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>>> WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THE COMPONENTS OF WHAT A
STRATEGIC PLANNING SYSTEM IS ALL
ABOUT AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE
BELIEVE IS VERY IMPORTANT IS TO
TAKE A LOOK AT THE ENVIRONMENT
WE APPROPRIATELY IN.
>> TODAY WE'LL LEARN ABOUT
PERSONALITY, THE DIFFERENCE IN
PERSONALITIES AND RELATIONSHIPS.
>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.
WELCOME THOSE WHO ARE HERE AND
WELCOME THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING
ON THE INTERNET.
I'M MELANIE COHEN AND WE'RE HERE FOR OUR MONTHLY OCIO LEARNING 2
SESSION.
WE HAVE DR. LINDA SMITH FROM THE
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND COLLEGE
AND SHE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT A
FASCINATING TOPIC, PERSONAL
POWER.
A LOT OF US THINK WE KNOW
SOMETHING ABOUT POWER BUT WE
DON'T UNDERSTAND OUR OWN
PERSONAL POWER AND SHE WILL BE
EXPLAINING IT TO US TODAY.
LET ME TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
DR. SMITH.
AS YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE OF YOU
WHO WATCH OR COME EVERY MONTH, I
HAVE A PERSONAL CONNECTION TO
EACH OF THE SPEAKERS.
SO YOU HAVE SEEN, SHE HAS A VERY
DISTINGUISHED BIO IN TERMS OF
ACADEMICS, NONGOVERNMENTAL
ORGANIZATIONS, IN TERMS OF
PUBLISHING, IN TERMS OF WORKING
WITH INTERNATIONAL CLIENTS.
THE ONE THING YOU HAVE NOT SEEN IN HER BIO IS SHE IS A YOGA 3
INSTRUCTOR, WHICH IS VERY
INTERESTING BECAUSE I HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN HER CLASS
THE OTHER WEEK BECAUSE SHE
WANTED TO SHOW ME HOW SHE
INTEGRATES YOGA INTO THE CLASS
AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS A
TREMENDOUS EXPERIENCE.
IT HELPED ME IN MANY WAYS RELAX
A LITTLE BIT AND HELP ME REALIZE
I'M MAYBE NOT AS YOUNG AS I USED
TO BE TRYING TO HOLD SOME OF
THOSE POSES.
WITH THAT, LET ME INTRODUCE
DR. LINDA SMITH.
LINDA.
>> YES.
THANK YOU, MELANIE AND THANK YOU
FOR BEING WITH US.
I HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT
RESEARCHING, WRITING ABOUT,
THINKING MORE ABOUT, TALKING
ABOUT ASPECTS OF PERSONAL POWER
FOR 20 YEARS, SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME PROFESSIONALLY 4
AS WELL AS MY OWN PERSONAL
JOURNEY AND MY CAREER.
BEFORE TALKING ABOUT ELEMENTS OF
PERSONAL POWER AND HOW YOU CAN
RECOGNIZE IT IN YOURSELF AND
OTHERS, I'D LIKE TO SAY WHAT I'M
NOT GOING TO DO TODAY, BECAUSE I
THINK THAT TIES INTO EXERTING MY
PERSONAL INFLUENCE OR POWER IN A
HOPEFULLY NICE WAY.
I AM NOT HERE TO FLACK A BOOK.
I AM NOT HERE TO SELL YOU MY
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
I AM REALLY HERE TO HAVE AS
THOUGHTFUL CONVERSATION AS WE
COULD HAVE AROUND POWER AND
INFLUENCE, PERHAPS WHY WE DON'T
TALK MUCH ABOUT IT, PERHAPS MORE
OF HOW WE COULD EXERT IT.
WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO GROW THIS
KIND OF DISCUSSION AND AWARENESS
OF WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE VALUE AND
HOW WE SHOW UP IN SEEKING TO
INFLUENCE OTHERS ABOUT THINGS WE CARE ABOUT AND THAT REALLY IS 5
PERSONAL POWER.
IT IS THE ABILITY TO INFLUENCE
OR CHANGE THINGS TO SOMETHING
THAT YOU REALLY WANT, WHAT'S
DESIRED.
NOW, THAT SOUNDS VERY SIMPLE,
DOESN'T IT?
BUT IT ISN'T.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES
IT MORE COMPLICATED IS POWER IS.
WHAT I MEAN BY THAT, POWER IS
WITHIN YOU, AND THEN IT DEPENDS
ON YOUR AWARENESS OF IT.
POWER IS WITHIN OTHERS, AND IT
DEPENDS ON THEIR INDIVIDUAL
AWARENESS FACTORS.
SO IF ALL OF THAT'S TRUE AND WE
GET TOGETHER, IT BECOMES PRETTY
COMPLICATED.
THE OTHER THING THAT IS QUITE
TRUE THAT WAS DISCOVERED AND
WRITTEN ABOUT IN PRINTS IS POWER
WILL ALWAYS BE.
PEOPLES' INTERACTIONS WILL FILL IN, AND IN A VERY COMPETITIVE 6
SOCIETY LIKE OURS, PEOPLE MOVE
QUICKLY INTO COMPETITION AND
SOMETIMES JUST SIMPLY VIEW IT AS
ACHIEVEMENT.
I WANT TO ACHIEVE, I WANT TO BE
SUCCESSFUL.
SO LET ME SEE WHAT ELSE I'VE GOT
THAT I CAN BRING TO OUR
ATTENTION.
THE SOURCES OF THESE IDEAS, THE
COMPLEMENT ACADEMIC, I ALWAYS
START, WE RESEARCH BEFORE
THIS -- IT'S WHAT ACADEMICS DO.
SO IN THE '50s THERE WAS
IMPORTANT RESEARCH, INASMUCH AS
WE WITH DO POWER CLASSES, WE USE
A MODEL OF POWER ARE ABOUT FIVE
CATEGORIES.
ONE IS POSITIONAL AUTHORITY.
IF YOU WORK IN A BUREAUCRACY,
THEN YOU KNOW POSITIONAL
AUTHORITY VERY WELL BECAUSE IT'S
AT THE CENTER OF WHAT YOU MUST
WORK WITH IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL AS A PROFESSIONAL. 7
BUT THERE IS ANOTHER CATEGORY IN
THE VERY POPULAR ORIGINAL
RESEARCH FROM THE '50s, AND
THAT IS COERCIVE POWER, AND
THAT'S THE POWER WE FEAR, WHICH
IS, IN PART, SOME OF THE REASON
WE DON'T TALK ABOUT HOW WE STAY
AWARE AND TAP THE RESOURCES OF
OUR PERSONAL POWER.
SO THERE IS A FIELD OF
PROFESSIONALS CALLED THE OD
PROFESSIONALS, ORGANIZATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONALS, AND
THEY ARE OFTEN ON THE MARGINS OF
STRATEGIC PLANNING AND
DEVELOPMENT.
THEY'RE VERY TALENTED PEOPLE,
BUT THEY HAVE TO WORK VERY HARD.
AND IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL,
OD PROFESSIONALS MUST UNDERSTAND
AND TAP NOT ONLY VARIOUS KINDS
OF POWER BUT PARTICULARLY THEIR
OWN PERSONAL POWER.
SO A COUPLE OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT IT, TOO, AND I'M 8
FANS OF THEIRS, SO I WANTED TO
MENTION THEM.
THEN, FINALLY, YOU HAVE A LITTLE
BIT OF MY STORY.
I HAVE HAD A PROFESSIONAL
PRACTICE ALONG WITH A WONDERFUL
WOMAN NAMED VALERY GRAF
(PHONETIC) IN WHICH WE LEARN TO
DO ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH,
GETTING PEOPLE TO TELL THEIR
STORIES, THE THING WE DO OVER A
CUP OF COFFEE WHEN WE WANT REAL
CONVERSATION.
THEN I HAVE SKILL IN ORGANIZING
THAT SO IT'S THOUGHTFUL.
I HAVE BEEN IN THAT TEN YEARS.
LET'S GO ON A LITTLE FURTHER.
