Procurement is full of perceived difference and separation

Procurement is full of perceived difference and separation.

• Procurement vs suppliers
• Procurement vs finance
• Procurement vs engineering
• Procurement vs operations
• Procurement vs marketing
• Procurement vs fm
• Procurement vs hr
• Procurement vs the mavericks
• Procurement the bad cop vs the good cop
• Us vs them

The post that inspired this list was one on inclusion and diversity from Helen Amery (I’d highly recommend reading it). Helen’s post started a thought process for me that was further fuelled by noticing other posts where there was a distinction being made between “us” and the “other”. It’s that distinction I often pick up in the language of procurement - a language with an “other” we have to battle with in order to win the day. These posts are inviting us to consider there is no separation we are all part of a whole and any outcome is only achieved by doing it together as an “us”. Notice what you notice today about your separation with others, and perhaps even try for yourself a little more “us”ness.

The mindsets of separation and unity will be explored on the forthcoming 5 day Procurement challenge starting on the 9th September. Join me and discover the obstacles hindering your progress.

Are you a toxic leader?

Toxic leadership isn't something to be proud of - is it? 

Certainly not when we look at the definition of toxic: poisonous, dangerous, destructive, harmful, malignant, pernicious, deadly! Not something we need in any organisation?

Yet many leaders see that heartless and ruthless streak to be a valuable asset to their organisation - and it can be - in a short term, bottom line, profit only sort of a way!

I recently attended Let's talk about it - changing attitudes towards our mental health at work.

During the session Professor Denis Fischbacher-Smith of The University of Glasgow's Adam Smith, as part of his presentation on: mental health in the workplace: the hidden problem for management education, put up this slide:

That is toxic leaders have:

• Self-centered attitudes, motivations and behaviours
• A lack of concern for others
• Inflated sense of self-worth
• Acute self-interest

Which sounds about right to me - you?

I do wish it were simpler to rid business of such leadership.

If it were then we'd be able to say without hesitation that the financial institutions' leadership are less toxic as a result of the crash in 2008? I'm not sure we can? do you?  

The biggest challenge to ridding the business world of toxic leaders is we don't really have many easy options open to us:

• Changing the toxic leaderships's behaviours
• Changing the toxic leadership's values and beliefs 
• Replacing toxic leadership
• Get the toxic leadership sacked 

Not really anything that easily fits within our individual areas of influence? We can try, but changing other people is never something that's easy to do - even when we have the authority to try. As I write in "Is your head in the sand" toxic leadership is not something many leaders will self identify with - so you've not got much leverage there either.

You only have to look at many of the current, and former, runners for president of the United States of America to realise that power and money, or should that be money and power, are a toxic mix that can get these leaders very far indeed. 

It's no different in many organisations - although I realise there are exceptions (e.g. B Corporation,  Arianna Huffington's Thrive and the third metric, The BTeam's plan B and so on to name but a few).

So if the above are not easy solutions you and I can have any influence over - what can we do? 

Well ...

.... You're not going to like it.......

I assure you you're not going to like my answer ....

.. I really mean it - you're not going to like it...

Here goes.... 

.... A deep breath 

......and my answer is.....

Ensure you're not condoning any of the behaviours demonstrated by these toxic leaders - ie stop behaving like these toxic leaders.

I did warn you.

Here's the logic for my rather bold statement:

If any of us demonstrate any of the following traits:

• Self-centered attitudes, motivations and behaviours
• A lack of concern for others
• Inflated sense of self-worth
• Acute self-interest

How can we criticise another for doing so.

It's too easy to say the repercussions are greater for those with power, and therefore forgive ourselves our little indiscretions.

That then begs the question "where is the line?" - when does someone move from good self interest to bad self interest, or move from acceptable lack of concern for others to unacceptable lack of concern for others?

I did type "How do we then teach our children where the line is", and that's taken the blog in a different direction as I ponder if the increase in bullying at schools is because we are teaching them to have:

• Self-centered attitudes, motivations and behaviours
• A lack of concern for others

Perhaps in the belief that others can look after themselves, and the impact isn't so great.

The problem of course is those bullies grow up.

The lack of action either towards little Alice's bullying, or our own indiscretions are found in the following excuses reasons:

• They shouldn't have done x 
• They had it coming to them
• They're not very nice people
• I didn't intend my actions to have that outcome 
• Everyone else is doing it
• No one will know
• They can look after themselves
• It won't hurt anyone
• I need to keep a roof over my head
• It's not the same when I do it

I'm sure the toxic leaders started by thinking the same!

Perhaps the answer lies in an earlier blog about stopping playing games at work? Or even in 'is your head in the sand' if you really are one of these toxic leaders, and don't know it!

Do you agree with this definition of toxic leadership, and what do you think the solution to toxic leadership is?

