My first impression of Bob Prosen’s Kiss Theory Good Bye was “this is all task-oriented stuff, how are you going to get buy-in from people-oriented individuals?”

Maybe it was because I was in the middle of a DISC profile training at my company, The Stelter Company, at the same time I was reading this book, but Prosen’s style all came off as very high “D” task oriented suggestions. While this approach will appeal to other “D’s” and “C’s”, what about the “I’s” and “S’s” among us? Those coming from a people orientation? How can we take Prosen’s five ways and work them into our way of thinking?

After re-reviewing the text, his overuse of percentages and numbers in every section seems to have skewed my initial perception. Being a people-oriented “S” myself, I’m much more interested in the personal stories and anecdotes. Indeed much of what Prosen discusses throughout the five ways can be easily assimilated into any DISC profile.

Superior Leadership - must be master communicators and be decisive. While the “D’s” and “I’s” may be faster talkers, but since when has the speed of message delivery been the differentiator between a message actually being understood? While the “C’s” and “S’s” may pause and think things through a bit more, they can be just as effective.

Sales Effectiveness - hire great sales people, remove ceilings for bonuses, remove hurdles for sales, then stand back. I don’t foresee any personality having a problem with this.

Operational Excellence - invest in good tracking systems (accounting, manufacturing, CRM, etc) that can produce meaningful reports that can be acted upon. This section, more than any other, caused me to pause. The task driven “D’s” and “C’s”, and even the status quo “S’s” will find solace in an efficient, dependable system. The more abstract and big picture “I’s” would need to be kept at a higher level of operating excellence. They wouldn’t want to be tied into the intricate inner workings of such a system.

Financial Management - no easy way to get around this one. The high “C’s” will gush all over this one - as much as accountant types can gush that is. I was pleased to see financial report providers taking a more proactive approach. Instead of providing numbers and analysis, make them part of the RCAs and ICAs. Get more input from them than just data. Yes, these are the numbers but get to the “whys”.

Customer Loyalty - my personal fav. This one actually favors the people-oriented personalities a bit. Move beyond selling to a customer. Build a relationship and find out what they really need, not what you want to sell to them. Jennifer’s example in class last night was a perfect example. PetSmart stores were buying too much permanent signage. By getting to the root cause of the situation, they solved the problem, saved their client money, and built a lasting relationship based on problem-solving and collaboration.

Its been over three weeks since I posted on this blog. Is that possible?

Steve Farber’s character Edg, from The Radical LEAP, would be none too pleased with my lack of progression. I’ve got a weird feeling that Edg is related to The Dude from the Coen Brother’s The Big Lebowski. Laid back, scruffy, straggly hair, an aged surfer sitting back and slurping down White Russians. He’d be saying “Man, you’re in the class, absorbing all this stuff. You’ve shown me you’ve got the Love, Energy, and Audacity to hang with this crowd, but you’re missing something. Something big. Proof. Until you bring it to the table, man, you’ll just be a poser.”

Without this blog, without speaking up and contributing to the written conversation, I’m not getting where I need to go. There’s only so much time in a classroom to talk stuff through. I need this blog to further explore ideas and get feedback from my fellow students.

Tim Johnson skateboarded into class a few weeks ago to illustrate this “poser” issue. Precariously close to wiping out, he quickly proved his point. He may have been riding a board and wearing knee-length shorts, but he fooled no one. He was out of his element.

Writing is supposed to be my element and yet I’ve shied away from this blog for far too long. Its time to step it up.

“Faith is an island in the setting sun
But proof, yes
Proof is the bottom line for everyone” - Paul Simon

Last week’s class started off unexpectedly. Tim Johnson, our instructor and a new interim assistant professor at Drake University, began the class by explaining there really was no set curriculum for this class. The powers-that-be, it appeared, had come up with a fancy 36-letter course name but nothing else. Being a bit too structure-focused when it comes to class objectives, I took this as an ominous sign. Of course, my first ominous sign should have been the abrupt departure of the original course instructor sometime this summer. My worries were soon dissipated as Interim Professor Johnson handed out what appeared to be a standard format course syllabus. (Digression: The term “interim professor” conjures up memories of Hogwart’s as they fail, year after year, to find a permanent replacement for the Defense Against the Dark Arts post in Harry Potter). The coursework consists of seven books, attendance/participation, two writing assignments, and a final presentation – no exams.

What is leadership? And can it be taught? The Paradox Within.

The syllabus poses this simply stated question with no equally simple answer. I didn’t expect one. I struggle with the notion that leadership can be defined simply. I’m also concerned about what can really be taught, at least in a classroom setting. Can someone read a book and translate this sedentary and individual activity into an active and communal activity like leadership? Can someone take a 13 week course with like-minded individuals and walk away better prepared to lead? Like so many things in life, my impression going into the class is that leadership cannot be learned through academic study but through experience. The classroom can supplement someone’s journey, but it doesn’t sustain like real life experiences.

Yet, as a larger and larger percentage of the workforce gain bachelor’s degrees, the less valuable the degree becomes. Today’s business leaders are becoming more reliant on an advanced degree, like an MBA, as a better measurement of a candidate’s worthiness. Skimming this week’s Register, I noticed several jobs where MBAs were the “preferred” educational level. So the marketplace is asking for better educated leaders. Is the marketplace right? Do MBA graduates make better leaders?

Leadership Theory? Oxymoron?

Certainly, leaders and the act of leading have been around since the beginnings of mankind. Almost all forms of religion started out as someone following another. Even before organized religions, early men gathered in groups as they learned that working together simplified everyday life. We discussed several theories in class most of which appeared to be basic human behavior that someone just took the time to write down. For instance, several of the content theories are based on the fact that we, as humans, all have basic needs. Once basic needs are met, we can choose to fulfill other, less crucial desires. The United States capitalist society puts this theory into practice every day. For the great majority of us, our basic needs are met, so we’re free to pursue other desires – like higher education or a new car; some more extravagant than others. It is argued by theorist that leaders can use this knowledge of human nature to persuade others to do things. If you can fulfill an employee’s basic or intermediate needs, they’ll be satisfied and continue to do positive things for you to maintain this new level of attainment.