HMM...
WHY WON'T THIS WORK A LITTLE
FURTHER?
I'M GOING TO LEAVE THAT TO YOU
TO WORK ON BECAUSE I AM NOT
TECHNICALLY GIFTED AND I'M JUST
GOING TO TALK. THOSE SLIDES WILL CATCH UP WITH 9
US IN JUST A MINUTE.
SO I'VE MENTIONED A COUPLE OF
THE POWER CATEGORIES.
POSITIONAL POWER OR THE POWER OF
AUTHORITY, WE SEE THAT IN
SYMBOLS, AND WE PAY ATTENTION TO
IT MOSTLY IN OUR INFORMAL
CONVERSATIONS.
SO SOME OF THAT POSITIONAL
AUTHORITY IS SYMBOLED IN HAVING
A CORNER OFFICE OR A DESIGNATED
PARKING SPACE OR BEING ABLE TO
WEAR A NAME BADGE OR LANYARD, WE
HAVE THOSE IN THE GOVERNMENT,
DON'T WE?
AND I NEVER HAVE ONE WHEN I WALK
IN AS A VISITOR TO BUREAUCRACY,
SO I'M A LITTLE BIT AWARE OF
THAT AS A PROFESSIONAL.
THANK YOU FOR FINDING HOW TO HOW
TO MAKE THAT WORK.
>> WE'RE BOTH ACADEMICS, WE CAN
DISCUSS VERY COMPLICATED MODELS,
WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE -- [ LAUGHTER ] 10
>> I GOT IT!
THANK YOU, MA'AM, WE'RE VERY
GOOD.
WE'RE GOING TO BE GOOD, ANYWAY.
THERE IS ALSO THE POWER OF
KNOWLEDGE, BECOMING AN EXPERT.
MANY OF US, AS WE SEEK TO
ADVANCE IN OUR PROFESSIONAL
CAREERS, ESPECIALLY IN
GOVERNMENT AGENCY LIFE, WE GO
AND EARN A MASTER, MAYBE TWO,
MAYBE THREE MASTERS, BUT ALL OF
THOSE ARE ABOUT HAVING SYMBOLS
OF EXPERT POWER, FINDING A
PARTICULAR NICHE FOR WHAT YOU
CAN CONTRIBUTE AND HAVING
EMBEDDED CULTURAL RECOGNITION
AROUND THE VALUE OF EXPERT
KNOWLEDGE POWER.
THERE IS ALSO THE POWER OF
MONEY, THERE IS THE POWER OF
CELEBRITY.
ALL OF THOSE WORK, TOO.
BUT WHAT IS IT ABOUT PERSONAL POWER THAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE? 11
IT IS A POWER THAT YOU KNOW
MAKES CONNECTIONS WITH OTHERS.
IT IS ALSO COMING FROM A DEEPER
UNDERSTANDING OF YOURSELF AND,
FOR ME, THERE IS A STORY THERE.
FOR ME, EVEN THOUGH I RESEARCHED
THIS FOR 20 YEARS, IT WASN'T
UNTIL ABOUT 12 YEARS AGO THAT I
BECAME A REALLY SERIOUS
PRACTITIONER OF YOGA, AND YOGA
IS ALL ABOUT THE UNION OF BODY,
MIND AND SPIRIT.
AND I BEGAN TO OBSERVE MY YOGA
PRACTICE.
AS I OBSERVED THAT, I FOUND
THERE WERE NEW IDEAS ABOUT WHAT
WAS THE CORE PART OF ME, WHAT I
REALLY WANTED TO DO.
YOU WOULD SAY, WELL, WHY IS THAT
IMPORTANT?
BECAUSE WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY
THAT WE'RE TAUGHT AND TRAINED TO
BE VERY CONFIDENT OF WHAT WE ARE
TO DO, AND THAT'S THE MODE OF OPERATION. 12
BUT THE REALITY IS, FOR SOME OF
US, ESPECIALLY FOR SOME OF US
WHO COME FROM THE MARGIN OF WHAT
IS THE STEREOTYPE OR THE
ARCHETYPE OR THE SYMBOL THAT WE
HOLD OF WHAT IS A SUCCESSFUL
LEADER, WE STILL, AS A LARGER
SOCIETY, HOLD THAT IT'S A WHITE
MAN.
SO MY GUESS IS THAT, IN THE
WIDER AUDIENCES TODAY AND
CERTAINLY RIGHT HERE FACE TO
FACE, WE ARE A GROUP OF WOMEN,
AND WE HAVE UNDERSTOOD FOR A
LONG TIME THAT, IN EXERTING
POWER, EVEN IF WE ARE THE HEAD
OF -- WHO WAS THE WOMAN WHO
WROTE THE LEAN IN BOOK?
>> CHERYL SANDBURG.
>> I KNEW YOU WOULD KNOW.
THAT THERE ARE PARTS OF THIS
THAT WE KNOW HOW WE SHOULD BE
BEHAVING WHEN WE ARE EXERTING
POWER. SO THAT CAN SEPARATE PEOPLE FROM 13
REALLY EXPLORING WHAT IS INSIDE
AND WHAT IS ESSENTIALLY REALLY,
REALLY IMPORTANT TO YOU.
BUT IF YOU PRACTICE YOGA LONG
ENOUGH, I'M HERE TO TESTIFY,
THAT YOU DO FIND THOSE PIECES OF
YOURSELF AND THAT OTHERS HAVE
WRITTEN ABOUT IT IN VERY
PROFOUND WAYS, INCLUDING THE
WONDERFUL PHILOSOPHER MARTIN
BUBUR (PHONETIC).
BUT THE OTHER IMPORTANT PART IS
UNDERSTANDING POWER, WHEN YOU'RE
REALLY WORKING WELL WITH YOUR
PERSONAL POWER AND YOU'RE
WORKING WELL WITH THE PERSONAL
POWER OF OTHERS, THAT IT IS
TRULY A WIN-WIN AND NOT A
ZERO-SUM ACTIVITY.
SO LET ME GO A LITTLE FURTHER.
SO BECAUSE THIS IS BIG AND
BECAUSE IT IS EXTRACT, I WANT TO
FOCUS IN ON THREE ASPECTS THAT
HAVE SHOWN UP OVER AND OVER AGAIN IN THIS TEN YEARS OF 14
ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH, IN
LISTENING TO THE STORIES OF
PEOPLE WHOSE LEADERSHIP,
PARTICULARLY THEIR POSITIONAL
AUTHORITY OR THEIR REFERENT
POWER -- THE POWER YOU GET WHEN
PEOPLE RESPECT YOU, THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT'S SO COMPELLING.
SOMEONE WHO HOLDS THAT POWER
TODAY IS NELSON MANDELA.
SO THAT GIVES YOU AN EXAMPLE OF
THAT.
IT'S HOW TO GET INTO THE
INTERNAL DYNAMICS.
WE HAVE THREE BUCKETS --
VISIBILITY, AN EXPANDED SHARING
OF INFORMATION AND REALLY
HOLDING AWARENESS OF
ESTABLISHING AND BUILDING
CREDIBILITY.
HUH-OH, I'VE DONE IT AGAIN.
NO, I'M STILL WITH THE
TECHNOLOGY, SO THAT'S GOOD.
SO IN TALKING ABOUT VISIBILITY, THAT WAS THE EASIEST ONE FOR US 15
TO DISCOVER IN OUR RESEARCH THAT
I DID WITH VALERY AND LISTENING
TO HUNDREDS OF STORIES OF
EMERGENT LEADERS.
VISIBILITY IS THE THINGS WE KNOW
HOW TO DO, IT'S TACTICAL, BEING
PRESENT AT MEETINGS, ASKING
QUESTIONS AT MEETINGS, IT'S
NETWORKING BOTH WITH TECHNOLOGY
AND FACE TO FACE.
BUT THAT IS TACTICAL, AND THERE
IS A DEEPER LEVEL OF VISIBILITY
THAT I WANT YOU TO SPEND SOME
TIME, BECAUSE IT RELATES BACK TO
KNOWING WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
TO YOU, WHAT'S REALLY AT THE
CORE OF YOUR OWN DEEP INTERESTS,
YOUR OWN PERSONAL POWER.