Alison Smith

The Purchasing Coach
Inspiring change inside and out - and here's why I think inspiring change is important

And just to provide a different perspective I used the metaphor of toxic plants in this blog, over on Landscaping Your Life where I use nature to inspire change, to see if a different insight could be gained from a less defensive analysis. I certainly felt less irritated having explored the situation metaphorically - see what you think.

A blog I wrote some time ago was entitled "don't turn a blind eye" and invited us to speak up against toxic behaviours in business. And my blog 'is there room for kindness in procurement' was an invitation to bring your humanity to work every day.

EQ Summit (The leader's mind and its potential)

I attended the EQ summit in London last week and these are just my notes for future reference with links to other blogs/YouTube clips, and other references relating to the content and speakers.

I share it here for ease, and in case anyone else is interested too.

Although please note this is the conference seen through my filters - others attending may have taken something totally different away from the sessions.

So why all the fuss about EQ?

Leaders with EQ:

• Bring out the best in others
• Super charge the capability in the organisation and unlock 'discretionary' effort
• Go with the human grain not against it
• Have people working for them who are 3 times as likely to stay
• Achieve extraordinary things as a result

The main sponsors/organisers and joint developers of the emotional capital report (ECR)

• Roche Martin
• Sheffield Hallam University
• Sheffield Business School

10 elements of the emotional capital report, and therefore the building blocks of EQ are:

• Self reliance
• Straightforwardness 
• Optimism 
• Self actualisation
• Self confidence
• Self knowing
• Relationship skills
• Adaptability
• Self Control
• Empathy

With excellent graphic facilitation from @simonheath1 - whose website can be found here and also wrote a pre summit summary of who would be talking, and did a great job of selling the event (Simon was the only reason I found out about the event).

The Speakers

Welcome - Amy Bernstein - editor at HBR

• "We can do a lot of things but we can't ignore people"
• "EQ is a major determinator on professional success" (What makes a leader - HBR article by Dan Goleman)
• "Mood is contagious and leaders set the tone"
• "Corporations newest productivity hack - meditation"

Emotional Capital - the asset on the balance sheet you can't afford to ignore - Dr Martyn Newman - author and MD at RocheMartin

• A great summary of a similar talk by Martyn, and a wonderfully animated video too, Emotional Capitalist - the new leaders.
• Emotional Capitalists - the ultimate guide to developing emotional intelligence for leaders - Martyn's book on the subject
• "We are profoundly connected to others and influenced by them"
• He told a great story about Apple's business success over Sony - due to Apple's ability to collaborate and work together, and Sony's lack of emotional capital. Something I'm sure Sony regret to this day. 
• Firms of endearment - a book on how world class companies profit from passion and purpose
• Understanding values of ourselves and others is key (ie our motivators)
• "What ever you find (when you look at yourself) you have to like"

"What lies before us and what lies behind us 
are but small matter compared to what lies within us. 
And when we bring what is within us into the world, 
miracles happen!" Henry David Thoreau

Better self, better leadership, better business
Jeremy Darroch - Sky CEO

• "EQ potential super charges the capability we have and unlocks 'discretionary' effort"
• CIPD article from the session - Empathy is the top leadership skill says SKY CEO 
• "EQ delivers a high performing environment - rejects complacency and embraces the new"

Grant Thornton - leadership EQ's impact on revenue
Breakout with Anne Blackie and Jenny Kidby

Programme to introduce EQ across the business to move from technical experts offering solutions (often short term) to transformational leaders co-creating solutions (longer term too).

That is put the expert's ego to one side and bring our wholeness to work (the emotional and real person).

• Leaders, drop your masks - HBR article by Peter Fuda
• "Now in zone of affection with clients"
• "Purpose not £"

Motivation, performance and purpose
Dan Pink - author

• "Reward of carrot and/or stick is outdated for the 21st century"
• "3 main motivators - autonomy, mastery and purpose"
• "Mastery - making progress in meaningful work" 
• "Purpose - Making a contribution or difference"
• "When asked 'tell me about your best boss' you never hear 'pathologically controlling' in the answer"
• HBR article on purpose/how/why - trying to find what my notes meant on this - will come back when I know more, and if you can shed any light I'd much appreciate comments below - thank you
• "Aim to tell people 2 less 'how's and 2 more 'why's" (links to the last comment)
• "The profit motive can be an engine for good"
• "You can go against the human grain, or with it"
• Dan Pink's talk has been animated by RSA see 'Drive - the surprising truth about what motivates us', also his book on the same subject and HBR article.
• Sukh Pabial's blog on the talk - Motivation, Dan Pink and EQ

Mindfulness for leaders
B Alan Wallace

Those that know me would expect me to already be into mindfulness and meditation. It's certainly the language I'm comfortable with. After all I've seen the Dalai Lama speak, and I even have the headspace app on my phone (even if I've hardly used it). 

