How is the Clarity of Your Conviction?

Posted August 10, 2011 By David Irvine and has no comments yet.

“Then I asked: Does a firm persuasion that a thing is so, make it so. He replied: All poets believe that it does, and in ages of imagination this firm persuasion removed mountains; but many are not capable of a firm persuasion of anything.” William Blake, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell

To achieve a goal, you need a clear purpose and firm conviction. In the Sanskrit language there is a word for a firm mind: vyavasayam., which means agriculture. To reap a harvest, a cultivator needs a firm mind with one conviction that “by doing such and such, you will harvest this much.” With such conviction one does everything towards fulfillment. You don’t haphazardly throw seeds on unprepared soil or sow the seeds and say, “I don’t have time to care for it.” A good cultivator doesn’t change when the going gets tough. He continuously uses his effort until his goal is reached. That is what is meant by a firm mind.

People with a fleeting type of mind don’t stick to one thing. They may choose something, but become scattered. When things get difficult or uncomfortable, those with an infirm mind will lose concentration and be distracted by the allure of an easier, softer, or cheaper way. They’ll keep switching to something else. It’s like digging many shallow wells. They never find water and are always thirsty.

The achievement of a worthy goal will require you to ride out the storms with dedicated, focused effort, knowing you won’t get the fruit over night. It won’t be easy. And it won’t happen without the clarity and conviction of a firm mind.

Imagine a fisherman who is determined to catch a fish. He is in a small boat in the middle of the lake. It’s raining, chilly, and windy and his boat is being blown about. He casts his line and keeps his eyes only on that. Nothing disturbs him. He could be sitting comfortably at home in an easy chair, but knows he won’t catch a fish that way. Even for the simplest thing one needs great concentration.

With the clarity and conviction of a firm mind you can stay focused on your goal. It won’t matter if you experience some physical or psychological suffering or if people tell you that you are wasting your time. You won’t be distracted by discomfort or temptation. Nothing will move you from your purpose.

When you hear, “Leave that, and come watch television,” and you say, “No, I’m catching a fish and I won’t budge an inch until I do.” Then you are a true fisherman, not just someone who fishes as a hobby.

How is the clarity of your conviction? What have you achieved lately that’s come through having a firm mind?

David Irvine, Speaker and Author

Categories: Leadership and Culture
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Breathe New Life Into Your Organization

Posted May 11, 2011 By David Irvine and has no comments yet.

This beautiful little blog from a public service team leader, a participant in one of my workshops, inspired me so much that I thought I’d pass it along.

“Breathing New Life Into The Public Service: It Starts With You. That’s the title of the conference I recently attended. Best-selling author, David Irvine was the speaker for the day. He speaks about leadership, accountability and well, life. He inspires me and challenges me almost as powerfully as my faith. I heart David Irvine.

Now, about breathing new life into the Public Service and about how it starts with me. Sigh. I was thinking about passing on what I learned from the conference about organizational culture and how it’s up to me to make it a great one. I could also talk about accountability and how it’s about people being able to count on me. Or about leadership and how I can’t be promoted to be a leader, I have to earn it.

There’s so much I learned that day and I’m so pumped about it that I want to just blog about it all.

In my eight pages of notes from the session about culture, leadership, accountability and authenticity, there is one thing that I have learned. It’s so simple and so seemingly easy that you might fall off your chair when I tell you. Either that or tilt your head and go, “Really?” Yes. Really. So here it is. Friends, I’ve simply learned to PAUSE.

In the everyday challenges of work and life, I have learned to pause.

On my way to work, someone cuts me off. Pause.

Someone complains my ear off about something they don’t plan to change. Pause.

I get back my 360 degree feedback. Pause.

I present something I’m passionate about and someone rolls their eyes. Pause.

Pause. Pause. Pause!

It’s fascinating what we can do within an itty-bitty pause.

Within that pause I can choose to put on the full rage and let it ruin my whole day or shrug it off and let it go.

Within that pause I can choose to participate in a boy bashing, work bashing, boss bashing session or exercise my right to excuse myself from a potentially toxic conversation that helps no one.

Within that pause I can choose to find out who gave me a 3.5 (out of 5) score on leadership abilities and hurt them very badly or humble myself and accept the fact that I’m not perfect and I have oh so many “areas of improvement”.

Within that pause I can choose to let that eye-rolling dude break me down or use him as a stepping stone to break through my insecurities.

Within that pause I can choose to complain or do what I can to help fix the system.

That little pause breathes new life into my reactions. And when I breathe new life into my reactions, I breathe new life into my work… and breathe new life into my team… new life into my department… and yes, breathe new life into the Public Service.”

David Irvine, Speaker and Author

Categories: Leadership and Culture
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The Saskatchewan Roughrider’s Culture: Just What Do You Make Of This Thing Called “Rider Nation?”

Posted April 2, 2011 By David Irvine and has no comments yet.

