“In the final analysis, only one’s family really matters,” writes Robert Dilenschneider. The contrast here is one’s ego or wall of fame (that proverbial wall of plaques and honors many accomplished professionals have on display, either in their offices or in their homes. It’s not necessary, he says. One’s self confidence should stand on its own, pictures of you with the President notwithstanding!
HUMILITY and ACCESSIBILTY - - that’s what important, from the kid shining your shoes to the loftiest Chairman of the Board. All individuals deserve the respect and humility the power-player can extend fully. Courtesy to all and being able to LISTEN as well, no matter how powerful or influential you become.
Put another way, believing one’s own news releases can be dangerous!!!!!
Your Blogster: Believing one’s own college references can be most difficult to entering Freshman at Ivy League colleges. Their high school teachers, parents friends and associates have bent over backwards to be kind in their accolades. It’s you, the student, who now has to perform at the college level, from scratch and without help, reference letters or not!
He points out that the more powerful one becomes, the more important it is to be restrained in dealing with those surrounding you that hold extreme views and opinions. Another way of saying this is the powerful need to maintain a balance in their lives - - business and home lives in synch, avoiding extreme focus on one or the other. And, team players never let another down. Never. In doing do, it can be amazing what is RECEIVED in return.
Extending that helping hand to others, regardless of thanks or a returned favor, also sets the power player apart from peers. People rarely forget this help. Inoffensive questioning until one get to the inner core of other’s beliefs also can pay big dividends to the powerful and influential. In doing so, you give back to the organization and the institution in meaningful, essential ways.
Pro bono work (extended at no cost with no expectation of return) also separates the leader from the powerful and influential. Similarly, remembering one’s friends and, occasionally, asking them for help can be very useful to gaining and wielding power.
This network building also differentiates the powerful from the others. They maintain contacts and nurture these relationships to the betterment of both. Finally, their vigilant to opportunities around them and seize the moments, for sure, for action.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Power Players Gather Consensus, Sacrifice Ego
Mr. Dilenschneider claims that a number of the real power players heading some of America’s largest companies know the importance of active listening and taking notes as subordinates share their opinions and strategic thinking. Skipping these steps along the way can spell D I S A S T E R for many a Chief Executive Officer, he writes.
Reaching the top spot also requires utilization of all the communications tools on one’s desk: Email, search engines on the web, and similar communications tools. In the end, the beneficiaries of these power-layers include shareholders, employees, customers and one’s top company officers.
Grasp the nuances of what people are reporting. Synthesize the issues and produce solutions to problems at hand. Generally, these activities play to one’s strengths. How seemingly effortless this advise seems to be!
First, one has to figure out who one really is. You can’t listen with empathy and understanding unless you know yourself well - - well enough to keep your mouth shut, while demonstrating a passion for understanding and other people’s feelings and skills, one of which may NOT be oral communications.
Next, smart people have this intuitive sense about smart decision making. They’re born with it or, perhaps, can learn some of it (your Blogster hopes). When the critical moment of decision comes, they’re ready with answers. People follow this powerful and influential tactic.
Sometimes there’s a “eureka moment.” Usually this is preceded by carefully planned and executive research about one’s business, customers and competitors. A clear focus on the business, minus distractions, equals a success of your own making. Be inquisitive and focused…determined. Single-minded at times. Timely research and patience on communications reward the power player. Know what works and what doesn’t; what’s been tried and what can be tried. Take nothing for granted. When the moment arrives, you’re ready to lead the way.
Understanding one’s environment appears most critical as a success factor. Power players draw a unique perspective and apply it at the right moment to build a power and influence base. Sounds "do-able" if one follows this roadmap.
Reaching the top spot also requires utilization of all the communications tools on one’s desk: Email, search engines on the web, and similar communications tools. In the end, the beneficiaries of these power-layers include shareholders, employees, customers and one’s top company officers.
Grasp the nuances of what people are reporting. Synthesize the issues and produce solutions to problems at hand. Generally, these activities play to one’s strengths. How seemingly effortless this advise seems to be!
First, one has to figure out who one really is. You can’t listen with empathy and understanding unless you know yourself well - - well enough to keep your mouth shut, while demonstrating a passion for understanding and other people’s feelings and skills, one of which may NOT be oral communications.
Next, smart people have this intuitive sense about smart decision making. They’re born with it or, perhaps, can learn some of it (your Blogster hopes). When the critical moment of decision comes, they’re ready with answers. People follow this powerful and influential tactic.