SO THAT NEEDS TO BE MADE
VISIBLE, TOO.
SO HOW DO YOU DO THAT BY LOOKING
AT THE CATEGORY OF VISIBILITY?
WELL, YOU EXPAND THAT DEFINITION
SO THAT IT'S BEYOND JUST THE TACTICS OF BEING VISIBLE AND 16
IT'S NO LONGER GLIB.
IT IS A KIND OF VISIBILITY THAT
REALLY COMES FROM THINGS THAT
YOU BELIEVE ARE IMPORTANT.
YOU DON'T WITHHOLD THOSE.
YOU SPEAK THOSE.
YOU MAKE THEM VISIBLE.
IT'S ABOUT USING VALUES EASILY.
IT'S ABOUT ALSO RECOGNIZING,
SHOWCASING, APPLAUDING THE GREAT
IDEAS FROM OTHERS SO THAT A
THERE'S MORE VISIBILITY ABOUT
THE COMMON GROUND.
SO COMMON GROUND ABOUT REALLY
IMPORTANT IDEAS AND RESPECT FOR
EVERYONE WHO CAN COME TO THE
TABLE TO TALK ABOUT THOSE IDEAS,
WHICH GETS ME TO MY NEXT
CATEGORY.
MORE SHARING OF INFORMATION.
I'VE GOT LOTS OF WORDS HERE, BUT
I'VE GOT A PARTICULAR POINT I
WANT TO MAKE, AND THAT IS -- AND
BE PREPARED TO SHARE INFORMATION THAT'S BEYOND SOUND BYTES AND 17
MAKE ROOM FOR THAT IN
CONVERSATION.
BE BRAVE.
BECOME A STORY TELLER, BECAUSE
IT IS IN TELLING OUR STORIES,
MAKING THE PLACE FOR THAT, THAT
WE REVEAL THE EMBEDDED ASPECTS
OF CULTURE, AND WE DON'T DO NEAR
ENOUGH OF CULTURE.
SO WHEN NEWCOMERS COME INTO A
WORK UNIT, THEY WANDER AROUND IN
THE FOREST OF STUFF FOR MAYBE
EVEN MONTHS AND MAYBE THEY EVEN
HAVE A DISASTROUS EXPERIENCE AND
WALK AWAY FROM WHAT THEY COULD
CONTRIBUTE TO THAT WORKPLACE
BECAUSE THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND
ENOUGH OF HOW THINGS HAPPEN,
ENOUGH OF THE CULTURE.
BUT IF WE TELL MORE STORIES,
THEN THAT IS EXPANDED
INFORMATION, AND THE VALUES OF
CULTURE, OVER TIME, BECOME
VISIBLE. I SEE MYSELF POUNDING THE TABLE 18
A LITTLE BIT HERE.
I'M A PREACHER AT HEART.
SO JUST UNDERSTAND THAT, IF I
GET PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS,
THAT'S OKAY, AND YOU CAN CALM ME
DOWN, MELANIE.
ALL RIGHT.
SO MY THIRD BUCKET -- HMM...
I'M NOT VERY GOOD AT THIS, AM I?
I'M JUST GONNA TALK.
THAT'S THE BEST THING FOR ME
ANYWAY.
THE THIRD BUCKET IS REALLY ABOUT
BUILDING CREDIBILITY.
YOU AND I KNOW A LOT ABOUT
CREDIBILITY, AND IT'S VERY
SIMPLE IN SOME WAYS.
IT IS JUST STEPPING FORWARD TO
SAY WHAT YOU CAN DO AND THEN
DOING IT.
AND THEN, OVER TIME, CREDIBILITY
LEADS TO TRUST, AND THAT'S
REALLY WHAT WE'RE AFTER IN THIS
BUCKET. BUT I THINK THERE IS MORE THAT 19
YOU CAN THINK ABOUT IN TERMS OF
CREDIBILITY.
IT IS NOT ONLY STEPPING FORWARD
TO SAY WHAT YOU DO AND CAN DO
AND THEN FOLLOW THROUGH ON IT,
IT IS COMING IN TO THOSE OFFERS
WITH A CALMNESS OF MIND SO THAT
IT DOESN'T SEEM GLIB OR
OVER-PROMISING, IT TRULY IS
SUGGESTING, SIGNALING THE TRUST
POTENTIAL AHEAD.
SO OF THE THIRD CATEGORY,
CREDIBILITY, IS MORE CONNECTED
TO TRUST THAN SOME OF THE
OTHERS.
SO THOSE ARE MY THREE BUCKETS.
AND YOU THINK I CAN FIND MY LAST
SLIDE?
>> WE'LL TRY.
>> WE'LL TRY.
>> THERE IT IS.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS, HE CONTROLS OTHERS --
I COULD SAY SHE -- WHO CONTROLS OTHERS MAY BE POWERFUL, BUT HE 20
OR SHE WHO HAS MASTERED HIMSELF
OR HERSELF IS MIGHTIER STILL.
NICE WORDS FROM A LONG TIME AGO,
WORDS THAT CONTINUE TO MAKE A
DIFFERENCE TODAY.
SO I'M GOING TO CHECK MY TIME,
MELANIE, AND WHAT I WANT TO DO
BEFORE WE GET INTO SOME
QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE AND
OTHERS, I HOPE, HAVE, I WANT TO
TELL A STORY.
IT IS ONE OF THE CENTERPIECE
STORIES THAT CAME OUT OF THIS
TEN YEARS OF RESEARCH, AND IT
BRINGS FORWARD THESE THREE
CATEGORIES.
IT'S JANE'S STORY.
JANE WAS A MID-CAREER
PROFESSIONAL, AN ACADEMIC LIKE I
AM, AND SHE UNDERSTOOD AND WAS
VERY SUCCESSFUL IN HER ACADEMIC
RESEARCH, AND SHE DELIGHTED IN
THE MISSION OF HER SCIENCE
RESEARCH. SHE WAS A SCIENTIST. 21
AND HE SAW IT AS JUST -- THE
MISSION WAS TO DISCOVER WHAT
MORE KNOWLEDGE WE COULD BRING
AND MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER
PLACE.
BUT LIKE MANY OF US, SHE WANTED
TO ADVANCE HER CAREER AND DIDN'T
SEE HOW SHE COULD DO THAT EASILY
IN HER ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT.
SO SHE LOOKED AROUND AND
INTERVIEWED AND GOT A JOB IN A
QUASI-GOVERNMENT AGENCY.
SO SHE LIVED HERE IN THE
WASHINGTON AREA.
JANE'S VERY REAL.
AND SHE INTERVIEWED FOR THIS
JOB.
SHE QUICKLY GOT IN THE INTERVIEW
WITH THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR THAT
SHE WOULD REPORT TO THE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND THAT SHE
WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR
STRATEGY, POLICY AND PRACTICES
THAT WOULD ADVANCE THE AREA OF SCIENCE THAT SHE'S VERY 22
COMMITTED TO, BUT THAT THE WORK
AT HAND WOULD BE STRATEGIC.
SO WHEN SHE TOLD HER STORY TO ME
THAT DAY, SHE SAID, I GOT IT.
I GOT THAT WHAT I REALLY NEEDED
TO DO IN THIS AGENCY WAS TO
PRESENT STRATEGY AND BE ABLE TO
FOLLOW THROUGH ON IT IN A WAY
THAT ALLOWED MY SECTOR TO GROW.
SO WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT
GROWTH, THEN, IF YOU'RE SMART AS
A PROFESSIONAL MANAGER AND
THINK, WELL, WHAT ARE THE
RESOURCES, THEN IN THE FIRST SIX
WEEKS OF BEING THE NEW KID ON
THE BLOCK, THE NEW DIRECTOR, SHE
DISCOVERED SOMETHING SHE DID NOT
WANT TO DISCOVER.
SHE DISCOVERED THE BUDGET
PROCESS.
