana Mayland, would they find me as awesome? Maybe, but probably not. I have never met anyone like me. I hope I never do. So, I will not tell you why I’m so great at social media. And I will not tell you how to be me. I will, however, tell you to find that competency that sets you apart from your competitors. Then take that competitive advantage, put it in a box, wrap the box in brown paper, and put the box in a safe. Then, lock the safe with a key (not a combination), then buy another safe, put the key in that new safe, then lock it. Then get in your car, and drive at least three counties away. Then go to the local land broker, and buy a plot of land. Then build a big fence around your land (preferably with a facial recognition security system). Then dig a hole that is at least 10 feet deep. Put the second safe in the hole. Fill the hole. Then chill.

That’s how much I value my trade secret.

So, I’ve published my first post, and I want you all to check it out. It’s pretty good. Definitely better than all the junk on this blog.

The Importance of Self Awareness and/or A Personal Introduction

by DMMayland, Campus voice for Texas A&M University

By the way, I was just kidding about the content of The Art of the Attempt being junk. It’s brilliant. You should always keep reading what I write. Please don’t leave me.

Anyways, while reading this little slice of strategic heaven, I came across a great little description of this modern leader/manager, as well as whom he is leading and the environment in which he is leading. Thought I’d share it with y’all.

“The new manager must serve as a motivator, coordinator, and diplomat as opposed to a controller, autocrat, and disciplinarian. These managers will lead by convincing people, not telling them, because their team members will be intelligent and not easily swayed by rhetoric or willing to do something just to maintain the status quo. Finally, the new manager must be willing to put aside his or her ego for the good of the organization.”

-Larry D. Runge, Abstract from “The Manager and the Information Worker of the 1990s”

I now realize this is from an essay written in the 1990s…but whatever. Apparently Larry D. Runge was actually a clairvoyant, rather than a theorist. Good stuff, Larry. I think we all need to realize that the modern manager is much more than a supervisor. So to the reader, here’s your call to action:

Surpass the status quo. Pull people towards a vision, rather than pushing them towards objectives. Be a modern leader.

“We talk too often about the team leader’s role as something that we do instead of something that we are.” -Kimball Fisher (Leading Self-Directed Work Teams)

So today, I’m reading Leading Self-Directed Work Teams by Kimball Fisher. It’s good. I like it a lot. I just got really inspired by one chapter, entitled “The Visible and Invisible Elements of Team Leadership.” Fisher basically asserts that leadership is more than actions. He says that leadership discussions should focus on “managing with your gut”–looking inside at the intellectual and emotional parts of management, rather than just the behavioral role.

We focus on management behaviors or on styles without also discussing the things leaders care about, like their personal values and vision, or a set of core beliefs that influences their actions. The resulting picture…is not wrong, but it is not entirely right either. It’s like trying to explain why a glove moves without discussing the hand inside of it.

I really liked that analogy. However, Fisher brings up a point that I’ve been struggling with for a while now. It’s difficult to delve into a leader’s personal beliefs without being somewhat intrusive. I would consider myself to be a very private person. I don’t really like people knowing how I feel or think, because it opens me up for attack. Vulnerability is a concept I’m almost entirely unfamiliar with. After reading through this book, however, it becomes pretty apparent that to be a truly authentic leader, you must lead in a way that is completely aligned with who you are.

Fisher points out that focusing too much on actions of leaders, and then trying to copy that leadership style, “is an unhealthy, unsatisfying, and ultimately unsustainable effort. It is a sham.” Love that. Whether you’re talking about a person, a leader, an artist, or a corporation, aspiring to be one with the status quo will never warrant a sustainable competitive advantage. If you could duplicate it, why couldn’t someone else. You would be nothing more than a flash in the pan.

The text goes on to say that situational leadership is also inept:

Telling someone to change his or her [leaderhip] style suggests a sort of mechanical selection from a set of preprogramed responses. That never felt very authentic to me.”

Me neither, Kimball. And you people know how obsessed I am with authenticity. Fisher hit the nail on the head when he stated that true leadership is about “manifesting convictions.” I love that. So I suggest that you all go buy this book. I’m going to keep this post short and sweet. (As I still have about 200 pages to read before tomorrow) Let’s get right to the point:

A true leader cannot learn how to lead from a book. It’s not a flowchart or a checklist. It’s about believing something and knowing what that something is. It’s about applying those convictions to a managerial role and, at the risk of sounding disgustingly cliche…

it’s about leading with your heart, not with some manual.