Michael Lee Stallard's Blog, page 13

The School of Connection Podcast Interview

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Rana Olk, founder and host of The School of Connection podcast. We talked about America’s loneliness epidemic, the factors contributing to loneliness, global trends in loneliness and connection, and how to become more connected in your community.

Listen to our full conversation.

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New Forbes Article on How Loneliness And Longing For Connection Are Affecting Today’s Leaders

Loneliness isn’t something that people like to acknowledge, but it’s a real issue for many people today. Many leaders are so busy that they don’t even realize that they are in fact lonely. That’s a problem because loneliness is a “super stressor” that makes it difficult to perform at your best.

In a new article that I wrote for Forbes, I describe how loneliness is affecting today’s leaders and why we all need to take steps to address the issue in our lives and organizations. I hope you’ll read the article and consider ways you can boost connection in your workplace.

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Register Now for Human Capital Institute (HCI) Webinar on Connection Culture

I’m excited to share that I’ll be participating in the Human Capital Institute’s (HCI) #StorytellingTuesday webinar series on Tuesday, November 20, 2018. We’ll be talking about why there really is one “best” type of culture, and how people analytics and workforce planning are instrumental to achieving the human connection that is essential for both individuals and organizations to thrive, no matter what comes their way.

Find the full details and register for the event here.

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Why Women Leaders Are Outperforming Men

New Article Published in Forbes

Attitudes toward leadership styles have changed. Characteristics that are common in female leaders are now recognized as essential to the success of any leader – regardless of gender. In fact, studies show that women leaders are outperforming men in many key areas.

So what’s the secret to this success? The answer may lie in many women’s dual focus on both task and relationship excellence. Learn more about this effective leadership approach in an article I wrote for Forbes.

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New Podcast: The Superpower of Human Connection and Dangers of Loneliness and Social Isolation

I recently had the privilege of being a guest on the Your Partner in Success Radio Podcast, which was recognized by Inc. as one of the “12 best podcasts that will make you a better leader.”

Listen to the full episode to hear us discuss the superpower of human connection and how to foster it in your workplace.

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I’m Optimistic About the Future of Leadership

I highly recommend reading Stanford Professor Jeffrey Pfeffer’s recent books, Leadership B.S. and Dying for a Paycheck. In them he makes a compelling case that most leadership training has failed to produce effective leaders and that the poor state of the vast majority of workplace cultures today is harming the health of people. He provides an abundance of evidence to support these conclusions. Professor Pfeffer recommends boosting connection in workplace cultures (which, as most of you know, is the focus of our work). You could read Professor Pfeffer’s books and become depressed, but I’m not. Below I explain why.

My colleagues and I believe that the primary reason people and organizations are struggling with employee engagement and organizational culture is that they are not intentional about developing cultures that connect people. So many current practices create cultures of control or indifference that isolate people. For the individual, being under stress to perform while feeling isolated is a recipe for chronic stress response, poor performance, and physical and emotional health problems. Connection, on the other hand, is a superpower that makes people smarter, happier, more productive, more resilient to cope with stress and healthier. It follows that teams and organizations with cultures of connection have employees with a superior cognitive advantage, higher employee engagement, better strategic alignment, superior decision-making and greater innovation. That adds up to a powerful performance advantage (and a competitive advantage).

Several developments this year make me optimistic that the need for connection is catching on. First, I recently read the Doctoral Dissertation of Jon Rugg, Ph.D. in which he set out to examine leader virtues and practices as inputs, organizational culture and employee motivation as mediating factors, and perceived team performance as an outcome. In the section that reviewed scholarly research, he wrote that over the last hundred years of scientific inquiry, there has not been a consensus on the definitions of, or a general theoretical model for, leadership or organizational culture. However,two trends have emerged in recent years. The first is that scholars are finding organizations are composed of a complex web of intricate relationships best captured by theories of complexity. Second, research is finding that effective leaders and effective organizations foster positive relationships and care about people in what can be referred to as “relational virtues.” Connection is cited as a new general theory of leadership and organization culture that integrates these trends (and Dr. Rugg cites our book, Connection Culture, as the work in which his study was based). The dissertation describes the results of his value chain analysis that finds empirical support for each of the three models of organizational culture described in our book—Connection Culture, culture of control and culture of indifference—and for the notion that relational cultures tend to outperform organizations that do not focus on relational attributes.

The second reason I am encouraged is the affirmation I have received as I’ve interacted over the last year with Alan Mulally, the CEO who led the turnaround of the Ford Motor Company and who I wrote about in Connection Culture. Alan has said that he believes the Character>Connection>Thrive Chain (shown below) represents the future of leadership development. (It was a more complex version of the Connection>Culture>Thrive Chain that was analyzed in Dr. Rugg’s study). Those of you who have followed Mulally know that he is one of the most successful leaders worldwide (Fortune ranked him as the 3rd best leader in the world). His opinion means a lot to me. It’s encouraged me to be an unwavering advocate for connection and made me more optimistic that connection is catching on.

