Provocative Riffs on SMARTer Leadership

Soulful — this has to do with the quality of relationship that you have with yourself, especially with the source of your unique brilliance – it shows up in your self-talk – is it positive or negative, encouraging or disparaging? – you nurture this quality by identifying your strengths, practicing them, and building your contribution around them.

Key Questions   What are your three most energizing strengths? What barriers do you face in staying in sync with them? What can you imagine doing to move through those barriers?

Mindful — this has to do with the quality of your relationships with others – are you paying attention to convening conversations that establish positive alliances with those who can complement you and challenge you? – you nurture this quality by initiating constructive connections with those who matter most in the achievement of your purpose.

Key Questions   What are the three most powerful questions you can ask potential colleagues in a project that will make them feel welcome and useful in achieving your common goal? What barriers do you face in initiating this conversation? What can you imagine doing to move through those barriers?

Astute — this has to do with the quality of relationships that enables you to tap into the wisdom of your networks to analyze the dynamics in the complex systems within and around your organization and decide what is best to try in the circumstances with your resources – appreciative analysis and decision-making look for strengths and possibilities, identify barriers, then imagine ways to move through the barriers to achieve the benefits desired – that's the pattern of consideration you've found in the Key Questions sections.

Key Questions   What questions might you ask to convene a conversation that would result in a better understanding of your greatest challenge? What barriers do you face in initiating this conversation? What can you imagine doing to move through those barriers?

Responsible — this has to do with the quality of relationships that make things happen – the best organizations that I have worked with are clear about what's expected of their members and about what kind of support those members can expect – they review these accountabilities and supports on a regular basis to ensure they are aligned with the values and mission of the organization.

Key Questions   For the colleague upon you depend most to be a success, what three things do you need them to do most consistently and what kind of support do you think they need to do that? What barriers do you face in initiating this conversation? What can you imagine doing to move through those barriers?

Trusting — this has to do with the quality of relationships that has the courage to be tough and honest in monitoring and measuring the results that you and your colleagues are actually achieving – is everyone doing what they have agreed to be accountable for? – are they getting the support that was promised? – can you imagine ways of adjusting and adapting the agreements for collaboration that will ensure continuous improvement?

Key Questions   What three questions would best encourage improvement in your team's collaboration as part of a monthly review of positive achievements? What barriers do you face in initiating this conversation? What can you imagine doing to move through those barriers?