Thursday, April 09, 2015

April letter: Head scratchers

(Note: This originally appeared as a client e-letter on April 8th.)
  
Dear Clients and Colleagues:
 
Following are some head scratchers (noun: conventional ideas or practices that beg further review) in Short Burst (SBs) form. Welcome your thoughts as always.

 
 
1.) Social media is dead. Long live social media. There has always been a certain follow the crowd mentality in business when it comes to looks and image. Nowhere is that more evident than on the social media channel, LinkedIn. Lookalike job titles and connections galore fill endless updates. More is more, or better. According to the experts, it seems as though it's not about whom reads what; it's about who comments or likes the content. Talking or speaking directly is not a requirement. This feels like what used to be called a tipping point, meaning there's really no way all of what's posted or connected can be shared much less consumed. A friend who prides himself on remaining accountable by the hour scoffed recently: "Wow, you look at that stuff every day? I sure don't." I suspect maybe he does. And so it goes. Whichever unicorn comes up with a way to make LinkedIn and other channels more niched without losing context will be onto something if they're not already.

2.) Now introducing the dreaded, profane party crasher...Transparency. One of the three leadership themes identified earlier this year http://povblogger.blogspot.com/2015/02/hash-tag-youre-it.html has already been on full display. Transparency emerged as a theme in the Hillary Clinton email controversy and then died. Basically because the Clintons, like so many at the top echelons, now are governed by a different set of rules. That's no longer just perception; it's reality. Gaps are now gulfs. Self consumed leaders who aspire to be selfless would be wise to help at least provide a lift to the bridge. These gestures can come in many different forms, such as truth, encouragement or support (according to McKinsey, this is the number one leadership attribute), opportunity, service, basic act out of self interest, etc. It doesn't always have to have a bottom-line value attached. Best things in life are free, right?

3.) No one who speaks of change seems to know where change will lead. Trust, which comes at a premium during change, has not only reached all-time lows; it's been shot to death. According to this year's Edelman Trust Barometer, which measures confidence in institutions across the world, two-thirds of the 27 nations surveyed now fall into the "distruster" category. The pace of innovation now moves too fast by a 2:1 margin, forcing companies and businesses to rethink what's good in the marketplace vs. simply what sells. The only way through seems to be sustainable relationships, which require investing time to understand context fully vs. simply doing transactions and calling the result relationships. It's amazing to think that when the incoming phone rings or email dings, potential buyers have already decided more than 60 percent of the time that they're going to purchase based on information they've gathered themselves (Source: Association of Inside Sales Professionals.) Time to embrace the digital age. 1.0 leaders slow on the technology draw meet 2.0, the hyper-connected digital hands and feet. 2.0 meet 1.0. The two don't add up to 3.0 yet, but it's early in the game. Long or short field lies ahead, depending on your POV.
 
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