Our Best Teachers...

We must abandon all hope of creating a better past.

Wise leaders learn from the past, are keenly aware of the present, and using what they know now, shape the future.

Some of our best teachers are the mistakes we make. Few of us slip-up intentionally. Yet we can spend an inordinate amount of time in regret and even remorse, and miss the valuable lesson that is right in front of us.

Tom Watson, founder of IBM epitomized the value of mistakes. His message to leaders of IBM was, “Double your rate of failure. You’re thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn’t at all. It is better to aim at perfection and miss it than to aim at imperfection and hit it. You can be discouraged by failure or you can learn from it. So go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can. Because, remember that’s where you’ll find success. On the far side.”

What have you learned today about a mistake you made yesterday? Emulate Mr. Watson by going to the far side. It might change your life.

All we do is talk talk talk.

It is true - all we do, all day long is talk with one another. And talking all day long is not only a necessity, it is the vehicle by which we get things done. Every organization is a network of conversations. We use conversations to coordinate action, give and get feedback, clarify requests, etc. Without conversations, we wouldn't be in business.

And let's not limit our view of conversations to just talk. We have conversations through e-mail, text messaging, pictures, chance hallway meetings, and myriad other venues. Even non-conversation communicates something. Several research studies claim that 80% of communication is non-verbal.

Think about the network of conversations--from the end user (customer) to the top person at an organization. Speaking and listening is not trivial, and we owe it to ourselves to pay close attention to the quality of our conversations. As leaders, it is our responsibility to ensure that our message is received, understood, and that the receiver has a predisposition to do something that may include listening, taking our message to others, or simply responding to us.

If all we do is talk, and since all we are is a network of conversations, we owe it to ourselves to pay attention to our words, our intentions, and our expected outcomes. Without such attention we may (and probably often already get) some unintended consequences that are costly.

If you want to learn more about how to be more skillful in workplace conversation, email me: Micki@BlueMesaGroup.com.

Ethics – don’t go it alone

Ethics have been tested and violated since the beginning of time. But their importance today is paramount. It is easy to give power to the justifications and the ‘yeah buts’. Now is the time to recommit to leading from principle and ethics.

Many ethical quandaries with bad outcomes are the result of an individual’s choice to take action without asking for help. People offer abundant explanations for this, but it is rarely the wisest course of action.

A Chief Ethics Officer of a major corporation once shared her perspective with me and it has served me well over the years. In today’s complex world, the “right “ answer may not always be obvious or easy to find. Her perspective was, “When you are grappling with an ethical issue, ask for help. Seek another’s perspective, input and advice.” In a hierarchical setting, ask your managers and colleagues for help. Getting their input before you act can spare you the unpleasant experience of being alone without their support.

We are not alone and can invite the perspective of others to inform our thinking. Ultimately, we bear the responsibility for our choices and the consequences. Why should we go it alone when there are resources available? We may not like their answers initially, but it is likely that we will come to a better decision if we count on others rather than going it alone.

In addition to other people, there are other resources that are easily accessible. As coaches, we belong to the International Coach Federation (ICF). The ICF publishes the ethical guidelines for coaches. We rely on these and refer to them whenever an ethical question emerges.

Is it time to reflect on the resources available to you so you can access them when and if you need to?

Just Tell Me What Time It Is...

Blue Mesa Group's co-founder and Consulting Practice Leader, Patricia Barlow, shares this week's post with us. Both a coach and a consultant, Pat is a former Vice President at Citigroup's global headquarters and she's served in the top global HR leadership roles at Merck and Co., Inc. before her retirement in 2006. Learn more about Pat Barlow here.


“What time is it, Linda?”

“Oh, before I tell you the time, let me show this new watch I got for my birthday. I had a great day, and got many presents and this watch was one of my favorites. I also liked the new dress I got. My sister knew exactly what color and style I would like. Actually, the watch matches my dress perfectly. And, this watch was made in Switzerland. And you know what great watchmakers they are, such precision.”

“Arghhhhh," I say in my head, "I just wanted to know the time.”

Why are people compelled to either tell you everything there is to know about their topic at hand or wander off topic when answering a question? I’m not sure, but I would guess that it is rooted in insecurity. Maybe they feel it is important to demonstrate how much they know about something, assuming that you want to hear it. Or, is it a lack of self-discipline?

It is a crucial shortcoming on the leadership development journey. Individual contributors forget that their topic isn’t the only one that the people around them are interested in or have the capacity to capture.