AND THAT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
REALLY WAS A HANDS-OFF IN THAT
BUDGET PROCESS AND, FURTHER,
THAT THE BUDGET DIRECTOR HELD HIS CARDS CLOSE TO HIS CHEST. 23
THEN, WHICH WAS ALREADY PUBLIC
INFORMATION, SHE BEGAN TO THINK
VERY SERIOUSLY ABOUT HER PROGRAM
SECTOR AND REALIZED IT WAS THE
SMALLEST, AND SHE HAD A BIG JOB
AHEAD.
SO SHE DID WHAT MANY PEOPLE DO,
SHE PONDERED IT.
SHE HAD SOME SLEEPLESS NIGHTS
OVER IT.
SHE SPENT AS MUCH TIME AS SHE
POSSIBLY COULD WITH ANYTHING
THAT SHE THOUGHT SHE COULD
POSSIBLY DO OVER IN THE PHYSICAL
AREA OF THE BUDGET DEPARTMENT.
SHE CALLED THOSE DRIVE-BYS.
SHE DID THAT A LOT.
BUT SHE WASN'T GETTING ANYWHERE.
ALONG THE WAY OF HER DRIVE-BYs
SHE FOUND ADMINISTRATIVE PEOPLE
WHO WAS THOUGHTFUL AND SHE HAD
COFFEE AND CONVERSATIONS WITH
THEM.
FROM THAT, SHE GOT INFORMATION THAT THE BUDGET DIRECTOR 24
PROBABLY WANTED SOME RECOGNITION
FOR HIS JOB, THAT HE SAW SETTING
THIS BUDGET FOR THIS AGENCY AS
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.
AND NEVER MIND HE WAS VERY
WITHHOLDING ABOUT THE PROCESS,
DEFINITELY NOT TRANSPARENT, BUT
THAT HE REALLY HAD A COMMITMENT
TO THE PROCESS.
SO SHE TOOK THAT IN.
NOW, HERE'S SOMETHING ELSE TO
KNOW ABOUT JANE.
JANE HAD NOT ONLY BEEN VERY
SUCCESSFUL IN HER ACADEMIC
ENDEAVORS IN PROMOTING RESEARCH,
BUT SHE HAD BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL
IN HER PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION
AND WAS WITH ACTUALLY -- HAD
BEEN THE PRESIDENT OF THE
ASSOCIATION, CURRENTLY SERVED ON
THEIR BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
SO ONE NIGHT, IN THE MIDDLE OF
THE NIGHT, SHE GOT IT.
SHE WOKE UP WITH THE IDEA THAT SHE WOULD DO HER BEST TO GET THE 25
BUDGET DIRECTOR INTO A KEYNOTE
PRESENTATION AT THE UPCOMING
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION
MEETING.
AND SHE DID.
BUT SHE DID MORE.
SHE ORGANIZED IT SO THAT THEY
FLEW OUT TOGETHER, HOUR AND A
HALF PLANE RIDE, YOU KNOW, ARM
TO ARM, CLOSE TOGETHER, WE ALL
ARE IN THE ECONOMY SECTION OF
THE PLANE.
BUT SHE DID EVEN MORE THAN THAT.
SHE ALLOWED FOR PEOPLE IN THIS
ASSOCIATION TO TELL THE STORIES
AND SPEAK FOR THE WHOLE
COMMUNITY OF THE POSSIBILITY IN
THIS SCIENCE RESEARCH AREA.
SO SHE HAD HIM MEET AND GREET
WONDERFUL NEW PROFESSIONALS JUST
COMING INTO THE FIELD.
SHE HAD HIM SPEND TIME OVER
DINNER WITH PEOPLE WHO WERE
EXPERTS AND HAD ALL KIND OF INTERESTING PROJECTS GOING ON. 26
AND HE HAD A GOOD TIME IN HIS
PRESENTATION, TOO.
SO THE PLANE RIDE BACK, ANOTHER
HOUR AND A HALF, THEY GET ON,
THEY'RE A LITTLE TIRED, BUT
SOMEHOW THEY GET INTO TALKING
ABOUT HOW IT WENT, AND HE
RESPONDED THAT IT WAS VERY
INTERESTING, HE LEARNED A LOT.
HE LEARNED SOME THINGS THAT HE
JUST HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT
BEFORE.
AND JUST AS THEY'RE GETTING
READY TO LAND, HE SAYS, WOULD
YOU LIKE TO WRITE AN ADDENDUM TO
YOUR BUDGET?
SHE DID.
SHE'S GROWN THAT SECTION IN A
WONDERFUL WAY, AND IN THIS, AS
YOU LISTEN TO THE WORDS IN
TELLING HER STORY, YOU WILL FIND
ASPECTS OF VISIBILITY, YOU WILL
FIND EXPANDED INFORMATION
SHARING, AND YOU WILL FIND CREDIBILITY. 27
IT'S UP TO YOU TO FIND THOSE
THINGS.
SO THAT'S WHAT I HAVE TO SHARE,
MELANIE.
>> OKAY.
>> I'M READY FOR YOU AND ANY
QUESTIONS.
>> WELL, I CAN ALWAYS COME UP
WITH QUESTIONS.
WE'RE GOING TO SEE IF THERE ARE
AUDIENCE QUESTIONS FIRST.
IF WE DON'T SEE ANYBODY HEADING
TO THE MICROPHONE IMMEDIATELY,
I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
PEOPLE ARE ALREADY RUNNING TO
THE MICROPHONE, PERFECT.
>> GREAT, I LIKE THAT.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR
PRESENTATION.
I APPRECIATE YOUR
THOUGHTFULNESS.
YOU SAID SO MUCH, SO IT'S ALMOST
HARD TO FORM WHAT I WANT TO SAY,
BUT IN THIS SETTING OR IN THIS CONTEXT HERE IN THIS FEDERAL 28
GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION, YOU
MENTIONED SUCH A PARADIGM SHIFT
OF THE CONCEPT OF POWER AND
PERSONAL POWER.
WHAT WOULD YOUR RECOMMENDATION
BE TO YOUNGER PROFESSIONALS IN
THIS HIERARCHICAL STRUCTURE IN
TERMS OF LEVERAGING THEIR
PERSONAL POWER WHEN THERE IS A
CULTURE OF ALMOST STIFLEDNESS
THAT, OKAY, I HAVE SENIORITY,
THE TITLE, HOW DO WE CONVEY WE
HAVE POWER WHEN WE'RE NOT ABLE
TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT IT?
>> ALL RIGHT.
WELL, MELANIE IS COMMENTING AND
I SECOND IT.
IT IS A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL
QUESTION.
I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU AN ANSWER
AND HOPE THAT WE ALL THINK A
LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IT BECAUSE
I THINK IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT
QUESTION. I THINK IT IS MY JOB AS A 29
PERSON, I THINK IT'S ALSO THE
RESPONSIBILITY OF YOUR
SUPERVISOR OR OTHERS WHO HAVE
FIVE, SEVEN YEARS OF WORK
EXPERIENCE, TO CONSTANTLY BE
LOOKING AROUND FOR THE NEWCOMERS
BECAUSE NEWCOMERS COME WITH THE
LATEST INFORMATION, THEY COME
WITH ENTHUSIASM, THEY COME WITH
CURIOSITY, AND THESE ARE GREAT
RESOURCES FOR A MANAGER TO HAVE
AROUND A WORK PROJECT THAT
PROBABLY IS NOT FULLY STAFFED OR
MAKE USE OF MORE RESOURCES AND,
GUESS WHAT -- YOUNG
PROFESSIONALS ARE WILLING TO
BRING THOSE RESOURCES IN.
SO PART OF IT IS SETTING UP SOME
INFORMAL STRUCTURE IN WHICH
THERE IS MORE INVITATION TO
YOUNGER PROFESSIONALS.
MAYBE IT COULD EVEN BE AS SIMPLE
AS HAVING A COFFEE TIME TOGETHER
WHERE WE TALK ABOUT DISCOVERIES, AND THERE IS ONE-ON-ONE SPECIAL 30
INVITATION TO YOUNG
PROFESSIONALS.
