The Ten Virtues of Leadership for a Collaborative World
Our political leaders present models of behavior that are likely to be imitated. Their example may...
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Tag: learning organization
Abraham, Isaac, and the Ethics of Followership
In this post I would like to discuss the cultural root of obedience in the great church of our organizations and how we need to rethink the assumptions of loyal followership. Or to put it another way, a bit more disloyalty may be advantageous to the leader’s reputation and bank account.
Read MoreLean & Meta Principles 2: Empiricism and Humility
The primary task of a manager is to think. The future success of the organization is dependent upon his or her ability to think clearly, critically, and creatively.
The greatest enemy of continuous improvement is arrogance, particularly on the part of leaders, and the opposite quality of humility is a requirement of learning and improvement.
In my previous post I introduced the idea that there are “big thoughts,” or over-arching cultural principles that are essential to creating a genuinely lean culture. I suggested that the principle of Unity was the first. The second is what I will call the principles of Empiricism and Humility.
Read MoreAction Learning: Cycles of Learning are the Key to Developing a Culture of Continuous Improvement
The best methods and the best of intentions can easily fail unless we take into account how adults learn in our organizations. During World War II a process that has become known as Training Within Industry (TWI) and its...
Read MoreLean Leadership – The ONE Quality that Matters Most
Rupert Murdoch’s first remark in his testimony before Parliament was that this was the most humble moment of his life. No doubt true. Hubris, rather than humility has led many companies over the cliff of disaster. The quality most required of those leading continuous improvement is the opposite of hubris, it is humility, the antecedent to learning. Lean leaders develop an attitude of science, the ability to experiment, learn from the data, and try again. Lincoln’s victory over General Lee was a victory of humility over hubris.
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