In business, people who figure out how to be succinct are highly valued. It is the succinct communicators that we all, as leaders, count on and seek out. They are able to articulate key points and, at the same time, are prepared to provide more detail if asked.

We have asked people who have this bad communications habit why they do it. The most frequent answer is, “My boss needs to be well versed in my functional area. My boss needs to listen deeply and learn all there is to know about my area. She might not handle it well with her boss if she doesn’t know as much as I know about my area.” Really? Think again. You are probably selling your boss short, and in the end, your lack of self-awareness could thwart your career advancement.

The ability to synthesize information is a skill that is highly valued and worth developing. As coaches, we can help you recognize your unproductive habits and encourage you learn to become an effective communicator.

And, if a colleague asks you what time it is…

Is there a connection between spiritual consciousness and business consciousness?

Yes. Great leaders have an unmistakable connection between their personal values, organizational values and the actions they take and promote in the workplace. Great leaders know results mean nothing if they short-circuit values. Great leaders must know who they are, what they stand for, and where their own line is – at all times.

Gratefully, there are hundreds of leaders who think and act out of ethics, integrity, and the greater good.

In Fort Collins, Colorado, we are privileged to have a businesswoman who epitomizes Conscious Business. We applaud Kim Jordan, CEO of New Belgium Brewery, who takes her business and her values seriously. Ms. Jordan invests in her team with generous retention programs; she invests in our collective future by ensuring minimal carbon impact on our environment; she has built an infrastructure that uses alternative energy for brewery operations, and she supports our community at large by sponsoring events, offering grants to local initiatives and donating products.

Conscious business is good business, not just because it drives success, but also because it is grounded in humanity.

Undercover Boss: what your team will teach you when they think no one is watching

There is a new reality TV series about the company CEOs going undercover in their organizations to learn what goes on at points closest to the customer. In the process, the CEO is introduced as a new employee who is in training for an entry-level position. Each CEO spends several hours at various locations and interacts with myriad employees. Generally, the CEOs learn potent lessons about the great people who work for them: they meet average men and women who labor to pay the mortgage, save for college, or buy their kids' books for school. The stories have been enlightening and filled with hope, from both the humanistic and business perspectives.

In a world where we hear about violence, apathy, and resentment in the workplace, this television series portrays inspiration and possibility. It reveals employees who care deeply about customer service, their fellow employees, and the organizations with whom they work. It also shows leaders what happens when they completely shift their attention away from shareholder value, quarterly profits and other executive responsibilities, step back and view the organization through the eyes of the employees who deal with customers day-in and day-out.

When was the last time you dug in at the front lines of your organization? Regardless of the gimmicks inherent in reality TV, the notion of being in touch with employees at the point of customer connection has profound merit. We strongly encourage you to walk, drive, or fly around and see what is going on at the front lines of your organization. You may be pleasantly surprised when you meet the men and women who are advocates for your organization. No doubt, you'll be inspired by their stories! And you'll have experiences which will refresh your thinking, policies, systems and commitment to the great organization that you lead. It's going to shed new light on quarterly earnings and shareholder value.

Managing Commitments – The secret of success

Now that we are in the swing of the New Year, consider adding one more resolution – managing your commitments with a new level of attention.

We’re not talking about keeping promises. That is easy for over-achievers. We’re talking about taking the time to really understand what commitment management is and sticking to it. Rigorous commitment management means you know who will do what by when – and you have shared clarity of understanding between the one making the commitment and the one receiving the goods and services.

All any organization is, is a network of commitments - and the rigor of those commitments has a direct correlation to customer satisfaction, organizational effectiveness, and employee satisfaction.

Generally speaking, leaders lack effective commitment management. It isn't good enough to announce that we are all responsible for safety, or that someone should be sure to make enough copies. Furthermore, it isn’t a one-way communiqué, such as ‘the phone is ringing', or ‘Wednesday is trash day’, or sending an e-mail request for a meeting. These examples lack specificity of whom, what and when. And this approach is a recipe for poor service, re-do’s, and morale busters.

The basics of commitment management include:

• A clear request or offer that specifies what is to be done, by whom, and when, PLUS acceptance of that request or offer.
• Conditions of satisfaction. For example, if you request a board report to be completed by Friday at 4 pm, do you want it as a draft or final form? Do you want a hard copy or electronic?
• A declaration that the commitment was met with feedback about your level of satisfaction.

