Once upon a time . . .

a Story of Great Leadership

Our Brains-Hardwired for Stories

FACTS without stories are not relevant

To understand people,

you must understand

their stories

TO PERSUADE PEOPLE

YOU MUST

GIVE THEM A NEW STORY

BASED ON THEIR OLD STORY

The Leader’s Greatest Asset

&Greatest Challenge

is

≠

Brains: Model Based Thinking

Computers: Fact Based Processing

Model

A

STORY

to Describe

Our Environment

Mental Map: A Specific Type of Model

Stored Here

In Dorsal Stream

Where’s Safety?

Where am I relative to . . .

The ball

My teammates

My opponents

The net

The boundaries

Dorsal Stream Plays a Role in Conceptual Space

Limbic System: Controls Emotions

Fear

Q-LeadershipPage 15

Strong Emotion

Causes us to resort to our mental maps Our Models of the world

EVEN WHEN THEY ARE WRONG!

Stories are Mental Models

Stories = Foundation of Culture

Some Key Facts

1. Our brains work on the basis of MODELS not raw fact

2. Our brains are hardwired to create Mental Maps of our world

3. When emotionally stressed, the limbic system takes over – causing us to work off our mental maps and often by-passing cognition

4. We are hardwired to process the world in the context of stories

SO WHAT?

Peter Drucker

Business has only one fundamental goal:

Create Customers

To do this, business has only two key activities:

Marketing

&

Innovation

Innovation

Implementation of all significant innovation requires a project

Companies which believe innovation creates a competitive advantage must develop project management capabilities

To really solve a medical problem, and get to the people who need it, you cannot do it all alone. To produce a product of real value, it takes the combined, committed and organized efforts of people with a range of skills and talents..

The Medical Device R&D Handbook by Theodore R. Kucklick

LEADERSHIP

IS ABOUT

INSPIRING CHANGE

Warren Bennis

Great Leaders Manage Meaning by creating a compelling vision (story)

Howard Gardner

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

IS ABOUT

IMPLEMENTING

CHANGE

Project Management Definition

The Craft

of

Converting Ideas

To

REALITY

Change Requires PersuasionNew ideas and innovations always encounter resistance

Implementing new ideas requires supporters

How Much Music Does a Conductor Make?

Leonard Bernstein

Project Manager Novice vs ExpertExpertNovice

Reacts to problems as they arise Anticipates problemsSolves problems Prevents problemsMotivates by raw “Facts” Motivates with “Compelling Stories”Makes sure tasks finish on time Makes sure tasks start on timeAccepts project scope as defined by others Works with stakeholders to define scope Seeks to avoid risk Manages riskTask oriented Project delivery orientedPersonally solves problems Recruits resources to solve problemsConsiders project reviews and reporting to be annoying requirements

Utilizes reviews and reporting to gain information and recruit support

Hurries to make a schedule and action Develops a schedule through a disciplined process – focuses on planning

Focuses on the schedule to manage the project

Utilizes the plan to manage the project:  QTCS-R

Reacts to team dynamics Anticipates team dynamicsResists change Manages change“Me” focus “We” focus

Persuasion Requires a New Story

Not just a story – a COMPELLING Story

“We” oriented

Positive and respectful

Relatively simple

Recognizes the past and common heritage

Defines a reason to change

Frames a new belief based on common understanding

Creates a picture of the future

Components of Compelling Story

Situation: Where are we now and how did we get here?

Gap: What is needed that we do not have?

Solution: How will we fill the gap?

Definition of success: What does the world look like when we are done?

Great LeaderGreat Story Teller

Donald Phillips in Lincoln on Leadership Lincoln’s Story Telling

(and story creation) foundation to his success as a leader

Created New Stories which became part of the fabric of American Life

Gettysburg Address – Where we are & how we got here:

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war; testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

Gettysburg Address – The problem

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate – we can not consecrate – we can not hallow– this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.

Gettysburg Address- The solution

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion– that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain–

Gettysburg Address – The Future State

That this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Lincoln Created a New Mental Map

We’re in this together

It’s a great cause

BUT – It’s not done yet

We’ll renew the freedom given us by our fore-fathers

Government of the people, by the people, for the people

Making the Stories Work

Speculative Questions Innovation

We have never _______ but

What if . . .We could fly? – Wright Brothers

Why not . . .Mix milk with chocolate? – Milton Hershey

Wouldn’t it be great if . . .We could deliver packages around the world overnight? – Fred Smith, FedEx founder

It’s 1870. New York (Manhattan Island) is a major metropolis. Getting across the East River to Brooklyn and Long Island requires a ferry.

Wouldn’t it be great if . . .

We could build a bridge the Island?

Once Upon A Time . . .

Start with where we are

and

how we got here . . .

Childs Play and a Toy Story

Full length animations have captured the hearts of millions. Disney has always been the standard in this area.

The digital revolution has only begun to impact animation, but it can open up vast level of additional precision and complexity which can enrich to the story while reducing production costs.

Disney & Pixar Collaboration to produce Toy Story

Once upon a timeThere was a need for change . . .

Describe what is Missing

and what

WE

are going to do about it.

Manhattan Project

2 Leaders

Team: 130,000

14 Locations

$2 billion ($22 billion today)

3 years

Utmost Secrecy

Story

Scientists can (must) play a vital effort to win the war. This weapon

will win the war.J. Robert Oppenheimer and General Leslie Groves at Trinity test sight in July 1945

3 years following taking over Manhattan Project

Situation

We have grown together such that San Francisco is now a major and successful city to be proud of.

Gap

This success has created a problem – our waterways are choked with ferries as people try to get into our city each day. This causes safety issues and takes considerable time.

Solution

Build the world’s largest suspension bridge to connect our city to the surrounding area. Make it something to be proud of like our great city.

Future

We will proudly speak of our iconic structure which improves efficiency and safety

The Golden Gate Bridge Story

Simple = Powerful

“Full victory-nothing else.”

General Dwight D. Eisenhower, June 5, 1944

What is the New World Like?

t

Where Are We?

1. Our brains work best with stories

2. A Project Manager Gains Project Support through a compelling story

3. Compelling Stories have 4 ComponentsSituation:

Where are we now and how did we get here?

Gap: What is needed that we do not have?

Solution: How will we fill the gap?

Definition of success: What does the world look like when we are done?

Once upon a time . . .

We Created Our Future