I THINK SOME OF THIS HAS TO COME
FROM THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT NOW
BUT WERE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS.
SO THAT'S ONE OF MY ANSWERS.
MELANIE, YOU WANT TO ADD
SOMETHING?
>> I DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE AN
ANSWER, BUT I HAVE AN ADDITIONAL
QUESTION TO THAT QUESTION.
>> OKAY.
>> BECAUSE THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I
HAD WRITTEN HERE.
YOU KNOW, IN A BUREAUCRACY,
WE'RE ALL IN BUREAUCRACIES, AND
I THINK IT'S VERY DIFFICULT,
NOW, BEING IN THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT BECAUSE IT'S A TOUGH
SITUATION NOW, AND YOU HAVE A
LOT OF CONTROLS, YOU SOMETIMES
HAVE SUPERVISORS WHO ARE
UNWILLING TO RELINQUISH CONTROLS
AND YOU HAVE GOOD IDEAS BUT THEY'RE SOMETIMES THREATENING TO 31
OTHER PEOPLE.
IF YOU'RE IN AN ENVIRONMENT LIKE
THAT, IT'S DIFFICULT TO FEEL AS
IF YOU HAVE POWER.
SO I GUESS MY QUESTION THERE
WOULD ALSO BE ARE THERE A LOT OF
INTERNAL, PERSONAL SORT OF
TECHNIQUES YOU CAN TAKE WITHIN
YOURSELF TO CREATE POWER FOR
YOURSELF WHEN YOU DON'T FEEL
LIKE YOU HAVE IT IN THAT
ENVIRONMENT.
>> I'VE GOT TWO ANSWERS AND
THEY'RE VERY DIFFERENT.
THE FIRST ANSWER IS ONE THAT'S
MORE INTERNAL, AND REMEMBER
MY YOGA STORY?
I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO
PRACTICE YOGA.
THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT THE
PRACTICE OF ALLOWING YOU TO
LEARN FROM THE WISDOM OF YOUR
BODY -- THAT'S WHAT THE POSES
DO -- THAT LEAD YOU INTO DIFFERENT AND MORE IMPORTANT, 32
VALUABLE INSIGHTS ABOUT YOURSELF
SO THAT YOU HOLD A DEEPER,
DIFFERENT AWARENESS OF YOURSELF.
AND WITH THAT ONGOING DEEPER
AWARENESS, THEN, WHEN YOUR BOSS
DOESN'T RECOGNIZE YOU, YOU CAN
RECOGNIZE YOURSELF.
YOU CAN EMPOWER YOURSELF.
I DON'T LIKE THAT WORD "EMPOWER"
BECAUSE WE'VE USED IT SO THAT IT
DOESN'T HAVE A LOT OF MEANING,
BUT HERE IT DOES HAVE A LOT OF
MEANING.
IT'S AROUND HOLDING AWARENESS.
THERE IS ANOTHER TACTIC THAT YOU
WANT TO TAKE AND IT'S IN JANE'S
STORY.
IT'S BEING PATIENT AND LISTENING
MORE DEEPLY AND FINDING OUT
WHERE THE PEOPLE WHO YOU DO
ANSWER TO, WHAT ARE THEIR
INTERESTS.
SO, IN JANE'S STORY, SHE FINALLY
DISCOVERED THAT THE BUDGET DIRECTOR REALLY WANTED TO TELL 33
HIS STORY OF THE IMPORTANCE OF
THE BUDGET PROCESS FOR THIS
GOVERNMENT -- QUASI-GOVERNMENT
AGENCY.
AND HE HAD VERY FEW VENUES FOR
TELLING THAT STORY.
AND ONCE SHE STARTED WORKING
WITH THAT, SHE COULD IN TURN
OPEN UP, HE OPENED UP, AND THEN
THERE WAS MORE ROOM, THERE WAS
MORE OF A PLAYING FIELD FOR BOTH
OF THEM.
SO WHEN YOU FEEL YOU ARE IN A
DEAD END -- AND I KNOW THOSE
TERRIBLE DEAD ENDS, I KNOW THEM
WELL -- THEN IT'S ALSO THE PLACE
TO SAY, WHAT CAN I DO TO FIND A
NEW WAY TO LISTEN?
AND WHAT CAN I DO IN LISTENING
TO MIND WHAT'S THERE?
SO THAT'S THE OTHER PART OF IT,
MELANIE.
>> OKAY.
I THINK THERE WERE OTHER AUDIENCE QUESTIONS. 34
>> OKAY, GREAT!
>> SO THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU,
MELANIE.
SO POWER IS A VERY POWERFUL WORD
BUT CULTURALLY CAN BE VIEWED
DIFFERENTLY.
SO WHAT SUGGESTIONS WOULD YOU
RECOMMEND TO HELP BUILD THE
BRIDGE TO A MORE COHESIVE,
COLLABORATIVE IMAGE OF WHAT
POWER MEANS?
SO AS YOU MENTIONED IN THE
BEGINNING OF THE CONVERSATION
THAT, NORMALLY, POWER WAS A
STEREOTYPE OF A WHITE MALE, WE
ARE A COUNTRY OF VERY DIVERSE
COMMUNITIES, OPINIONS.
HOW WOULD YOU CROSS THAT LINE
AND NOT HAVE IT BE SEEN THAT, IF
A MALE IS STRONG AND AGGRESSIVE
OR, YOU KNOW, TAKE-CHARGE, A
WOMAN IS BEING VIEWED AS SHE'S
AGGRESSIVE AND SHE'S VERY
EMOTIONAL AND SHE'S NOT LISTENING. 35
BUT IF A MAN DOES IT, IT'S OKAY.
AND THEN YOU CROSSED -- AND YOU
EXPAND THAT BOUNDARY TO WHAT
THAT WOMAN LOOKS LIKE HERE IN
YOUR AUDIENCE, YOU PROBABLY HAVE
SIX OR SEVEN DIFFERENT
STEREOTYPES OR CULTURES OR
DIVERSITY OR ETHNICITIES OR
POWERS, CULTURES, RELIGIONS,
WHATEVER THE CASE IS, HOW WOULD
YOU RECOMMEND OR SUGGEST IN
BUILDING THAT BRIDGE TO A
COMMONALITY?
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> THERE IS AN EASY ONE.
I CAN TELL YOU THOUGHT ABOUT
THAT, AND I THOUGHT ABOUT LOTS
OF THOSE THINGS, TOO.
LOTS OF THOSE THINGS.
THERE IS SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS
TO TAKE THE PARTS OF YOUR
QUESTIONS.
SO ONE OF THE PARTS IS AROUND
HOW DO WE BRING THE DIFFERENCES THAT WE REALLY DO HAVE AND USE 36
THEM AS RESOURCES AND NOT JUST
REVERT TO A STEREOTYPE.
I SEE YOU SHAKING YOUR HEAD, AND
I KNOW I'VE FOUND THE CORD.
WHAT WE DO IS TIED TO THE
EXPANDING SHARING OF
INFORMATION.
WE PUT EXTRA EFFORT AND THOUGHT
INTO HOW CAN WE BUILD EXAMPLES
AND ANECDOTES THAT PROVIDE A
MORE WHOLE WAY OF UNDERSTANDING
SUCH A COMPLEX THING AS POWER
AND, WHEN YOU TIE THE STORIES
TOGETHER FROM DIFFERENT
VIEWPOINTS, WHAT YOU THEN DO ARE
TWO THINGS, BOTH I LOVE AS A
QUALITATIVE RESEARCHER, BUT YOU
STRING TOGETHER AND MAKE VISIBLE
THE DIFFERENCES AND THEY BEGIN
TO TAKE ON A LUMINESCENT
QUALITY.
THEY ARE EMPOWERED IN
THEMSELVES.