Give it a try. See if you get better results from this approach. It takes a little more time, but the payback far exceeds the investment of your time.

Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today we at Blue Mesa Group are taking time to reflect on the teachings and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We are living his dream and there remains much to do to create the kind of world he dreamed of. We celebrate you, today’s leaders, who embrace his principles and commit to supporting you on your journey.

What Every Leader Can Learn from a Fishmonger

What can we, as leaders, learn from being consumers and witnesses to great customer service? More importantly, what can we do to inspire our employees to want to provide great customer service not just to our clients, customers and vendors--but also to each other inside our organizations? The fishmonger at Whole Foods and the barista at Starbucks probably have some good ideas for us. I dare you to ask.

The Soft Stuff is the Hard Stuff

As a crusty former operations leader, I hated the soft stuff of leadership. I was good at the hard stuff. Managing numbers, ensuring employee safety, and installing pipe and wire – all of the things that make a business hum. But engaging in conversations, building relationships, giving performance feedback all seemed superfluous. Furthermore, I found that attending people skills classes was particularly annoying when I had “important” things to do. Of course, after getting swiftly kicked by my wise manager, I began to pay attention to the soft stuff, and I learned a few things.

If you look at the essence of the soft stuff, it is about trust, care, and building relationships for the sake of being human and being effective. All we really do as leaders is have conversations – all day long. And the quality of those conversations has a direct impact on our organizations: from customer service, associate satisfaction, self-satisfaction, personal performance, all the way down to the bottom line. Just think about how and why we have re-do’s. Usually it is because of a communication breakdown. Re-do’s are very expensive, and often demoralizing. That’s not so soft.

The soft stuff is the hard stuff. To skillfully tell someone they are not doing their job well, to face conflict head on, or to give bad news requires connection and care. That’s why being good at the soft stuff is one of the most difficult requirements of any leader.

Most of us inherently want to be liked – even if we have a big title or position. To engage in a difficult conversation puts that need to be liked at risk. No wonder we shy away from it. No wonder we name it soft stuff as a way to discount its importance.

So, to be a great leader asks us to risk not being liked for the sake of truth, trustworthiness, and organizational success. To be a great leader, we remember that we are human beings who thrive on connection, meaning, and community. It is the hardest thing we do – and the most satisfying.

CLIENT SPOTLIGHT | Debra A. Canales, CAO, Trinity Health - Part 2 of 2

Last week, we met Debra (Deb) Canales, the Chief Administrative Officer at Trinity Health, the fourth largest Catholic health system in the US. Deb has been working with the Blue Mesa Group’s Micki McMillan for more than five years—first as a student in Naropa University’s executive coaching program, now as a client. If you missed our conversation with Deb last week, you can check it out here.

1. What is the key way a leader can keep employees fully engaged?

The Holy Grail around effective leadership is realizing that people want to feel valued, they want to know (not just hear) that their opinions count and they want to be at the table helping to influence things. As leaders, if we provide those things, our people stay with us because they feel cared for and they know that their work is meaningful. Yes, those are the emotional equity things, and, certainly, you have to have the economic equity pieces also. But if you have economic pieces in place to be competitive and to be at par with everyone else, at the end of the day, it’s those relationship pieces that keep employees engaged. And as leaders, we definitely control and influence economic equity. 

2. Why is it important for leaders to break away from daily operations and embody “the being” rather than “the doing”?

You’re “being” strategic when you’re responsive, current, focused, acknowledging all of the environmental factors and able to respond with the right approach. It’s about full presence, an awareness of all the clues so that you can respond effectively. You can’t get caught up in checking off boxes or following all the old procedures because that’s the way it’s always been done. You need to listen, pause and reflect. You need to calibrate.


When people witness the embodiment of a leader being, it empowers them to be their authentic selves. It also sets the stage for their capacity to try on new roles and be creative, eliminating fear and making room for innovation. When leaders exhibit this strategic approach, it sets the stage for their teams and organizational success.

3. How can leaders realize this change of mindset and change their behaviors so they are less tactical and more strategic?

Leadership is not about completing busy work, which is “doing.” “Being” is more akin to observing the 80/20 rule, where 80 per cent of my time is spent in planning or reflecting. I’m listening and evaluating factors. I think of it as slowing down to speed up.


That’s been my whole platform at Trinity Health, moving managers and teams from transactional to transformational behaviors. If we’re going to be recognized as a leader in the health care sector and be part of health care reform, we have to unfreeze and change behaviors across all aspects of our business. After all, what begets success today will not beget success tomorrow. And how we achieve our goals is just as important as the outcome.