Sometimes there’s a “eureka moment.” Usually this is preceded by carefully planned and executive research about one’s business, customers and competitors. A clear focus on the business, minus distractions, equals a success of your own making. Be inquisitive and focused…determined. Single-minded at times. Timely research and patience on communications reward the power player. Know what works and what doesn’t; what’s been tried and what can be tried. Take nothing for granted. When the moment arrives, you’re ready to lead the way.
Understanding one’s environment appears most critical as a success factor. Power players draw a unique perspective and apply it at the right moment to build a power and influence base. Sounds "do-able" if one follows this roadmap.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Power & Influence: The Indian Connection
One of the interesting things about this book is the breadth of illustrations, that is, “power examples” for discussion and practical lessons learned. Buried deep in the middle of the book, Mr. Dilenschneider delves into the recent history of India’s Mahatma Gandhi and his protégé Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister after independence from Great Britain.
While one doesn’t normally associate Gandhi with “power,” one can easily picture him as INFLUENCING MILLIONS of people in his country and abroad. The author points out that Gandhi cleverly utilized the tools of power and influence to his advantage, while seizing the opportunities he spotted early on. They both ended up wielding power before much of today’s technological breakthroughs in communications, using stubbornness, sticking to principles and understanding the political scene.
To serve his cause, Gandhi utilized the telegraph and radio to get out his messages. In doing so, he managed to overthrow British colonial rule with a velvet glove, to the advantage of both. Nehru’s son carried on the tradition using many of today’s communications tools overlaying sound principles and knowledge of the political scene.
The analysis is most interesting and not one read about in any detail in most books. Of course, today, you can’t buy an electronic product without finding an Indian on the other end of your technology calls for support.
Your Blogster might add that a similar case might be made for the leadership of Singapore, in recent years, with their quantum leap into a computerized city environment and leveraging today’s software technologies to leap infrastructure shortcoming. In this case, the leadership maintained and grow their powers by creating an environment for computer training, learning and applications the world had never seen in such a short period of time, again, raising all boats proportionally.
While one doesn’t normally associate Gandhi with “power,” one can easily picture him as INFLUENCING MILLIONS of people in his country and abroad. The author points out that Gandhi cleverly utilized the tools of power and influence to his advantage, while seizing the opportunities he spotted early on. They both ended up wielding power before much of today’s technological breakthroughs in communications, using stubbornness, sticking to principles and understanding the political scene.
To serve his cause, Gandhi utilized the telegraph and radio to get out his messages. In doing so, he managed to overthrow British colonial rule with a velvet glove, to the advantage of both. Nehru’s son carried on the tradition using many of today’s communications tools overlaying sound principles and knowledge of the political scene.
The analysis is most interesting and not one read about in any detail in most books. Of course, today, you can’t buy an electronic product without finding an Indian on the other end of your technology calls for support.
Your Blogster might add that a similar case might be made for the leadership of Singapore, in recent years, with their quantum leap into a computerized city environment and leveraging today’s software technologies to leap infrastructure shortcoming. In this case, the leadership maintained and grow their powers by creating an environment for computer training, learning and applications the world had never seen in such a short period of time, again, raising all boats proportionally.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Change: Who to blame?
A major difference between this book and say the book The 48 Laws of Power, by Robert Greene, is how each addresses CHANGE.
Mr. Dilenschneider notes time and time again that one should embrace new technologies in order to survive and grow in power and influence within an organization.
Mr. Greene, in contrast, preaches that one should talk about the NEED for change but not to change or reform too much at once. He says that while everyone understands the need for change, in the abstract, day-to-day change of any magnitude can be traumatic to an organization, even spark a revolt. In both cases the power-player is doomed.
In this “power” book, he notes that the true power grabber should make a “show” of respecting the old way of doing things, before tossing them out the window. Not everyone agrees with this concept, for sure.
By becoming identified with change, even leading its execution, one can become the “execution-ee” as well, especially if the changes only partially succeed. Exposing oneself to the “absolute embrace” of specific changes can eliminate promising careers, it seems, in many organizations, as one becomes the scapegoat for failed ideas.
This author says to never underestimate the “conservatism” of those around you in an organization.
Mr. Dilenschneider prefers to use new, disruptive technologies to effect change and communicate its results, rather than becoming the target of the changes themselves. Let everyone participate in these new technologies you have mastered and embraced. One wonders…..
Mr. Dilenschneider notes time and time again that one should embrace new technologies in order to survive and grow in power and influence within an organization.