BUT YOU'RE ALSO ABLE, LIKE PEARLS ON A NECKLACE, THE WIRE 37
THAT HOLDS THE NECKLACE OR THE
STRING THAT HOLDS THE NECKLACE
TOGETHER BECOMES STRONGER AND,
SO, YOU HAVE THAT CORE OF A
WORKING DEFINITION FOR WHAT
POWER IS IN THIS PARTICULAR WORK
PROJECT OR WORK GROUP.
I HOPE THAT MAKES SOME SENSE TO
YOU.
BUT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT ONE
MORE THING BECAUSE I THINK IT'S
IN THIS, AND I TRIED TO GET INTO
TALKING TO MELANIE ABOUT IT
BEFORE WE STARTED THIS SESSION
TODAY, AND THAT IS WE DO HAVE A
VERY DOMINANT STEREOTYPE AROUND
WHAT EXERTION OF POWER SHOULD
BE, AND IT REALLY IS THE WHITE
GUY, YOU KNOW, IT'S DON IN THE
MADMEN, YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST IT
AND IT STILL IS.
SO WHAT HAPPENS TO WOMEN WHEN
THEY TRY TO BE MORE LIKE THAT,
EVEN WHEN, INSIDE, THEY FEEL DIFFERENT, OR WHAT HAPPENS TO 38
LATINOS OR WHAT HAPPENS TO
AFRICAN-AMERICANS, YOU KNOW,
WHAT HAPPENS TO ASIAN-AMERICANS
WHEN, BECAUSE OF CULTURAL
BACKGROUND, HOW OUR FAMILY'S
BROUGHT US UP, WITH HOPE AND
PROMISE AND WANTING TO HONOR
THOSE THINGS THAT WE LEARNED IN
OUR CHILDHOODS ABOUT CULTURE,
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THAT CULTURE
IS REALLY DIFFERENT?
I THINK WE BURY IT.
I THINK WE BURY THAT IMPORTANT
CULTURE THAT WE CAME FROM,
UNLESS WE DON'T DO THE WORK OF
LOOKING AT CORE VALUES AND DO
THAT CONSISTENTLY.
BUT I THINK ANOTHER THING
HAPPENS TO THAT.
WHEN WE SEPARATE WHAT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT TO US FROM THE WAY WE
THINK WE OUGHT TO BE IN A
MEETING, THEN OTHER PEOPLE PICK
UP ON THAT AND THAT DIMINISHES OUR POWER. 39
SO THAT'S A REAL CONUNDRUM,
ISN'T IT?
WE'VE GOT THESE STANDARD WAYS OF
BEHAVING, AND WE KNOW THAT
THAT'S NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE
WAY WE WANT TO SHOW UP.
SO I COME BACK TO DOING THAT
WORK THAT YOU CAN DO ON A DAILY
BASIS, CERTAINLY ON A VERY
FREQUENT BASIS, IN WHICH YOU
STAY AWARE OF WHO YOU ARE, NO
MATTER WHAT THE PRESSURES ARE
OUTSIDE YOU, BUT THAT YOU ALSO,
IN LOOKING AT IT, CREATE THE
SPACE FOR EXAMPLES AND
ANECDOTES, BECAUSE THAT'S AN
AMAZING SOMETHING.
YOU HAVE TO BE BRAVE THE FIRST
COUPLE OF TIMES TO ASK TO TELL
THE STORY BECAUSE, AFTER ALL, WE
DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME AND WE
NEED TO HAVE OUR METRICS LINED
UP -- WE KNOW THOSE DRILLS,
DON'T WE? WE KNOW THAT LINGO. 40
BUT WE AS HUMANS LOVE STORIES,
AND WE GAIN SO MUCH, JUST LIKE
THE PEARLS ON THE NECKLACE, FROM
THE STORYTELLING AND THAT ALLOWS
US NOT TO HAVE THE SAME
PERSPECTIVE ONLY, BUT THE WIRE
AND THE STRING IN THE PEARL
NECKLACE TO HOLD THE POWER OF
THE CONCEPT TOGETHER.
AREN'T YOU GLAD YOU ASKED THAT
QUESTION?
OTHER QUESTIONS.
>> LET'S SEE IF THERE IS A
FOLLOW-UP.
DO YOU HAVE A FOLLOW-UP?
>> OH, GOOD!
>> I DON'T WANT TO MONOPOLIZE
THE QUESTION TIME, BUT IN
LOOKING AT YOUR CLOTHING, WHICH
IS POWERFUL IN AND OF ITSELF,
AND ATTENDING EVENTS SUCH AS
THIS, AND THAT HUD OFTEN HAS
THESE EDUCATIONAL FORUMS OUTSIDE
OUR WORK, AND I'M ALWAYS -- I'M REFLECTIVE ON, YOU LOOK AROUND 41
TODAY, THE ATTENDANCE ALWAYS
SEEMS TO BE MINIMAL.
AND IN INCORPORATING YOUR
CONCEPT OF POWER, IT'S ABOUT
PERSONAL REFLECTION, NOT JUST
ABOUT UTILIZING POWER BUT
KNOWING YOURSELF, HOW DO WE TRY
TO CONVEY THAT OR INSTILL THAT
IN STAFF, IN PEOPLE TO REALIZE
THAT YOU'RE JUST AS EFFECTIVE IN
YOUR JOB WHEN YOU PAIR THAT WITH
HAVING ALL THESE EDUCATION
OPPORTUNITIES, BUILDING YOURSELF
PERSONALLY, AND IT SEEMS TO BE
JUST SUCH AN OPPOSING, WHATEVER,
REASON, FORCE, IN THAT WE GET SO
ENTRENCHED IN WHAT WE HAVE TO DO
THAT WE DON'T LOOK OUTSIDE OUR
SILO.
>> WELL, THERE IS A LOT IN THAT
QUESTION.
>> THERE IS.
IF YOU DON'T MIND, IF I COULD
JUST SAY ONE THING BEFORE YOU GET STARTED, WHILE YOU'RE 42
FORMULATING THE RESPONSE.
>> SURE.
>> WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS
EXACT TOPIC JUST BEFORE WE GOT
STARTED, AND I WAS SAYING, YOU
KNOW, THERE MAY NOT BE A LOT OF
PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE, BUT IT'S
NOT THAT IMPORTANT, REALLY,
BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE WATCH ON
THE INTERNET, AND THIS ISN'T
REALLY ABOUT THE TRAINING YOU
NEED AT YOUR DESK EVERY DAY.
THESE KIND OF EDUCATIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES ARE REALLY ABOUT
PEOPLE GROWING AS INDIVIDUALS
AND PEOPLE LIVING WITHIN THE
ORGANIZATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT
AND THEIR CONTEXT AND THINKING
IN NEW WAYS.
AND IF YOU LEAVE THIS SESSION
AND IT HAS CHANGED YOUR MIND IN
ANY WAY ABOUT HOW YOU THINK
ABOUT YOURSELF, HOW YOU THINK
ABOUT YOUR WORK, HOW YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR LIFE, HOW YOU THINK 43
ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION, HOW YOU
THINK ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE, THAT'S
AN ENORMOUS IMPACT, AND THERE
JUST HAS TO BE THAT
UNDERSTANDING OF THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN TRAINING FOR A TASK AND
LEARNING FOR LIFE.
WHAT THESE KIND OF EDUCATIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES OFFER IS THAT
LEARNING FOR LIFE BECAUSE WHAT
YOU GATHER FROM THIS, YOU TAKE
ANYWHERE YOU GO, AND THAT'S
REALLY KIND OF THE KEY.
I DON'T WANT TO TAKE AWAY ANY OF
THE THUNDER OF WHAT YOU HAVE.
YOU SPEAK FROM THE EXPERTISE.
I'M TALKING FROM THE WHOLE IDEA
OF WHAT LEARNING IS ABOUT.
>> WELL, THANK YOU, MELANIE.
I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOU
TALKING ABOUT IT IN TERMS OF
LEARNING FOR LIFE.
WHEN I DID MY DOCTORAL RESEARCH
WORK AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, A HUGE THEME OF WHAT WAS WHAT I 44
CALLED REALLY IMPORTANT
LEARNING, LEARNING THAT MATTERS,
AND IT'S LEARNING IN LIFE AND
ABOUT LIFE AND THROUGH LIFE,
LEARNING THROUGH LIVED
EXPERIENCE.
