Can a fox be a hedgehog too?

What a busy month. I have had zero (0), zilch, nada amount of time this month to continue to read "Good to Great". However, I did have some time to ponder about my previous entry and wonder if the "Hedgehog Concept" has applications to people as well - not just corporations. I have a feeling it does. And I am sure others have already considered the question, and might have already written on it. Sadly, I didn't have the time to read those either. Sorry. However, I will give you my own perspective, and if you have the time - please let me know your opinion and send me links to articles that show applications of the Hedgehog Concept to their personal lives.

The Hedgehog Concept: "The Fast & The Furry"

I always wanted to do a blog about “knowing thyself” – the great Latin phrase “Temet Nosce”. Found over the doorway in the Oracle’s kitchen in The Matrix, the simplicity of the phrase has profound meaning. Although my original intent for such an entry was to cover aspects of the 16 personality types – it will have to wait.

Chapter 5 in Good toGreat starts with the phrase Know Thyself. The opening paragraph asks the question “Are you a hedgehog or a fox?” If asked suddenly and given little time to respond, I would probably say I’m a fox. Sly, swift and cunning creature. Unless it’s Sonic the Hedgehog, who is more than just fast, he’s awesome.

  

             Sonic the Hedgehog & a real hedgehog... Where's the concept?

In reality, hedgehogs are rather small & cute looking critters. So – why is it dubbed the “Hedgehog Concept” ? Stemming from Isaiah Berlin’s essay The Hedgehog and the Fox, the bottom line is that a fox knows many things, and can see all the complexities of the world. However, a hedgehog knows one BIG thing – and thus can simplify the complex world. It’s almost as if the fox is that “jack of all trades master of none”. In that regard, I am like a fox. I know a little about a lot of different things, but not focused. Although I have not read the essay yet, per Jim’s summary, no matter what new attack strategy the fox may come up with, the hedgehog will do what he is best at: curl-up into a perfect sphere with spikes pointing in all directions and always win the confrontation.

If Facts are Brutal, Why Confront Them?

What a strange week. Interesting month… but strange week. Hurricane Irene had her way with us here in the North East over the weekend. Only after a 5.8 earthquake in Virginia shook us all up a little last Tuesday. As the month draws to an end, I realized I needed to finish-up the 4^th Chapter of Good to Great. After I rushed through it, I felt like I wanted to read it again. It really was a great chapter. Although I liked the title, the content supported it fairly well. Confront the Brutal Facts. Awesome. But, who really does this? Corporate-wise anyway. Some of us do in our personal lives and relationships. Many of us do not. I understand why it is difficult. It is not easy realizing the error of one’s ways. We fear being rejected or judged. This is why I particularly liked the sub-section on autopsies without blame.

If I had a room full of people, and asked: “Who would like to listen to what I have to say?”, not many hands would go up. However, if I asked: “Who would like to be heard?”... More than likely, everyone would raise their hand. Jim points out how good to great companies actually had a culture in which people have a tremendous opportunity to be heard. Wait a minute. Doesn’t that sound a bit like Habit 5 again? This time, from the point of view of the Company. That is, the Corporation needs to understand and listen first to their employees. This may not be what most of us are used to. We usually listen to what the company has to say – then we follow. So, how is it that a Corporation benefits from listening to its employees? Creating an environment where the truth is heard. Simple, yet powerful. Think about it.

Everyone knows I am a big enthusiast of our use of imagination and its practical uses in creating vision and setting goals. In this chapter, Jim Collins starts the 2^nd section with the title Facts are better than dreams. It may seem to contradict my love for imagination, but facts are grounded in reality – terra firma. Whether one is right or wrong matters not. Facts are facts. It is impossible to argue with them. I believe we would both agree that vision is important for leadership. However, remember Colin Powell’s quote: “Vision without action is hallucination”. No doubt, the action part must come into play and address the facts that the vision may otherwise overlook. Jim highlights “good to great companies continually refined the path to greatness with the brutal facts of reality”. Not by being optimistic or charismatic or trying to motivate people. Furthermore, he states the “the key is not to de-motivate”. Speaking of de-motivation, check these out for a good laugh: Demotivators 

Jim states:

“..the single most de-motivating actions you can take is to hold out false hopes, soon to be swept away by events”

First Who - Then What... Really?

If you read the title real fast, it looks like I’m trying to find out what went on... walking into the middle of a conversation and asking someone to fill me in on the details.

“Who?... What?...”

Finally got to the 3rd chapter of "Good to Great". No, it was not easy for me to relate to this chapter at all. I never had the pleasure of personally hiring someone. However, I have been involved on occasion in the decision-making process. And, yes - I do understand where Jim is coming from. Before I end this entry, I will try to simplify the business concept. That is, "First Who, then What" is nothing short of intuitive when we fall-back on some basics.

In my thirteen years of corporate exposure, I have had the opportunity to work in several environments where the “right people" where already "on the bus”. Similarly, other environments with the “wrong people”. I have had the opportunity to lead people – but not by authority. Because the project demanded it, I was suddenly taking charge of several individuals, each with their own agenda. Herding cats would actually be easy by comparison. In the occasions where I was lucky enough to have the right people, the team was focused and ready to run. On the other not-so-lucky occasions, I secretly wished I could have changed the “occupants on the bus” - not just where they where sitting. Ha. Unfortunately, it was not my place to do so.

However, that’s not quite what the chapter is about. It is viewed from a much higher level and encompasses the business concept/model from a management viewpoint. No doubt, Jim Collins seems to have a “formula” for the path to greatness, and is as follows: 

Who are Level 5 Leaders?

Finally! I started reading Good to Great by Jim Collins. So far – it really is a Great book (no pun intended). In the beginning, it may seem a bit like “OK, fine – I believe you” – as The How’s, Who’s and Why’s of the book are broadcast loud and clear. I did not read Built to Last – but apparently, Good to Great is a sort of “prequel”. What I am really looking forward to is that there are some Discussion Guides and supplemental material on Jim Collins.com that follow each of the major points and core values that take a corporation from good to great.

Maybe I am too much of an idealist, but I believe anyone can be a leader – given the right situation. Any of us can “rise to the occasion”. Perhaps. For the fist time in a long time, something made me question this belief. Or at least – make me realize that not all leaders may not have the potential of becoming what is called a “Level 5 Leader”. As I read through the chapter, I was actually saddened. So many points rang true from my career experience. Jim’s description of so many mediocre companies that sought out the “loud or charismatic” leaders. Not to mention the successful leaders that let it all go to their heads and forego enduring greatness for their corporations (suddenly personal greatness was more important). Last, but not least, the constant oversight of companies' natural Level 5 Leaders in their midst. I totally know people who are practically there. Maybe level 4.5 - and are completely overlooked.

Oh – what is a Level 5 Leader?