As most of you know, I have spent the past 20+ years of my career in global business. However, I have now added an additional credential to my bag of tricks… I earned my PhD last year and now also spend time as a Professor. I have worked within and in partnership with some of the most prolific, well known global firms in the world and I am grateful now to have the capacity to share some of the knowledge I have acquired, not only with you - the reader - but with our next generation of leaders.
In the spirit of growth and development, I would like to explore with you… are you an architect or an archaeologist? Strange question, right? You may think to yourself, “neither”, but you may change how you think after reading this post. I am going to talk a bit about decision-making and looking for answers in organizations. I am going to ask you to reflect on your approach to collecting information, assessing situations, and making decisions. If you pause for just a moment, you may see your approach in a slightly different light…
Over time, I have worked with hundreds of leaders – some great, some good, some not quite so good(to put it mildly). Some observations:
1) People always have opinions not only about their leader, but also about how they lead
2) You, as a leader, will never make everyone happy
3) Good (great) leaders have the capacity to consider different viewpoints when evaluating
information that affects other people
4) People want to be a part of something bigger than themselves
I have bad news for you. Most leaders tend to be “middle of the road”, lukewarm leaders because they worry about displeasing one contingent or another. Sometimes, upon full consideration, you just have to take a stand. Much of the difficulty observed in our current society is a direct result of leaders not taking a stand. As a leader, you are (on a professional level) responsible for other human beings. How you evaluate information and make decisions often affects others capacity to succeed, which can cause discontent no matter how carefully you consider your options. That can be a heavy load to bear…
There is also good news: You, as a leader, have the capacity to control the narrative! Leaders (such as yourself) are human. Humans are social beings and we have the unique capacity to build an environment of support and work through challenges together. Your approach has a lot to do with how people interact and react to you. I was listening to Ali Abdaal (on an unrelated subject) and it occurred to me that perhaps we can apply his analogy to two different leadership approaches.
Are you an Architect or an Archeologist?
As a leader, it is common to believe you have to come up with new, innovative thoughts and processes - to think with an architect’s mindset. We come to think we need to meticulously plan everything out in advance and have the full blueprint in place to know exactly where every brick should be placed.
More bad news:
You will never have a perfect blueprint - nor all the answers.
Architects often have decades of experience in their field. They are experts in the art and design of the built environment, allowing them to create designs that inspire and set the stage for successful development. They actually see the final product before the actual design even begins. They obtain prior approvals for the design, the technical capacity to place the right elements in the right space, setting the stage for the construction team to build to the vision – they have an established team supporting the design and build process from start to finish. Architects still don’t get it right all the time. They do, however, have the capacity to shift and make adjustments in context of the environment they are working within.
For leaders, being an architect can be a heady, exciting experience. Thinking about what could be, what the infrastructure of the project/program/organization might look like, who might be involved… putting the plans together – all incredibly exciting, if high risk, activities. Understand, architects do not create the designs, much less execute them, alone. They consider the input of the customer, the expertise of the builders, the capacity of the construction team… and many other factors along the way. You, as an architect, need to always understand the blueprint is rarely perfect and you will need to shift and change with the environment. The best architects – in architecture and business – remain flexible, willing, and able to redraw the plans to meet new requirements at a moment’s notice. You may not have all the answers, but you understand how to leverage your resources, knowing exactly where to go to find what or whom you need as the need arises.
What if you do not see yourself as an Architect? There are many kinds of leaders, each bringing specific skills and characteristics to bear. Enter the Archaeologist…
Archaeologists have an interest and knowledge of history. They seek answers from the past that may inform the future. They seek to understand society and culture, and do not mind getting their hands dirty. An archaeologist spends time looking back, analyzing what they see, and proceeding with persistence and determination in the interest excavating knowledge that will facilitate understanding. Their work is in developing the details with painstaking care. Once the materials are excavated, they carefully clean and preserve what they have found. They are analysts by nature, seeking to understand how things may have been in the past and how they may apply to our world today. Archeologists realize that we need to remember the past in order to 1) forge the future and 2) not repeat our past mistakes.
As a leader, the search for the Holy Grail in business is not only a historical task. Seeking answers from both past and present environments to inform future decisions, you observe your team/organization through the lens of the archeologist - analyzing artifacts, structures, and landscapes. Uncovering information from hidden sources and understanding that finding answers is a collaborative effort, requiring the involvement of a wide range of resources. You notice what is not present or available, analyzing with the intent to excavate answers that can propel your team to success. Even when finding something extraordinary, you pause to consider how it fits into the current and future site map. Persistence and determination are key – you are always thorough and pay attention to detail, ready to dig in and get your hands dirty at a moments notice. As more of an archeologist, you are a careful, curious investigator with the innate capacity to reduce the complex to the simple.
So, are you more an Architect or an Archaeologist?
Whether you see yourself as an architect or an archeologist, you will do well as long as you lead with curiosity and seek knowledge - connecting and collaborating with people along the way. Balance is important – as a leader it is important to develop the capacity to not only dig for knowledge, but create knowledge too. There is always value in perspective.
Please engage the discussion and let us know if you see yourself more as an architect or an archeologist in your organization. Please feel free to contact me at sherilmackey@gmail.com. Check back Mondays and Wednesdays for the next post on Leadership Across Boundaries and Borders.
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