SO THANKS FOR BRINGING THAT UP
INTO THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE
THAT DISTINGUISHES A SESSION
LIKE THIS FROM A TRAINING
SESSION, AND TRAINING SESSIONS
HAVE THEIR PLACES.
AFTER ALL, I COULD BENEFIT FROM
A LITTLE BIT MORE TRAINING ON
HOW TO USE TECHNOLOGY.
BUT I WANT TO GET BACK TO YOUR
QUESTION BECAUSE, AGAIN, IT'S
ANOTHER THOUGHTFUL ONE.
AND THE PHRASE I WROTE DOWN WAS
SHOWING UP POWERFUL IN A SETTING
IN WHICH YOUNGER PROFESSIONALS,
THE CULTURE AT FIRST GLANCE
DOESN'T RECOGNIZE THE POWER OF
THOSE INTERACTIONS. BUT IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE THREE 45
CATEGORIES I SPOKE TO --
VISIBILITY THAT IS NOT GLIB BUT
AT AN INTENTIONAL LEVEL,
SWEARING INFORMATION THAT IS --
SHARING INFORMATION THAT IS
WIDER THAT HAS A SETTING AND
CONTEXT, WHICH, OVER TIME,
REVEALS CULTURE THAT NOBODY
TALKS ABOUT AND THE ONE ABOUT
BUILDING CREDIBILITY, THOSE
THREE CATEGORIES ARE BUCKETS.
THOSE ARE ACTUALLY DYNAMICS.
SO WHEN YOU INDIVIDUALLY START
BECOMING MORE AWARE OF WHAT YOU
COULD DO IN YOUR CONVERSATIONS
PROFESSIONALLY ON WORK PROJECTS
TO INCORPORATE SOME OF THOSE
PRINCIPLES, THAT OTHERS ARE
GOING TO SEE YOU DIFFERENTLY.
THEY SEE YOU DIFFERENTLY.
SO THAT'S IN JANE'S STORY.
JANE USED THOSE PRINCIPLES, AND
THE BUDGET DIRECTOR, ON THE
PLANE RIDE BACK, OUT OF HIS EXPERIENCE NOT JUST FROM JANE 46
BUT ALIGNED WITH ALL OF THE MANY
DIFFERENT PEOPLE HE MET WHO
FILLED OUT AN IMAGE, A POWERFUL
IMAGE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS
AREA OF SCIENCE, THERE WAS
EXPANDED INFORMATION SHARING
AND, SO, HE COULD SEE THINGS
DIFFERENTLY.
HE SAW JANE DIFFERENTLY.
SO IT BEGINS TO HAPPEN.
NOW, HOW DO I KNOW THAT?
YOU KNOW, JUST NOT TELLING
YOU -- YOU COULD BE A LITTLE
CYNICAL HERE, SUCH A GOOD NEWS
STORY -- BUT IT'S THROUGH THAT
TEN YEARS OF RESEARCH.
SO IN LOOKING AT EMERGING
LEADERS, PEOPLE WHO WERE
GRAPPLING WITH HOW DO THEY CLIMB
THE LADDER OF THEIR PROFESSIONAL
SUCCESS, HOWEVER THEY DEFINE
THAT, THEY WERE EITHER BEING
CHALLENGED BY THESE THREE
CATEGORIES -- FOR EXAMPLE, NOT BEING VISIBLE ENOUGH AND 47
ASSUMING THAT THEY WERE
VISIBLE -- OR THEY WERE GETTING
SOME OF THESE QUALITIES AND
WANTED TO TALK ABOUT WHERE THEIR
SUCCESSES WERE.
SO THIS IS GROUNDED IN HUNDREDS
OF STORIES THAT POINT TO THE
FACT THAT THESE THREE
CATEGORIES, AS I'VE DESCRIBED
THEM, ARE VERY DYNAMIC.
AND WHEN I AS AN INDIVIDUAL
START USING THOSE CATEGORIES,
THEN OTHERS INFORMALLY, PERHAPS
EVEN SUBCONSCIOUSLY, BEGIN TO
PICK UP ON SOME OF IT, INCLUDING
ADOPTING SOME OF THESE
STRATEGIES, WHICH IS A GREAT
COMPLIMENT, ISN'T IT?
SO IT STARTS HAPPENING AND IT'S
THE DYNAMIC PART OF IT.
IT'S NOT ALL YOUR
RESPONSIBILITY, BUT OTHERS
RESPOND TO YOU.
>> OKAY. >> THAT'S A LOT, ISN'T IT? 48
>> IT'S ALL A LOT BECAUSE IT'S
ALL SO THOUGHT-PROVOKING.
I MEAN, IT'S NOT A LIGHT TOPIC.
IT'S VERY THOUGHT PROVOKING.
IS THERE ANOTHER QUESTION?
YOU NEED TO GO TO A MICROPHONE.
>> OKAY, GREAT!
>> YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT
CULTURE.
IT KIND OF STRUCK A CHORD
BECAUSE I GET INTO A LOT OF
PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTIONS WITH
FRIENDS, WHERE DO YOU BELONG AS
A FIRST-GENERATION IMMIGRANT.
ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE TRIED TO
DO, SOMETIMES SUCCESSFULLY,
SOMETIMES NOT, IS YOU LIVE
ALMOST IN TWO WORLDS.
SO WHAT I SAY IS I PICKED THE
BEST OUT OF BOTH, OKAY?
SO I ADMIRE THE FACT THAT, YOU
KNOW, IN LATIN AMERICA SOMEBODY
SAYS SHOW UP AT 2:00, 4:00 IS
KIND OF COOL TO SHOW UP, RIGHT? SO IN THE UNITED STATES IF YOU 49
SAY 2:00, IT IS 2:00.
SO IT'S, LIKE, IT'S A MATTER OF,
LIKE, EMBRACING WHAT YOU HAVE,
YOU KNOW, LIKE, FAMILIAL VALUES,
YOU KNOW.
MY PARENTS HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR
50-SOME-ODD YEARS, YOU KNOW, AND
I EXPECT THAT, YOU KNOW, AND I
TRY TO BRING THAT TO MY KIDS.
SO I THINK -- BUT THAT PUTS ME
IN -- WHEN YOU SAY THE
EXPECTATIONS OF MEETING AT A
CERTAIN LEVEL, I'M NOT WILLING
TO MAKE SACRIFICES OR CHANGES.
SO WHEN I TALK TO SOMEBODY, I
DON'T CARE IF I'M TALKING TO THE
PERSON WHO JUST CAME TO PICK UP
MY TRASH OR I'M TALKING TO
SOMEBODY AT THE OCIO.
SOMETIMES SOMEBODY SAYS, WELL
YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID THAT.
I'M, LIKE, WHY NOT?
SO IT'S BREAKING THE BARRIERS.
BUT I'M HAVING TROUBLE STRIKING THAT BALANCE AT THIS POINT, AND, 50
FROM A PROFESSIONAL STANDPOINT,
IT'S, LIKE, I'M HAVING TROUBLE
STRIKING A BALANCE.
HOW DO I GO ABOUT IT?
>> BALANCE IS FOREVER GOING TO
BE A CHALLENGE.
IT IS PART OF WHY I CONTINUE TO
SPEND A LOT OF TIME THINKING
ABOUT WHAT I'VE LEARNED IN THIS
RESEARCH AND CONTINUE TO COLLECT
STORIES AND CONTINUE TO MULL IT
OVER BOTH ON MY OWN PERSONAL,
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES AS WELL
AS THOSE THAT I WORK WITH, AND
IT SEEMS TO BE IMPORTANT TO
THEM.
WE GET INTO THIS CONVERSATION.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE
TO HAVE FINDING BALANCE, AND I
ACTUALLY SEE THE EFFORT PUT IN
FINDING THE BALANCE AS SOMETHING
THAT'S A GIFT TO US AND I DON'T
MEAN THAT IN A POLLYANNA WAY.