Another reason I’m optimistic is the success of Daniel Coyle’s book, The Culture Code, which makes the case that connection is why great teams succeed. This book is raising the awareness of many practitioners that they need to develop and maintain workplace cultures that connect people.

I’m also encouraged by increased media coverage of America’s need for connection as it covers America’s loneliness epidemic. I’m noticing artists who are incorporating connection and loneliness into their works. Take, for example, this fantastic music video titled “Connection” recently released by the band OneRepublic.

Finally, I believe people can work together to make the future brighter. Not everything is in our control, certainly, but time and again throughout history optimistic people have pulled together and persevered to overcome obstacles and achieve great ends. At Connection Culture Group, we are concerned about the 87% of workers around the world who aren’t motivated to give their best at work because they don’t feel seen, heard or valued in their workplace. When they don’t feel connected, they suffer and the organization suffers. The ripple effect touches families, friends, and the economy. We know this state of widespread disengagement can be turned around. We are committed to carrying the message of connection and equipping like-minded people to be agents of connection in their spheres of influence. Are you with us?

P.S. Here’s a little encouragement about optimism:

watch Larry Brilliant’s the case for optimism
read how hope is a character strength
consider Helen Keller’s observation that “no pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit.”

You May Also Enjoy: 

‍Theory C: A New Theory of Management

How U2’s Extraordinary Team Culture Helps the Band Thrive

‍When Leaders Live the Vision‍

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ATD Webinar: Why Guys Should Lead “Like a Girl”

Some guys may get instinctively defensive when the phrase “like a girl” is tossed at them, but it’s time for them to embrace it, and actually welcome it, if they want to be an effective leader.

To learn why, join me and my wife Katie Stallard for a unique webinar hosted by ATD on Thursday, September 20, 2018. Inspired by the #LikeAGirl campaign, we’ll share recent research and a fresh perspective on why women have superior leadership skills, what men can do to improve, and humorous and heartwarming examples from our own experiences. Learn more and register for the webinar.

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On the Schmooze Podcast Interview

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Robbie Samuels, host of the On the Schmooze podcast, about the power of connection. We talked about what makes leaders great, how to overcome loneliness, and much more.

Listen to the full conversation.

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You’re Invited: getAbstract Breakfast on Connection Culture in Detroit

I’m excited to share that I will be in Detroit on Thursday, September 13, 2018, facilitating an interactive discussion hosted by getAbstract on Connection Culture. If you are in the Detroit area, please consider joining us for this event!

During the breakfast event, I’ll facilitate a discussion on the following questions/issues:

What exactly is organization culture?
Why are most organizations failing to develop and maintain a great organization culture?
Is there a best culture that helps individuals and organizations thrive?
How to make a high performing workplace culture, simple, member and actionable so managers will implement it.
What leadership practices Alan Mulally had in common with Bono, leader of the phenomenally successful rock band U2; Frances Hesselbein, who led the turnaround that saved the Girl Scouts; and CNO Admiral Vern Clark, who led the turnaround of the U.S. Navy.
Practices you can implement to strengthen your organization’s culture and improve its performance.

Details:

Location: The Westin Book Cadillac Detroit

1114 Washington Boulevard

Detroit, MI 48226

Date: Thursday, September 13, 2018

Time: 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

RSVP: Please email Amy.Cooper@getAbstract.com to join us for breakfast! RSVPs will be accepted until the event is full.

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Artists Have Their Finger on the Pulse of Culture

OneRepublic's Hit "Connection"

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My favorite song right now is OneRepublic’s “Connection.” Check out the video above which was filmed in New York City at the Oculus near the World Trade Center Memorial. The Oculus was built by Turner Construction, an organization where we have done some work.

I like the music and lyrics of “Connection.”

These days my waves get lost in the oceans

Seven billion swimmers, man I’m going through the motions

Sent up a flare, I need love and devotion

Traded for some faces that I never know, notion

Maybe I should try to find the old me

Take me to the places and the people that know me

Tryin’ to disconnect, thinking maybe you could show me

If there’s so many people here, then why am I so lonely?

Can I get a connection?

Can I get, can I get a connection?

Can I get a connection?

Can I get, can I get a connection?

Songwriters: Brent Michael Kutzle / Jacob Kasher Hindlin / Noel Patrick Zancanella / Ryan B. Tedder / Zachary Skelton

Connection lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing

OneRepublic’s song captures the pain of loneliness and longing for connection that so many people are experiencing today, as well as the joy that comes from connecting. Notice the use of black and white versus color and how the people in the crowd look down at their hands extended in front of them as if they are habitually stuck in that position. The dancer is extraordinary in her interpretation of a soul longing to break out and break through to others who are lost in a drone state of loneliness. The portrayal of human connection as joyful dancing is especially wonderful.

Congratulations to OneRepublic for this beautiful, thoughtful and creative contribution.

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