"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. – Aristotle
Doing the right thing can feel simple when life is calm. However, that our true test of character, and leadership ability, comes when we find ourselves in rougher waters — live your values.
It’s really easy to live your values when things are going well; it’s more difficult when the going gets tough. It’s important for colleagues and employees to trust that you will make the right decision, no matter the circumstance.” Mary Barra, Chair, GM
Your daily activities create your future. If you want a positive looking future, you must plan to apply good habits in your everyday life. Integrity, mentoring and feedback — both providing it and being receptive to receiving it, are near the top of the list.
Our behavioral traits determine how naturally respond. Our leadership ladder identifies the 10 behavioral competencies you need at each level of leadership form front line to the C-suite. Good leaders have on average four of the 10 competencies naturally — they need to work on the other six. We need strategies to develop wise and desirable competencies. With a strong determination and the drive to reach your goals.
This enables you weather life storms. I know it is not a walk in the park. Make these storms as stepping stones. Use them as a guide to catapult you to the upper echelons of your field. Being in that level, in turn, will help you transform yourself into an eagle in the marketplace. A great leader in your chosen arena. A successful person.
At General Motors, Ms. Barra is known for being a bit impatient. In an industry that is changing more now than it has in the last 50 years, can you blame me?
General Motors President of North America Alan Batey often says, “Time is not our friend.” Ms. Barra agrees. We must move fast while doing it right.
She recently spoke at the Wharton People Analytics Conference with author and professor, Adam Grant. Dr. Grant is a terrific writer and motivator who helps others find balance in the workplace. Over the years, Ms. Barra and Dr. grant have had great conversations about mentoring, providing constructive feedback and the importance of data. He has inspired her to ensure that General Motors’ culture is one of the best.
In addition to working smart and fast, below are a few pieces of advice Ms. Barra has taken with her throughout her 38-year career:
Follow your North Star: As you go through the twists and turns that typically happen during a crisis, go back to your core values. They will guide you on what to do.
Do the right thing even when it is hard: It is easy to live your values when things are going well; it is more difficult when the going gets tough. It is important for colleagues and employees to trust that you will make the right decision, no matter the circumstance.
Behaviors set your culture: If you could change one behavior in your company, what would it be? Culture is the stories you tell about what happens at a company or an organization or family or country. Remember one thing you can do every day to create a positive culture is to focus on the way you behave.
More feedback: Did you get what you need and what do you think? Those are two questions you should be asking your employees as well as your supervisors. It is vitally important to get feedback, but it is as important to receive the feedback and learn from it.
I encourage you to watch the inspiring conversation (45 minutes) between Ms. Barra and Dr. Grant here. You will learn a lot.
Developing leaders – A game-changing for your organization
Your star performers tend to be lousy managers. Identify the traits that good managers have and promote employees who possess them. Also, establish an incentive and promotion structure that both rewards good work and good managers. We explore this in detail in How to Keep Your Stars and Have Remarkable Managers. You need your entire team to do the right thing, especially when under pressure when we rely on our traits to respond.
The idea that employees are promoted “to the level of their incompetence” has become a truism in management circles. Laurence J. Peter's satirical 1969 treatise on business and life, The Peter Principle. Peter pointed out that if success in one role leads inevitably to advancement, incompetent employees will occupy every high post, having reached the job they do not possess the skills to succeed.