Mr. Greene, in contrast, preaches that one should talk about the NEED for change but not to change or reform too much at once. He says that while everyone understands the need for change, in the abstract, day-to-day change of any magnitude can be traumatic to an organization, even spark a revolt. In both cases the power-player is doomed.
In this “power” book, he notes that the true power grabber should make a “show” of respecting the old way of doing things, before tossing them out the window. Not everyone agrees with this concept, for sure.
By becoming identified with change, even leading its execution, one can become the “execution-ee” as well, especially if the changes only partially succeed. Exposing oneself to the “absolute embrace” of specific changes can eliminate promising careers, it seems, in many organizations, as one becomes the scapegoat for failed ideas.
This author says to never underestimate the “conservatism” of those around you in an organization.
Mr. Dilenschneider prefers to use new, disruptive technologies to effect change and communicate its results, rather than becoming the target of the changes themselves. Let everyone participate in these new technologies you have mastered and embraced. One wonders…..
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Power's Evolution
In one of Stephen R. Covey’s books, he relegates to the appendix a most interesting exercise in quantifying the different leadership theories, from the Great Man theory, to Spiritual Leadership. Between the lines it seems obvious that these leadership, and indirectly power and influence as well, MAY evolve over time, even over centuries, if one watches, charts them and keeps a bibliography.
While Mr. Dilenschneider delves, not at all, into the history of powerul and influential techniques (other book, perhaps), the Covey book makes one pause for a few minutes. Is there no historial literature about effectively seizing power and influence? Are these new concepts - - the concept that one can get BETTER and BETTER at these elusive tools until one becomes successful?
Maybe so.
Let’s try it.
In the 18h century, farmer Americans led by the few educated political minds, seized the ultimate power and influenced a rag-tag group of disinterred city-states into throwing off the yokes of so-called Colonial Tyranny. Federalist papers decried in so many words what should be done. The classics inspired worldly declarations and constitutional ideasl. The most powerful man of the day, humble George Washington, citizen-soldier and plantation owner, carried the day and took the ultimate “power” seat - - the Presidency. He filled the "power and influence" vacuum of the moment, as one might in any company at any given moment if ready and aggressive.
Emerging political parties recognized the powers of the new government as a double-edged sword, both helping and hurting their self interests.
During the 19h century, Americans turned inward on their fellow citizens holding field laborers in the tyranny of slave bondage. It was one thing to get the crops in on time, inexpensively, and quite another to “own” an individual, his family and all his waking moments - - slavery: the sort of ultimate power trip for the slave-owner. They fought a terrible, bloody war over this, with Lincoln the humble leader forcing change and enforcing federal powers.
Turning to this past century, a single power-player in Germany, and another in Italy, and one in Japan, all conspired to force their political and social agendas on their own countrymen and one’s adjacent to them . . .with disastrous results. Power, apparently, has it limits, even when enforced with might.
Then came the rise in what might be called the linguistic power players. They invented new power- and managment-speak language that merged scientific and mathematical principles into a new leadership mumbo-jumbo of this sort: “Theories and Models of Interactive Processes, Multiple-Linkages Model, Multiple-Screen Model, Vertical-Dyad Linkages, Exchange Theories, Behavior Theories, and Communications Theories.” Whatever, as the kids say oh-so-freqently. This morphed into Integrative Transformational, Value-Based theories to further boggle the minds of the unsuspecting. Consults thrived on both explaining and inventing new nonsensical company-speak.
This century most people have NO TIME for SUCH UTTER NONSENSE, your Blogster opines. Get it to me punchy-quick; there’s no time. Time is still money. I’m multi-tasking and losing. Lay it on me and get out of the way. I'm doing my email from Hong Kong and my text-messaging from my parents in Canada.
(Your Blogster reports: On a recent visit to Hong Kong, he saw a young many listening to an MP3 player, while playing an on-line video game and texting his parents in The Philippines, all at a public kiosk in an indoor shopping mall, while sipping decaf. coffee.)
This is pretty much to opposite what Robert Dilenschneider has been writing all along. Keep It Simple, Stupid (KISS), though he has the good sense not to actually write this cliché. Examine yourself, trust in your horse sense, built a moral center, serve your clients by staying in tune with the world's changing and emerging electronics, add value. What better prescription for power, influence . . . and just being a better person!!!!!
Of course, it’s pretty easy to get trampled on, so keep your mentoring relationship strong and protective of your best interests. You’re gonna need it!
While Mr. Dilenschneider delves, not at all, into the history of powerul and influential techniques (other book, perhaps), the Covey book makes one pause for a few minutes. Is there no historial literature about effectively seizing power and influence? Are these new concepts - - the concept that one can get BETTER and BETTER at these elusive tools until one becomes successful?
