Defining Direction in Business and Life

Recently, Dr. Kim B. Clark, President of Brigham Young University – Idaho, and former Dean of the Harvard Business School, presented a seminar on defining direction in a business context.  His presentation is outlined below.  While the focus was business, the application to our personal lives, from a spiritual and temporal perspective, is obvious:

1)     Define Context

         a)  Mission Statement – become a mission-driven organization

               –   Where are you going

               –   How are you going to do it

         b)  Strategy

               –    Establish strategic intent

               –    Define elements of strategy

               –    Implement strategy

         c)  Imperatives

               –   Raise quality to serve more customers

               –   Be willing to be corrected or chastened

               –   Be aware when your stewardship affects others – individually and as a work group

               –   Principle of “witnesses” – decision makers will want references or witnesses of the relevance, validity,

                    and general “goodness” of a recommendation.

2)     Real Work of Defining Direction

         a)  Two models

               –   Directive/punitive

               –   Customer oriented/referential/high commitment

         b)  How to gain the hearts and minds of everyone in the organization – inspire to participate and produce

               –   Participative

               –   Open communication

               –   Empowerment

               –   Mutual Trust

         c)  There is a tight connection between implementation and strategy

               –   Leaders help people see how they fit into the organization

               –   Avoid fixed procedures – they limit innovation

3)     Characteristics of Leaders Who Define Direction

         a)  Builds and maintains strong relationships with subordinates and superiors

         b)  Humble – Not proud or arrogant

         c)  Anxiously engaged

         d)  Have eyes to see

         e)  Energizing behavior

         f)  Goal setting mind set

         g)  Understands motivational theory

         h)  Maintains cohesiveness

4)     Recommendations

         a)  Be optimistic and hopeful

         b)  Avoid cynicism at all costs

         c)  You cannot be headstrong – be quick to listen and observe

         d)  Learn of and apply faith – a higher way to teach and to learn

         e)  Attitude is crucial –teach a positive attitude by example