4. Last week, you mentioned one of your chief challenges as a leader was learning to communicate succinctly, “to be brief, be brilliant and be gone.” Is it appropriate for a leader to coach colleagues in effective communication techniques? And if it is, how can they go about it?

I do think it’s appropriate. I believe that I can teach my colleagues to communicate completely, yet succinctly. It benefits them, me, our clients and patients and our organization when people can see the difference between communicating well and not-so-well.


I see great value in executive coaching programs with coaching dialogue where people see two experts in action—real, live practical examples where people are modeling the preferred behaviors. I call out my staff when I think they could communicate more effectively to take advantage of a teaching moment. I often invite them to make a statement and then reenact it for them in a more effective way. At our summit for the chief human resource officers across our ministry earlier this year, I invited them to break into groups to devise a strategy for the next fiscal year and present it to a mock leadership panel. The difference in how the first group presented compared to the last group was like night and day. I could see how they learned from the modeling and the constructive feedback from their peers.


So, yes, it can be done in a way that is constructive and empowering, not condescending.

5. Let’s switch gears and talk about work-life balance. As a high-level executive, how do you integrate your professional life and your personal life so you can be your best in both roles?

Well, I’m still working on this one—it’s definitely a learning opportunity for me. What I have been doing is making time for exercise and meditation or other contemplative activities. I’ve been spending time with my executive coach to reflect on my performance and I practice conversations that help me get grounded in preparation for big events or important conversations. When you get right down to it, though, for me, there isn’t work and life—there’s just “life.” It’s not a balance—it’s an integration. I hope I’m the same Deb at work as at home. It’s about the alignment of the head, heart, and feet. I try to be consistent, my whole, authentic self in that I’m the same person with frontline staff as I am with senior executives, and I always like to have fun.

Many thanks to our client Debra Canales, Chief Administrative Officer at Trinity Health, headquartered in Novi, Michigan. If you missed our conversation with Deb last week, check it out here.

CLIENT SPOTLIGHT | Debra A. Canales, CAO, Trinity Health - Part 1 of 2

Meet Debra (Deb) Canales, the Chief Administrative Officer at Trinity Health, the fourth largest Catholic health system in the US. Deb has been working with the Blue Mesa Group’s Micki McMillan for more than five years—first as a student in Naropa University’s executive coaching program, now as a client. Deb will be talking with us in a two-part series on leadership and coaching, this week and next.

1. Why did you first begin working with an executive coach?

Some executives think that because they’ve attained senior-level status that they no longer need to grow, but in fact, it’s quite the opposite. When I became an executive, I entered a highly dynamic environment, constantly facing new challenges while having a much greater impact on my organization. So the learning curve increased tenfold. I needed someone to help bring me balance—someone to enhance my vitality, perseverance, and resilience.


My success is clearly rooted in a platform of routine executive coaching that has yielded extraordinary results—both personal and professional. An executive coach acts as a capability accelerator, allowing me to contribute in a healthy, high-performing manner. The coach helps me to identify my gifts and opportunities in a systematic manner enabling course correction as part of my development plan.


It is lonely at the most senior levels and having a forum to practice conversations or test ideas/decisions is priceless!

2. Even after five years, how does your coaching relationship with Micki continue to add value to your life?

My relationship with Micki and the Blue Mesa Group has expanded over the years. Not only do I still benefit from executive coaching, as the CAO at Trinity Health, I’ve engaged Blue Mesa for myriad organizational coaching and consulting services. I now work with Micki, Pat Barlow and others on the Blue Mesa team. Trinity Health has benefited from Blue Mesa’s expertise in strategic human resources consulting, thought partnership, talent management, new leader assimilation, employee relations, mentoring programs, executive assessments, organizational design, change leadership, peer networking, summit planning and even meeting facilitation.

3. What kinds of leadership challenges (bad habits) did you overcome after you began working with Micki and Pat?

Perhaps the biggest challenge I had to overcome was learning to be succinct. I learned that anyone could have great ideas, but if you want to ever see these ideas implemented you have to present them well. In the past, I struggled to present my ideas in a way that would demonstrate my expertise and lead to buy-in. So, Pat and Micki taught me the value of BLUF: Bottom Line Up Front. And, they coached me to be brief, be brilliant and be gone.