Maybe so.
Let’s try it.
In the 18h century, farmer Americans led by the few educated political minds, seized the ultimate power and influenced a rag-tag group of disinterred city-states into throwing off the yokes of so-called Colonial Tyranny. Federalist papers decried in so many words what should be done. The classics inspired worldly declarations and constitutional ideasl. The most powerful man of the day, humble George Washington, citizen-soldier and plantation owner, carried the day and took the ultimate “power” seat - - the Presidency. He filled the "power and influence" vacuum of the moment, as one might in any company at any given moment if ready and aggressive.
Emerging political parties recognized the powers of the new government as a double-edged sword, both helping and hurting their self interests.
During the 19h century, Americans turned inward on their fellow citizens holding field laborers in the tyranny of slave bondage. It was one thing to get the crops in on time, inexpensively, and quite another to “own” an individual, his family and all his waking moments - - slavery: the sort of ultimate power trip for the slave-owner. They fought a terrible, bloody war over this, with Lincoln the humble leader forcing change and enforcing federal powers.
Turning to this past century, a single power-player in Germany, and another in Italy, and one in Japan, all conspired to force their political and social agendas on their own countrymen and one’s adjacent to them . . .with disastrous results. Power, apparently, has it limits, even when enforced with might.
Then came the rise in what might be called the linguistic power players. They invented new power- and managment-speak language that merged scientific and mathematical principles into a new leadership mumbo-jumbo of this sort: “Theories and Models of Interactive Processes, Multiple-Linkages Model, Multiple-Screen Model, Vertical-Dyad Linkages, Exchange Theories, Behavior Theories, and Communications Theories.” Whatever, as the kids say oh-so-freqently. This morphed into Integrative Transformational, Value-Based theories to further boggle the minds of the unsuspecting. Consults thrived on both explaining and inventing new nonsensical company-speak.
This century most people have NO TIME for SUCH UTTER NONSENSE, your Blogster opines. Get it to me punchy-quick; there’s no time. Time is still money. I’m multi-tasking and losing. Lay it on me and get out of the way. I'm doing my email from Hong Kong and my text-messaging from my parents in Canada.
(Your Blogster reports: On a recent visit to Hong Kong, he saw a young many listening to an MP3 player, while playing an on-line video game and texting his parents in The Philippines, all at a public kiosk in an indoor shopping mall, while sipping decaf. coffee.)
This is pretty much to opposite what Robert Dilenschneider has been writing all along. Keep It Simple, Stupid (KISS), though he has the good sense not to actually write this cliché. Examine yourself, trust in your horse sense, built a moral center, serve your clients by staying in tune with the world's changing and emerging electronics, add value. What better prescription for power, influence . . . and just being a better person!!!!!
Of course, it’s pretty easy to get trampled on, so keep your mentoring relationship strong and protective of your best interests. You’re gonna need it!
Blogs: Early Warning System
Ignore blogs in your field at your peril, Mr. Dilenschneider writes. They can be sources of innovation, ideas, trends, you-just-about-name it. Read as many as you can, take from all, within the bounds of reason.
The irony of all this, of course, is that fewer and fewer Americans are reading than ever before! More are writing and fewer are reading. But traditional news channels, including TV, newspapers, magazines and radio, miss so much these days, blogs fill that void.
The concept here, the connecting of the dots, may seem obvious but also many have eluded most: News media outlets ALSO are downsizing and rightsizing their businesses. They must do more with less, missing so much. Enter the blogs!
The down side: No human contact. Without this, all the blog reading in the world won’t help. Relying on technologies for making those key relational contacts goes for naught. There’s always room for the personal touch, he writes, for the true power player.
The irony of all this, of course, is that fewer and fewer Americans are reading than ever before! More are writing and fewer are reading. But traditional news channels, including TV, newspapers, magazines and radio, miss so much these days, blogs fill that void.
The concept here, the connecting of the dots, may seem obvious but also many have eluded most: News media outlets ALSO are downsizing and rightsizing their businesses. They must do more with less, missing so much. Enter the blogs!
The down side: No human contact. Without this, all the blog reading in the world won’t help. Relying on technologies for making those key relational contacts goes for naught. There’s always room for the personal touch, he writes, for the true power player.