However this is the first time I have EVER understood the benefit of mindfulness practices!  

The premise is - mindfulness helps focus attention at the same time as retaining a sense of ease. Which means after achieving this state of mindfulness we don't get stressed or strained when we do what we do afterwards. How wonderful is that!!

Or put another way - all our busyness, over attention or even boredom will stress our mind and body and therefore mean we're less effective - its also unsustainable for any period.

• "Don't manage people attend to them" - I also wonder about how to apply that to procurement ... would "Don't manage suppliers attend to them" work??.
• Alan's Cultivating mental and emotional balance talk at Mind and it's potential conference
• Phil Willcox's blog on Alan's talk - Head hurting and awesome all in one 

The alchemy of empathy - transforming stress into meaning
Eve Ekman

• "There's a correlation between a lack of feeling of emotion in our body and lack of empathy with others"
• "It's about emotional regulation"
• Here's a video of a similar talk by Eve at the Mind and it's potential conference - cultivating emotional balance at work

Why the future begins - using EQ to optimise the future
Magnus Lindkvist

Sorry the last train north (and yes I mean very much north of Watford) was calling so I didn't hear Magnus speak. Tweets suggested he finished the day very humorously but I couldn't find any blogs or vlogs to link to - any suggestions most welcome.


As I made links to the content and my own passions I tweeted links to a few of my blogs:

• If you want to walk in other people's shoes you need to take yours off first
• Understanding your own values - ie what motivates you 
• Understanding other people's values
• Is there room for kindness in business?
• My response to "but I don't do soft fluffy stuff"

Hope you found this helpful - I know I'll be back when I'm trying to recall what someone said, or to find that YouTube vlog.

Alison

Alison Smith
Inspiring change inside and out

I  did suggest on twitter half way through the session that this collage depicts life without EQ - ie without our humanness!

Ethical behaviour comes with integrity

I've been thinking about business ethics in advance of a session I'm facilitating on 2nd October on 'Business values and ethics' near Perth for the Scottish Institute of Business Leaders (still places left I believe).

I wondered about waiting to share this blog until after that session. Instead I share it now and would love to hear your thoughts so that they may inform, and provide additional insight, for the session next month.

Everyone has a belief about what ethical behaviour looks like in business. It's doing this or its not doing that. I'm sure, even if as a group we started with very different opinions, we could, after some debate, identify a short list of what ethical behaviour is in business. 

The challenge is can we organisationally and personally live up to those ideals?

Our values are what determine our individual actions. That is they determine what we do, what we won't do and the choices we make. As we have a number of values the hierarchy of these will also impact our behaviours.

For example - if you have values of achievement and connection the order of these would impact the decision you make - ie whether you stay at work till 20:00 to finish a piece of work or go home to read the kids a story instead. If you also have security as a value then the decision may be different. A higher priority to having your need for security met allowing you to stay at work even if at the expense of not connecting with the kids. (I'm obviously making huge assumptions about what achievement, connection and security looks like. After all achievement might be having happy kids and nothing to do with success at work - but that's another blog.)

Maintaining ethical behaviour, whether personally or organisationally, therefore, requires a value of integrity to be top of the list. Otherwise other values may mean we end up supporting unethical behaviour and may even do it ourselves. 

Ethical behaviour means saying "no" when asked to do something we know to be wrong. Ethical behaviour might even mean leaving a job or leaving a relationship because we know what we're being asked to do is wrong. The issue is we don't - we justify our support of unethical behaviour as acceptable because, to us, the consequences are too high.

• I can't say no to my boss because I might lose my job
• I can't make the right decision because it will impact my bonus
• I can't do that because I may lose my house
• I can't whistle blow I might be thrown out of my country

In other words if I stand up for what I know to be right the situation will be worse for me and at a level that I'm not prepared to accept.

Unfortunately unless we're prepared to live with the consequences above then we'll all continue to make some decisions that support unethical behaviours! Yes seriously. 

The problem is I'm sure any political, economic, social, or environmental crisis has the seeds in the same quandary. People making decisions that ensured they weren't personally negatively impacted by the decisions being made. 

I've said no in the past that had the potential to put my house and living on the line - it wasn't because it was practically easier for me than anyone else it was because I have a value of integrity higher up my list of values than security or many other values that might have me say "yes". It not right or wrong - it just is. 

I don't know the answer - I'm not sure there is one. 

Although the belief I have is unless we each choose integrity as our highest value nothing is going to change. However, with my values hierarchy, of course that would be my solution :-) - what's yours? 

Alison Smith

Inspiring change inside and out

I realise I need to return to my blog on Maslow's hierarchy of needs to see how that informs this topic. There's also a blog on why I don't think business values exist that will provide input and I concede that sometimes decisions are being made without our knowledge. 

Business Values - do they exist?

See my new website for this post that has been moved there.