I also wanted to build my executive presence using my own, authentic voice. I needed to exude confidence and more gravitas. Along the way, they guided me toward positioning myself at the most senior level in our organization: I’m the first head of HR and now the Chief Administrator to ever be at the table, and I’m also the most senior minority woman to occupy a chair.

4. What are the most significant insights you’ve gained on your leadership path?

• Do not trade wholeness for approval. In many organizations, there is a fear and hierarchy that limits demonstrating courage and being authentic. I say, rely on your intuition. Don’t be afraid to do what is right. To thrive in effectiveness and success is to be centered in wholeness—in other words, you must be able to be who you are without having to wear a mask. And, of course, the politics of your workplace culture and your own personal challenges will make this a journey. But, in my experience, it’s a journey well worth taking.

• Harness the power of coming from a learner versus knower mentality. I work with mentors like Micki and Pat who allow me to try on conversation skills, who hold up a mirror so I can learn and grow quickly, safely and effectively. With a learner mentality, I can be more open to feedback, and I’m able to model this behavior for others in my organization. The real power in adopting the learner vs. knower mentality is that I can establish a platform for people to take risks, even celebrate their failures, so that they can thrive in an environment where their creativity and innovation flourish.

• Build trusting relationships through reliability, sincerity and competence. Relationships are a cornerstone of who I am. All we do all day is have conversations. With these conversations, our intention is to enhance clarity, commitment and time frame as we increase robustness and grace. Often, our multiple intentions act as dichotomies; they get in the way of us having quality communication because we allow for sidebar conversations instead of really being direct and focused with one another.

• Learn how to advocate and inquire. People tell me they can’t believe what I “get away with” because I have the courage to ask questions. The thing is, I know how far I can push, and I listen. Listening and using inquiry is a key business and conversation accelerator. …Someone taught me once that “listen” and “silent” have the same letters in them; that was a great teaching moment.

5. How do you manage the multitude of operational tasks before you while you also fulfill your role as a strategic executive? Put another way, how do you effectively manage your work and your team so you don’t feel buried?

• I surround myself with people who infuse the same energy that I have.
• I trust in the intentions of a great team and let the team discover and learn through my delegation.
• I’m not afraid to delegate knowing that there may be errors and what gets done may not be perfect—I don’t let perfect get in the way of good.
• I believe in creating a learning environment that releases the potential in people wanting to do more. I’ve witnessed that here at Trinity, a real blossoming in the initiative of my staff. All the time, I’m hearing, “I want to do more.” My team is discovering skills that they never knew that they had.
• I also allow people to see how what they do will benefit the Unified Enterprise Ministry (UEM)—how it impacts our mission. We then reward team members who exhibit these characteristics by promoting them or giving them fun things to do.

6. What is the single most important element a leader needs to focus on when implementing change?

Consider your culture (your organization’s collective personality). Analyze it and really understand it for all its strengths and all its shortcomings.


Through a strategic planning process at Trinity Health, we discovered gaps in our culture were the pivotal factor we needed to focus on as we worked toward organizational change:

• Culture dramatically, tangibly, measurably influences the sustainability of our mission, and yet culture is comprised of intangible, unquantifiable elements like attitudes, beliefs, assumptions, behaviors and interpersonal relationships.
  
• We needed to create a healthier culture with values-based behaviors within our organization because transformational, sustainable change is led by people, through people and in service to people.
• To build on our strengths, we had to improve our culture in areas of trust, collaboration and the health and well being of our associates.

Transforming our culture was and is a journey in which we, as people and as an organization, focus on our associates being and becoming living models of our mission and core values. But I know for sure, our culture is the cornerstone of our organizational success.

Check back next week to hear more from Deb Canales of Trinity Health, the fourth largest health system in the United States. Deb answers questions about how to achieve work-life balance; how to keep employees fully engaged; how to coach colleagues to communicate at a higher, more productive level and how to grow from an operational producer into a strategic leader.

Congratulations Trinity Health!

The American Heart Association (AHA) has just awarded Trinity Health with the Start! Fit-Friendly Company Gold Award. This award recognizes organizations and leaders who prioritize their teams' health and wellness by helping reduce the risk of heart disease and by going above and beyond to support healthy physical activities at work.

The AHA has also recognized Trinity Health with the Start! Worksite Innovation Award for Julie McCreadie's Chair Yoga Pod-cast. 

Congratulations to our friends at Trinity Health! We salute your commitment to wellness!

Check out the entire list of award winners in Fortune magazine.