I MEAN THAT FINDING, SEARCHING FOR THE BALANCE MEANS THAT WE 51
CONTINUE TO LEARN, AND THAT
KEEPS HELPING US TO BE OPEN EVEN
WHEN WE MIGHT, IF WE REALLY
EXAMINE OURSELVES DEEPLY, WE
MIGHT FIND A LITTLE AREA THAT'S
CLOSED OFF AND THAT NEEDS TO
REOPEN.
SO BALANCE IS WITH US.
I'M GLAD YOU NAMED IT.
HOW DO YOU, WHEN YOU'RE COMING
AND TRYING TO HOLD TWO DIFFERENT
WORLDS, REALLY HOLD THEM AND
RESPECT THOSE TWO DIFFERENT
WORLDS, THE WORK WORLD WHICH IS
VERY ANGLO-SAXON, AND THE WORLD
AT HOME WHICH IS FAR MORE
FLOWING AND RELATIONAL?
I THINK PART OF WHAT YOU CAN DO
IS TO LOOK FOR PLACES AT WORK
WHERE THERE'S THE OPPORTUNITY
FOR BRINGING FORWARD THE
RELATIONAL GRACE.
SO, FOR ME, THAT MIGHT MEAN
REALLY ADDING VALUE TO THINGS THAT ARE NOT SO DIRECTLY IN A 52
STRATEGIC PLAN, BUT INDIRECTLY
CONTRIBUTE ENORMOUS VALUE.
SO IT'S ADDING SKILLS AT
RELATIONSHIP, BECAUSE YOU HAVE
THAT EMBEDDED IN YOU, TO MAKING
A UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN REALLY
MEANINGFUL, OR MAKING THE NEXT
ALL-STAFF RETREAT JUST SO
SPECIAL AND RESPECTFUL, AND
HAVING JUICE AND LIVELINESS IN
IT.
IT'S THINKING A LITTLE BIT MORE
ABOUT WHAT DO I YEARN FOR IN MY
SET OF CULTURE THAT I HAVE
PERSONALLY.
AND KNOWING THAT CLEARLY AND
THEN JUST LOOKING FOR WHERE CAN
I BALANCE WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN
AT WORK WITH WHAT COULD BE
POSSIBLE.
AND WE DON'T KNOW -- WE DON'T
KNOW THAT WE CAN LEARN A STAFF
MEETING DIFFERENTLY.
MAYBE GIVE PEOPLE 30 MINUTES -- GOD FORBID -- LEAD TIME TO COME 53
TO THE MEETING BECAUSE THAT'S
PART OF YOUR EXAMPLE THAT IT'S
OKAY IN BRAZIL IF I WANT TO SHOW
UP AT 4:00 AND THE MEETING, WE
START GATHERING AT 2:00.
THAT'S REALLY GREAT BECAUSE IT
GIVES PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO
TALK ABOUT OTHER THINGS.
WHO KNOWS, IN TALKING WITH EACH
OTHER, IN SERENDIPITY, WHO KNOWS
WHAT WE MAY DISCOVER?
WHO KNOWS WHAT GOES UNTAPPED?
THAT'S A GREAT GIFT OF THE LATIN
CULTURES.
BUT WE DON'T VALUE THAT YET.
WE JUST NEED A LITTLE MORE
LEARNING.
BUT IN THE MEAN TIME, YES, THOSE
OF US WHO COME AWARE OF NOT
BEING MAINSTREAM ARCHETYPE,
FITTING INTO DON DRAPER'S WORLD,
WE CARRY AN EXTRA OPPORTUNITY
AND AN EXTRA RESPONSIBILITY.
IT'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO CARRY THAT, THE BALANCE. 54
THANK YOU.
>> OKAY.
LET'S SEE IF THERE IS ANY OTHER
FROM THE AUDIENCE.
IF NOT FROM THE AUDIENCE, I HAVE
ONE.
OKAY.
SO LET ME ASK YOU THIS, CHANGING
THE TOPIC A LITTLE BIT.
>> OKAY.
>> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, I THINK,
TODAY, IN THIS DAY AND AGE,
THERE IS SO MUCH TECHNOLOGY
THAT'S GOING ON, RIGHT?
SO WE ALL BLOG, WE ALL TWEET, WE
ALL POST OUR LATEST MEAL ON
Facebook, WE ALL DO SOMETHING.
AND I THINK THERE IS PERHAPS A
LITTLE NARCISSISM IN THAT,
RIGHT, BECAUSE WHO REALLY CARES
WHAT YOU'RE EATING WHERE OR WHAT
YOU'RE DOING EVERY MINUTE OF
EVERY DAY.
SO I THINK THERE IS AN IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON PERSONAL POWER. 55
SO WE JUST HAVE TIME FOR THIS
LAST QUESTION.
SO IF YOU COULD TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT WHAT'S THE IMPACT OF
TECHNOLOGY ON PERSONAL POWER.
>> I THINK TECHNOLOGY, AT LEAST
AS I'M EXPERIENCING IT AS A LATE
COMER -- I'M NOT A 20-SOMETHING,
OBVIOUSLY -- BUT TECHNOLOGY, AS
I EXPERIENCE IT AND AS A PERSON
WHO HAS THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT THE
USE OF PERSONAL POWER, I THINK
TECHNOLOGY IS A REALLY AWESOME
BARRIER TO THE USE OF PERSONAL
POWER.
I THINK TECHNOLOGY, BECAUSE OF
THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF IT,
SEPARATE US FROM THE USE, FROM
THE FULL BENEFIT OF PERSONAL
POWER.
AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT LIKE, YOU
KNOW, MELANIE AND I BOTH TEACH
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND,
AND STUDENTS BEG FOR CLASSES THAT ARE FACE TO FACE, AND I 56
THINK PART OF THE REASON THEY
BEG IS THEY KNOW THAT THEY'RE
GOING TO LEARN MORE FULLY.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO
EXERCISE THEIR GOOD THINKING
MORE FULLY IN A FACE-TO-FACE
SITUATION, AND PART OF THE
LEARNING THAT'S HAPPENING IS A
GIVE AND TAKE OF POWER, AND
EXCHANGE, A SHARING OF POWER.
AT LEAST I THINK THAT'S WHERE
REAL LEARNING RESIDES AND THAT
MAY BE A WHOLE SEPARATE MEETING
FOR US TO TALK ABOUT.
BUT TECHNOLOGY, BECAUSE IT
CONDITIONS US TO PUT IT IN 140
CHARACTERS OR LESS, OR IT
CONDITIONS US TO SAY, JUST WRITE
OFF A THOUGHT OFF THE TOP OF
YOUR HEAD WITHOUT THE CONTEXT.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT A BUNCH OF
TWEETS, IT'S VERY HARD TO SEE
THE STORY, ISN'T IT?
AND WHAT DID I TALK ABOUT AS ONE OF THE ESSENTIAL THINGS OF USING 57
AND EXCHANGING PERSONAL POWER
WAS THE EXPANDING INFORMATION
SHARING PRIMARILY THROUGH
STORYTELLING.
SO TECHNOLOGY IS GOING TO NEED
TO SHOW UP DIFFERENTLY FOR ME TO
THINK ABOUT TECHNOLOGY
DIFFERENTLY IN TERMS OF EXERCISE
OF PERSONAL POWER.
IT'S A CONTACT SPORT.
>> RIGHT, THERE YOU GO.
THAT'S A GOOD WAY TO THINK ABOUT
IT, YOU KNOW.
ALL RIGHT.
I THINK, WITH THAT, WE'RE
ACTUALLY CLOSING IT ON TIME.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING
WITH US THIS HOUR.
I APPRECIATE IT.
I THINK WE LEARNED A LOT HERE
AND I THINK YOU GAVE US ALL
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.
SO PLEASE JOIN US NEXT MONTH,
JULY 18. WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING A 58
DISCUSSION ON DESIGN THINKING.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR ATTENDING
AND HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY.
>> THANK YOU.
GREAT QUESTIONS!