So, You’re Out on the Street
How does Robert Dilenschneider attack this major problem of an increasing number of individuals, oftentimes in mid-career? Your company has been taken over by another and their philosophy is fundamentally different than yours. Or your company has begun that inevitable Wall-Street demanded downsizing, outsourcing and “right-sizing” - - which all translates into getting rid of a lot of employees. Then there’s the purge of the high-priced folks and those over 50.
He puts it bluntly: “In this age of corporate downsizing, mergers, outsourcing, layoffs, and mass dismissals….” Know that the so-called paternal corporation is dead. Hating them after you leave is to hate nothing. They may hate you two seconds. Try not to give it another thought—just about impossible advice to follow, but outwardly to a spouse, maybe, your Blogster says.
How do Power and Influence factor into this situation. Here the book falls somewhat flat, since not a lot of unemployed people want to exercise power and influence where they pick up their unemployment insurance! They may want to go back and put their former employers in bondage or set fire to their old office, but that’s another sort of book called: “Revenge of the Once Working.”
Yet, he does cite personal examples, several actually, of people who did this very thing, though most are top, chief executives already, so that “climb to the top” has been skipped.
He notes the importance of relationships with former employees in your old company (not to let these relationships dry up) and relationships with former clients. Many of these contacts could empathize with your situation, even loan you money for that start-up you’ve always planned, perhaps. (He claims to have turned one of these venture capitalists down, though this seems just a little far-fetched…). Power plays, one supposes, like to run the show and keep the spoils, not share them or be run in their organization by someone else!
The key message: Power and influence, while heady and lucrative, also are “transitory and elusive,” he notes. Be ready and be prepared (it never let the Boy Scouts down…). In fact, preparations can take place while ON THE JOB.
The message: Know how you got power and how easily it can be taken away…and what to do about it. But also be realistic: Know that many alternatives you try may not work. Moving on mentally and emotionally can help.
He points out that one should be ready to start over, start over and start over again during one’s career.
He adds that it takes nerve, smarts, a plan and technology’s reach via on-line job searches, etc. Never let the organization beat you down, an associate adds.
Remembering one’s strengths, while keeping in mind that people are willing to let you help/serve them and pay for things of value. Become valued and prosperous at the same time.
Betting on yourself can hurt, too.
While somewhat placating and pleasant reading, this chapter might be worth a quick read only, without pondering hidden meanings. It’s a straightforward treatise on getting things right, despite humiliation, and forging ahead in your field. When in doubt, form your own business - - truly the neatest revenge, one has to believe after reading these pages!
He puts it bluntly: “In this age of corporate downsizing, mergers, outsourcing, layoffs, and mass dismissals….” Know that the so-called paternal corporation is dead. Hating them after you leave is to hate nothing. They may hate you two seconds. Try not to give it another thought—just about impossible advice to follow, but outwardly to a spouse, maybe, your Blogster says.
How do Power and Influence factor into this situation. Here the book falls somewhat flat, since not a lot of unemployed people want to exercise power and influence where they pick up their unemployment insurance! They may want to go back and put their former employers in bondage or set fire to their old office, but that’s another sort of book called: “Revenge of the Once Working.”
Yet, he does cite personal examples, several actually, of people who did this very thing, though most are top, chief executives already, so that “climb to the top” has been skipped.
He notes the importance of relationships with former employees in your old company (not to let these relationships dry up) and relationships with former clients. Many of these contacts could empathize with your situation, even loan you money for that start-up you’ve always planned, perhaps. (He claims to have turned one of these venture capitalists down, though this seems just a little far-fetched…). Power plays, one supposes, like to run the show and keep the spoils, not share them or be run in their organization by someone else!
The key message: Power and influence, while heady and lucrative, also are “transitory and elusive,” he notes. Be ready and be prepared (it never let the Boy Scouts down…). In fact, preparations can take place while ON THE JOB.
The message: Know how you got power and how easily it can be taken away…and what to do about it. But also be realistic: Know that many alternatives you try may not work. Moving on mentally and emotionally can help.
He points out that one should be ready to start over, start over and start over again during one’s career.
He adds that it takes nerve, smarts, a plan and technology’s reach via on-line job searches, etc. Never let the organization beat you down, an associate adds.
Remembering one’s strengths, while keeping in mind that people are willing to let you help/serve them and pay for things of value. Become valued and prosperous at the same time.
Betting on yourself can hurt, too.
While somewhat placating and pleasant reading, this chapter might be worth a quick read only, without pondering hidden meanings. It’s a straightforward treatise on getting things right, despite humiliation, and forging ahead in your field. When in doubt, form your own business - - truly the neatest revenge, one has to believe after reading these pages!
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