Every time I talk about organizational culture to companies in Canada, I make reference to the amazing culture that has emerged in the province of Saskatchewan, the culture that surrounds the Saskatchewan Roughrider football team. You can’t go to very many cities in Canada and not see some piece of Saskatchewan Roughrider merchandise. The Saskatchewan Roughriders have infiltrated Canada’s consumer market with their logo branded on just about anything you can think of. Some statistics suggest that the Roughriders sell as much merchandise as all the other CFL teams combined! And then there are the fans. At any CFL game on any given day, half of the stands are green!

What is it about this phenomenon called “Rider Nation?” I’m going to give you my perspective (as an uniformed outsider from Alberta and Calgary Stampeder fan). These reflections were inspired by a conversation yesterday with my good friends and colleagues, Bernie Novokowsky and Murray Hiebert.

There is, first and foremost, resonance between the values of the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the values of their customers: Saskatchewan Roughrider fans. Saskatchewan, like their football team, has always taken pride in being different. Historically, they have been underdogs to the rest of the country who perceived them as the “poor cousin.” In Saskatchewan they value hard work and producing results by working together. Football players who come to Saskatchewan have historically been told, “this is not a place where you’ll get paid well, and this is not a place where you will shine as a superstar. This is a place where we work as a team and where we will take good care of you.” They have, up until now, replaced financial benefits with pride, especially in being the underdogs – hardworking men committed to putting the team before their own ego, and who are known for their strength of character rather than their personal achievements on the field. There is pride in a team with owners who value community over greed and their own self-interest.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are an integral part of the fabric of an agricultural province with a “next year” attitude of hope amidst adversity, the genesis of greatness. The Roughriders reside in a province where historically, one looked out for their neighbor, picked up hitchhikers, and sacrificed self-interest for the sake of the community. During years of only two or three wins in the season, there was pride in being the underdogs and pride in believing that in football, like in the droughts and other adversities of farming, “next year” was going to be different. And the fans kept coming because they wouldn’t dare miss a game in case it was one of the rare wins! A “hundred years of pride!”

In the 2009 Grey Cup, when the 13th man on the field destroyed their Grey Cup victory party, it was likely the best thing that ever happened to the team – and their fans. It rallied their energy, reignited their pride, and instilled hope that “next year” it will be different. Months later, Roughrider fans were still talking about that play with the same passion and fury that was felt on that dreadful Sunday evening. This team means something to Saskatchewan because it’s more than football. It’s life as people from Saskatchewan know it.

How do you explain this kind of magic? This Roughrider culture was not designed or strategized by a marketing or organizational development department. It emerged out of a group of leaders – from every level – who were true to their values. It’s an inspiring story, to say the least. It shows us that while culture can be defined, shaped, and nurtured, it is not a machine that can be built with business process improvement or procedures. Culture is a living, breathing entity with many variables beyond our control.

The real challenge that now faces this “Rider Nation” is how the team and their fans will handle success. What happens to a team who has built its reputation and character on the pride of being an underdog when they have a winning record? What happens if the underdogs become a dynasty? What happens when there is enough money to pay players to come to Saskatchewan? What happens when there is an expectation from fans that the team doesn’t just “show up” and “put their heart in the game” but actually wins? And what happens to the fans of a team that has a consistent winning record? Like the citizens of a country that goes from “hard times” to extraordinary “good times,” how do you not breed entitlement, greed, and self-indulgence? How do you keep from turning the exuberance into stupidity? Within the answer to these questions lies the true test of the character of a team, the character of a “Rider Nation,” and the character of all who are students of life.

Categories: Leadership and Culture
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Jumping Out Of Bed: Creating An Inspired Workplace

Posted March 29, 2011 By David Irvine and has no comments yet.

“Going to work is a chore. It’s just a job. A necessary evil. A prison sentence. Doing time. Collecting a paycheque. I hate it.” How often have you heard someone talk about his or her work in these terms? Perhaps you have spoken this way yourself on occasion. Perhaps you speak this way more often than you’d like.

While we all may feel this way at times, what if most of your life was spent hardly waiting to get to the office? What if your workplace inspired you rather than depleted you? What if you jumped out of bed to get to work because you were so excited about getting there?

My passion is to make this world a better place to work. Work is so vitally important to our well-being, and life is far too short to spend these  hours in misery. We will all spend thousands of hours at work so why not have a great workplace culture?

So whose responsibility is it to make your workplace great? It is my notion that organizational culture starts with you, not your boss or your boss’s boss. While bosses set the tone, create the environment, and establish the culture, you are the one who actually creates the culture. Every employee is responsible for the culture within and around them. You make the difference.

And just how can you create a great culture in your workplace?

1. Be authentic. Engagement comes from being who you are. Bringing your values, your aspirations, your passion, and your unique talents to work lights a fire inside you. Work is a tool to create and express what matters most. When you have a purpose for coming to work and clear values with a commitment to serve others through your role at work,your energy will soar.

2. Build trust. Trust is the foundation of every relationship. Without trust, work will be a miserable place. And trust starts with you. Start by identifying your “Significant Seven,” the top people or groups of people you depend on or who depend on you, and make trust your number one priority with them.

3. Be accountable. Accountability is the ability to be counted on. Being dependable with others starts with being dependable to yourself. Do you keep commitments to yourself? Do you see yourself as a person who is accountable?

