Leading UP session: an experience report on how to lead up the organization.

1. Leading UP
SoCraTes Belgium Conference
November 17, 2018
Bernard Vander Beken
@jawndotnet

2. Prime directive
"Regardless of what we discover, we understand and
truly believe that everyone did the best job they could,
given what they knew at the time, their skills and
abilities, the resources available, and the situation at
hand.“

3. But still
Things go wrong when working together

4. But still
And a lot is said about leadership DOWN an organization

5. But still
But what about leading UP?

6. Help!
• Frustration + misunderstandings = wasted energy
• Can we use this energy in a better way?

7. Friction
Unclear expectations + assumptions
Lack of common language
Lack of psychological safety

8. Drama triangle
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DramTri.png Image by Cdw1952
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karpman_drama_triangle

9. The 7 habits of highly effective people

10. The 7 habits of highly effective people
1. Be proactive
2. Begin with the end in mind
3. Put first things first
4. Think win-win
5. Seek first to understand,
then to be understood
6. Synergize
7. Sharpen the Saw

11. The 7 habits of highly effective people
1. Be proactive
2. Begin with the end in mind
3. Put first things first
4. Think win-win
5. Seek first to understand,
then to be understood
6. Synergize
7. Sharpen the Saw

12. Seek first to understand

13. Seek first to understand
• Shifting your point of view
• Investigate protocol
• Core Protocols, GNU GPL, Jim
and Michele McCarthy
• Clean Language
• Non Violent Communication

14. The 7 habits of highly effective people
1. Be proactive
2. Begin with the end in mind
3. Put first things first
4. Think win-win
5. Seek first to understand,
then to be understood
6. Synergize
7. Sharpen the Saw

15. Habit 1: be proactive
The Circle of Concern is the area that we care about.
Images: https://sivers.org/circles

16. Habit 1: be proactive
The Circle of Influence is the area that we have control over.

17. Habit 1: be proactive
Working within the Circle of Concern can make it grow.

18. Turn the Ship Around
Book
Audiobook
Giving people control
in an extreme environment

19. Ladder of Leadership
Introduce a common language

21. Role playing game
Simulation
Ladderofleadership.com

23. Extreme Ownership
Book
Audiobook
Author’s podcast: jockopodcast.com

24. Principle: leading up the chain
“If your boss isn’t making a decision in a timely
manner or providing necessary support for you
and your team, don’t blame the boss.”

25. Principle: leading up the chain
“First, blame yourself. Examine what you can
do to better convey the critical information for
decisions to be made and support allocated.”

26. Principle: leading up the chain
“Leading up the chain takes much more savvy
and skill than leading down the chain”

27. Thanks