Tom's leadership travels

John Holden and Kevin Money

John talked about the perils of comfort in suppressing creativity. He reminded us of Brando's line in the Wild One, when asked what he was rebelling against, he replied "what you got?"

John's advice in this time of crisis was powerful –

1. generate income
2. build support
3. engage with the audience
4. give people a voice
5. provide free experiences
6. pool resources

Kevin money is a professor of happiness studies.

Focus on building strengths not improving weaknesses. A supportive team to fill the gaps is essential. I have to try and create a structure that frees me up to lead and not manage.

1. Interact positively
2. Create stability
3. Hear and be heard

Four different approaches to life

1. romantic – it will all work out alright in the end
2. tradgedy – it will all work out badly in the end
3. Melodrama – it is all crazy and who knows how it will all end
4. Irony – who cares how it will work out I'll rewrite history anyway.

Clearly the romantic outlook is better for a leader.

Rules for engaging with staff

1. I have noticed….
2. I imagine this is because …
3. It makes me think/feel …

Tricks to keep your happiness tank full

1. hand write thankyou letters
2. focus on what it feels like when you are at your best, understand that in flow moment
3. use your strengths in different ways
4. write down three good things that happen to you each day

Remember long term life satisfaction can require endurance.

Terrifying stuff

Thanks to Siobhan (who is starting Clore for the Third Sector) for her help in clarifying my three key strengths as

1. Charisma
2. Bravery
3. Passion

Thanks also to Ariane for reminding me how easy and destructive it is if we lose the creative things from our life.

With that in mind, and filling my chest with bravery and passion I went along for a bit of singing round the piano. Brave because everytime I have tried to sing publicly it has ended in mortifying embarrassment. I thought we might do a bit of Elton John or Les Mis together, at worst the Beatles. So I was horrified to realise it was four part harmony singing. I was only kept in the room by Laura being lovely and was saved by Stef who was a bass (as I am apparently) so I could follow his voice and waving hand. Thanks to Paul for leading us all on the piano and behaving as though singing was like breathing and nothing really to think about that hard. Thank you as well to Sopranos (the high notes) Emma and Sam (remember her) and Haiyan and David, I really enjoyed it. Another Clore first!

In that moment was the best example of leadership I have experienced so far. A team lead by Paul, able to carry a team member, me, far beyond any place I have gone before, I was totally supported by everyone, not overtly, but through eye contact, expression and infectious enthusiasm, I had a clear role to play with help where required, and together we made a pretty good sound, though others outside may disagree. I am a strong subscriber to the school of natural leadership.

Sir Andrew Motion

What a brilliant man. He is like a poem himself, all quiet, ordinary and extraordinary, focused and tall.

He spoke simply about poetry as the art of the simple, the everyday, no truth but in things. Taking a different angle.

All poems are a gift to a stranger.

I was powerfully reminded of how essential it is to create. It's too easy to get sucked into managing and enabling the creativity of others. As John Howden reminded us in his talk, enjoy, talk, do. Ruskin was a powerful advocate of the power of craft and creativity to generate satisfaction.

My Dad was a poet, but he used wood and chisel not pen and paper. Here's the poem I wrote about him, inspired by this session.

Dad

My brittle nest of wood shavings,

Amongst the off cuts on the floor.

Wafts off Old Holborn mixed with Elm and Oak and Yew.

Huge lumps of wood, sized, shaped and tamed.

And the great thwack as your mallet drives your chisel along.

A rollup wet with spit.

I scoop warm sawdust over my bare toes

And gaze up at the ebb and flow of tension in the sinews of your wrists

Like moving marble.

When you were old and could hardly anymore lift your hands,

You got lost in the pleasure of paring softly away at tiny wooden spoons,

We each had six for salt and sugar.

And you gave them away to strangers whose work still found ways to move you.

As we lowered your coffin,

We placed your favourite chisel and an unfinished spoon on the lid.

And Jake sent you off with a nice pebble he said you would like.

He was right.

You would hate to be carving the same bloody spoon for eternity.

The overall impact of the experience

There follows the notes I made for my Clore Exit interview with John Tussa.

1. Overall impact of experience

I am different now. I am calmer, I listen more, I choose not to fight every battle, I can see the other side, and see the value in teams. Clore is like the opening of the view to the horizon and the silent closing of the door behind.

1. How much did you learn from other Fellows?

A huge amount, particularly from watching how others work. Most of my career has been in a freelance world where people have very high skill levels in specific trades. This background is not ideal in the current environment, so being part of much more varied teams has been fascinating.

Bore place in particular allows Fellows the chance to be themselves in their fullest, if they choose. It's fascinating to be part of that, watching others come to terms with themselves and having the space to experiment with ourselves.

1. What you have learned about leadership?

That it is hard. That it requires immense patience. That it requires entirely different approaches at different times. That sometimes it is about noise and sometimes about silence. That it requires huge resolve and focus. That it requires calm. That it requires an ability to see behind and beyond things and into their centre. That it requires the ability to explain in a very personal way, that it requires being bold and determined and gentle. That it's about finding all these things in oneself in order to be authentic.

1. What have you learned about yourself?

I am a good leader. My passion is vital. I need to apply my energy more carefully. I am capable of powerful focus and can use it to generate real change. Working to stay centred is a good use of my time. I need to do the things that I do best, not do everything and not struggle for too long with the things I do badly. I have changed in the last few years, I am no longer a completer finisher (was I ever?) I need people around me who can do that. I am best at the intense entrepreneurial edge, new ideas and new partnerships. When I trust my charisma and vision and use it with care, it is a powerful place.

1. Looking ahead - Future plans

Be a leader, create change and build value.

1. Any other comments

Clore is at its best when it is empowering, enthusiastic and trusts the Fellows, treating them as genuine leaders. On rare occasions it can be paternalistic, bureaucratic and treat the fellows as students.

It is an extraordinary experience.

 

On leadership

 

The weight lifts.

The landscape opens.

Time slows.

The friction and the grinding cease.

A deep breath.

To see beyond and into,

To feel around and between,

To sense all of things

And to know all of people,

And to know, with focus,

With certainty,

With passion,

And with calm,

The trajectory.

 

Tom Harvey July 2009