Archive for the ‘Youngdahl, William’ Category

By Kannan Ramaswamy, Ph.D., and Bill Youngdahl, Ph.D.

Bad bosses don’t wake up in the morning and ask themselves: “How can I derail the corporate strategy today?” Our research, based on surveys and interviews with more than 250 managers in 37 countries, shows that most ineffective leaders remain blissfully unaware of the harm they do to their organizations. They chuckle with everyone else when they read “Dilbert” cartoons about the Pointy-Haired Boss. We credit the disconnect to a “hindrance trap” that lulls emerging leaders into a false sense of accomplishment over a period of years or even decades. At least three forces contribute to this trap. | Video: When Bosses Do Harm (2:29)
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By Kannan Ramaswamy, Ph.D., and Bill Youngdahl, Ph.D.

Leaders get paid to think big, which means they sometimes announce ambitious initiatives and then leave the details for others to figure out. These leaders hand down the marching orders and expect targets to be hit. But they are not around at 3 a.m. to see the fallout on the rank and file. Leaders who pile on tasks and expect results — or else — use fear as their default motivational tool. A better way to inspire is to learn the strategic pathways, assess the organization’s capacity, recognize the individual and then convey the potential joy of accomplishment. | Video: Inspiring through fear (2:06)
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By Kannan Ramaswamy and Bill Youngdahl, Thunderbird Professors

Many bold new strategies hatched in executive conference rooms around the world never have a chance to gain traction. Something happens between inception and implementation loosely described as the “Dilbert Effect,” a nod to the farcical world of cartoonist Scott Adams. In our consulting and teaching experience with Fortune Global 500 organizations, we frequently feel the pain of Dilbert empathizers trapped in their metaphorical cubicles. Lack of clarity, poor communication and insufficient resources sink some strategic initiatives. But a more fundamental problem is disconnected leadership. | Survey and blog: Take our 10-minute Dilbert Effects Survey and read results.
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By Bill Youngdahl, Thunderbird Professor

I’m becoming increasingly convinced that that I need to focus more time at the top of the pyramid. Something seems to happen to the brains of insulated senior leaders that keeps them from becoming servant-leaders. Instead they too often become constraints that consume our time, energy, and talent as project leaders and contributors. Why the rant? I’m currently working with a client to deliver a webinar that addresses servant leadership. Robert K. Greenleaf coined the term servant-leader in 1970, so it is certainly not a new idea. But it doesn’t seem to be flourishing in many organizations. Refreshing my awareness of servant-leadership reminds me of how many leaders cause unnecessary stress and frustration when they could be enabling progress and improving human spirit. Read the full post in my blog, Prosper in a Project-Driven World. | Blog: Project Constraints or Servants? | Video: Project Constraints or Servants? (2:23)

By Bill Youngdahl, Thunderbird Professor

I’ve always been impressed by how excited leaders get about visions but how detached they can be from the work that goes into implementing a vision. I believe work, implemented through projects and initiatives, is the lifeblood of any vision. I am out to change the world, one organization at a time, by developing leaders at all levels who can integrate leadership acumen with project thinking. Join me on the journey of leadership development and organizational transformation. | Video: Leadership in a project-based world (2:36) | Blog: Prosper in a Project-Driven World
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By Bill Youngdahl, Thunderbird Professor

This weekend I was fortunate to have a conversation with Phyllis Gebhardt, a human resource manager at Berlitz. She opened my eyes to the physics of influencing. “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction,” she said. “When you use force, you’ll only strengthen the opposition.” This is especially true when it comes to influencing a boss or someone else in power. If you play the “I’m right and you’re not” card, the physics of influencing will throw those thoughts right back at you. A better option is to build a bridge of influence. Read the full post in my blog, Prosper in a Project-Driven World.

By Bill Youngdahl, Thunderbird Professor

“We are going to increase our outsourcing of all but the most core of our core competencies.”  Is that a strategy? If a senior leader were to make this comment, it could lead to a series of initiatives, but it is not a strategy. It is a tactic. We should not fall into the trap of thinking we have a strategy when we really only have a set of initiatives that give the appearance of having a strategy. Read the rest of this post in my blog, Prosper in a Project-Driven World.

By Bill Youngdahl and Robert Moran

Pharmaceuticals giant Novartis realized several years ago that many of its managers lacked the skills necessary to lead complex global projects. With operations in several countries, they faced challenges related to leading global project teams and lacked the cultural acumen to communicate and collaborate effectively across functions, companies and geographies.
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