With “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” official release, we were amped to write a piece on the notable leadership styles that were demonstrated throughout the prequel series.
As we watch the characters grow and discover themselves, we notice the emotional dilemmas some encounter, such as ‘right’ vs. ‘wrong’; ‘good’ vs. ‘evil’; ‘light’ vs. ‘dark’; ‘positive’ vs. ‘negative’.
We decided to single out two iconic characters. What we uncovered from a leadership perspective was interesting, inspiring, expected and surprising.
Let’s start with Yoda.
Yoda – “Use the Force Within”
As a legendary Jedi Grand Master, Yoda possessed, harnessed and managed great power. On all accounts he would be considered an expert in his craft. His dedication to his art ‘The Force,’ stemmed over tens, of decades. Yoda shared his wisdom with the ones he taught, in an attempt to train students in the Jedi way.
In our business/career, we would serve ourselves well by striving for this level of mastery. However, unlike Yoda, we do not have tens, of decades on our side; though, what we do have is the ability to master our craft through, focus, dedication and applied action.
Research has suggested that for an individual to achieve mastery/expert status, it takes ten to twelve thousand hours of hands-on experience within a chosen field or industry. Hence, for various career positions there is a minimum requirement of 5-6 years of solid, demonstrable experience, not just on an aptitude/ability (skill) level, but also on an attitude (behaviors, how we lead our teams, and interact with our peers, seniors, clients) level.
Being established as an expert paves the way for greater business/career success. In most instances it creates what we refer to as the ‘tipping point’.
Note: As leaders it is our responsibility to set our teams up for success.
- Talent Development
Yoda on a C-suite level was great at evaluating talent in a potential Jedi.
When meeting young Anakin Skywalker, he sees his innate ability (that raw superpower we all possess). Anakin was even referred to as the ‘Chosen One’; however, Yoda, shows skepticism sensing what was termed to as the, ‘darkness within,’ an energy that deemed to threaten the Jedi Order/Team.
Observations: When hiring, leading and mentoring we are right tread carefully, I am a big believer in ‘Hire for Attitude, Train for Skill’.
Regardless of how skilled an individual is, we must assess their attitude, for if he/she has the wrong attitude, this may affect how they show up as a team player, which could result in business losses such as reputation, credibility, good employees, and loss of clients.
- Face The Fear
Yoda teaches us that FEAR does not serve one on his journey of learning and development. All that fear results in is a lack of mental ability to move forward.
We have all faced fear at one time or another. Fear has a way of paralyzing one, causing them to stall and preventing them from moving forward (that ‘Stuck’ feeling we get), but, thankfully with the right level of thinking life has many ways of presenting opportunities for facing and conquering our fears.
What we learn from Yoda is savored in his quote ‘Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose’. The big conundrum for most is that this is easier said than done, especially when there is a lot at stake. Sometimes ‘You Just Have to Be Your Own Hero’.
It’s my assumption, that in Yoda’s 900 years of mastery, he had plenty of opportunity to practice the art of ‘Letting Go’. We however, will not be afforded that time, nonetheless, with the time we do have let’s look at a few tips on how to face our fear, in order to be our most effective on the journey to, reaching our full potential.
Tips:
“The Same Level of Thinking That’s Created a Situation, Is Not the Same Level of Thinking at Which You Can Find a Solution”.
Personally when presented with a situation / challenge, I start by asking myself these 3 simple questions:
- What is the real fear behind the situation/challenge presented? – This will identify triggers from previous experiences and provides some rational context.
- What are all the possible outcomes that could transpire? – include both desired and undesired outcomes? – once you look at all sides of any situation and face the potential scenarios, your RAS (Reticular Activating System) which is similar to a ‘google’ search (just within our brains/subconscious), goes to work to find a solution(s) for presented challenge, hence the expression ‘All That You Seek Is Within You’.
- What do I need right now, to help me with this situation/challenge? – Resources, Ideas, Connections, Communication, and the list could go on……
Reaching our full potential, rests on moving outside of our comfort zone and taking calculated risks. Once a fear is faced, our mind then has the opportunity to become a solution focused machine.