What is your way of ensuring that  you jump out of bed in the morning to get to work? How do you create an inspiring workplace for yourself and others you work with?

Categories: Leadership and Culture
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Organizational Culture: Lessons From A High School Musical

Posted March 28, 2010 By David Irvine and has no comments yet.

This past week our seventeen-year daughter, Hayley, performed in an amazing high school musical production of Les Misérables. Months of preparation went into this production. As these young people prepared themselves for a performance, I witnessed organizational culture at its very finest. Here it was: a group of ninety youth (from grade nine through twelve), all focused on a shared vision, all deeply engaged in the project, all passionate about their work, with high energy, and servant leadership. I sat back and just took in the buzz with absolute awe. I started to think, “What if we could create this kind of culture in a workplace?” With the right ingredients, focus, and leadership, I believe it’s possible because I’ve seen it done.

Here are some lessons from this high school musical theatre production that I believe can be applied to any organization.

1. Leadership with a vision. Merilie Stonewall, the artistic director at Hayley’s high school, had a vision to  produce this musical years ago when she first saw Les Misérables and was spell bound. Then she waited nine years after the rights became available for the special talent needed to cross the band room threshold. Everyone – from the actors to the crew and set designers to the tech staff, had a vision of the end result.

2. Leadership inspired by love. Merrilie has invested years of her life into her students at Cochrane High School. She cares deeply for her work and her students. She has never, in all her years of teaching, ever fallen out of love with her work or her students. It is inspiring simply to be around her. Merrilie’s credibility was earned long before the first audition. It’s built on her love and commitment to youth and to music. And everyone knows it.

3. Everyone’s talent was needed. Everyone in the production – from grade nine to grade twelve – contributed. Everyone made a difference. And everyone knew their important piece they played in the puzzle. When talent gets aligned with the vision, loyalty, passion, and energy is the result.

4. High standards of performance were set and expected. No one ever takes pride in doing something easy. Every person on this musical team was stretched and pushed beyond their comfort zone. Football players were inspired to sing in lead roles, work on technical support or paint sets.  Shy kids were coached out of the woodwork to bring their unique talents forward. High standards were set and reached.

5. Open communication. Conversations were going on continuously. Everyone seemed to be talking to everyone. Roles were clear and openness abounded.

6. Work was fun. Even in the midst of high expectations, everyone somehow knew that the goal of all this was to be in the moment of creative human expression. If we aren’t truly enjoying ourselves, what’s it all for anyway? Ms. Stonewall, like all great leaders, understands that the work is merely a means to a much higher end: the building of stronger, more confident youth. She, like all who watched this production unfold in the past months, knew that the experience and memory of being on this team will stay with these kids the rest of their lives.

7. Results. Results are essential as they are the ultimate measure of success. Hundreds of people in our community attending a sellout performance for five straight nights. Five straight standing ovations. It was as good of a product as you will see anywhere from an amateur theatre group. When a team produces these kind of results everyone wins, and everyone on the team knows they made a difference in making that happen.

What a vision to aspire to as we bring our passion and unique gifts to our work.

Categories: Leadership and Culture
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Cultural Transformation

Posted October 11, 2009 By David Irvine and has no comments yet.

The focus of my work is inspiring, guiding, and supporting leaders at all levels to build strong organizational cultures. The leaders I speak with these days are not just interested in keeping people. They are committed to keeping people engaged. I define engagement as the desire by employees to go the extra mile to help their organization succeed and deem their work meaningful and fulfilling. So… just how do you get people engaged?

Culture and employee engagement is a topic for continual learning. First, engagement is not something you “get from” your organization. It’s something you bring to your organization. The people who tend to score low on a Hewitt engagement survey will tend to score low no matter what environment they work in. On the other hand, employees who say they are highly engaged will likely be highly engaged no matter where they work. That’s why the first principle of engagement is person accountability. Accountability – the ability to be counted on – means that engagement begins with ownership. When you create a place where all blame is viewed as a waste of time and where people can be counted on, there is always high, focused energy, because there is trust.

The second principle of engagement is authenticity. Authenticity is about creating a place where people don’t have to leave who they are at the door. You can be who you are when you come to work. The needs of the organization are integrated with the desires of the soul. Authenticity means the values, dreams, talents, and passion of all stakeholders are moving into alignment. The laminated Value Statements have come down from the walls and are lived. Employees have a deep commitment to the organization because they know that the organization has a deep commitment to them. Engagement is an inside job. It comes through conversation: about what matters most to you. When you are finding and expressing your passion, living your highest aspirations, and fulfilling your dreams  in the service of others, you will be engaged. Engagement is about energy. When the energy flows from a depth within you to the world around you, and then returns to its source within you, you are engaged. Nobody has to motive you.  It flows naturally.

Fostering this kind of culture is akin to being a gardener. It can’t be legislated, controlled, motivated, or coerced.  No plants ever grow better because you demand that they do so or because you threaten them. Plants grow only when they have the right conditions and are given proper care. Creating the space and providing the proper nourishment for plants – and people as well – is a matter of continual investigation and vigilance.

These are a few my thoughts about organizational culture and employee engagement. I’d love to know yours.

Categories: Cultural Transformation
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