- Mentoring
Throughout the series we find that Yoda’s most prized strength is not his ability as a Jedi, but his ability to teach one to be a Jedi, notably mentoring Luke Skywalker the greatest Jedi of their time.
Observation: As leaders reach mastery they become so versed and embedded in a subject/topic, that one of their key values lays within imparting their knowledge by teaching others.
Darth Vader – “Together We Can Rule the Galaxy”
Considered one of the galaxy’s greatest villains, Darth Vader (originally Anakin Skywalker) demonstrated behaviors, such as Viciousness and Forcefulness.
He used ‘The Force’ (his power) to choke his commanders and rule with an iron fist. However, if we disregard for a moment, Darth Vader’s malevolence might we be able to find characteristics of a great leader? may he have shown great prowess in leading the Galactic Empire? Let’s examine.
- Outcome Focused
Darth Vader demonstrated his ability for laser focus. He was a keen observer, noting what cards were at play in the galaxy, including the Galactic Empire. His goal orientated mindset had him analyzing how outside factors could affect his desired goals and how he could mitigate that threat.
Observation: As a leader, we need to have our ears and eyes to the ground. It is beneficial to have a deep understanding of what is going on in our organization and our industry, enabling us to highlight and stay ahead of any potential threats on the horizon, and/or any opportunities for capitalization. We should know where we are in the market and how external elements can affect business-as-usual. Everything should be examined relative to our goals.
‘No one should know more about your business than you’
- Team Manager
Darth Vader demonstrates great ability at managing his team. His style was to delegate and to then let them work autonomously without interjecting excessively. He looked for members that would consistently add value, assessing them along the way and pushing them when needed, all in an effort to build the most effective, strong team.
He praised those that did well (great quality) while reprimanding those who did not (not the most effective approach). Darth Vader’s ability to lead strong teams gave them the confidence and belief that they were more than capable of attaining their desired goal(s).
Observation: As leaders of people we strive to develop the strongest teams possible, teams that look at a goal and regardless of size find ways to achieve them, aiming to have teams that cover our blind spots (you don’t know, what you don’t know).
- Take the Lead
Darth Vader was great at prioritizing and delegating responsibilities, however, his leadership skills really shone through with his ability to step in and take the lead when needed. We see Darth Vader take control of high pressure situations repeatedly throughout the series. Darth Vader knows when he needs to step in and take control of the situation. Demonstrated during his battles with Luke Skywalker and/or going into battle with his TIE Fighter during the Battle of Yavin
Observation: As leaders we should have the ability and know when to step in and take the reins, especially when a task is critical, when doing this we also need to take note of where additional training, mentoring, or coaching is required for the team and future endeavors.
As we can see, both Yoda and Darth Vader possess strong qualities that we as Leaders should be striving for. If you can mentor like Yoda or manage teams like Darth Vader, you will find great success. If you can acquire all of the skills stated, you will be unstoppable.
Food for Thought……
I pose the question; Did the Jedi fail Anakin Skywalker, if so how?
With today’s leadership and development tools could the fallout, have been avoided? To answer these questions, we examine Anakin’s turn to the Dark Side.
The Dark Side of Leadership:
To understand the man, Darth Vader, we need to understand the boy, Anakin Skywalker. If we take a look at Anakin’s childhood, we see he was a rebellious soul that had challenges with the status-quo and authority; possessed a high tolerance for risk. He had the Spirit of what would be deemed today as Adventurous, Innovative, Go-Getter.
Quick Background Recap; After Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn realizes Anakin is strong with ‘The Force’, he helps him gain his freedom with the purpose of taking him to Coruscant to train him as a Jedi. Anakin’s mother Shmi gives her consent to Qui-Gin, and watches her son leave the protection of her wings, as she stays behind.
Later in the series we see Anakin rushing to the aid of his mother in an effort to save her life, despite all of his training as a Jedi and his visions, he was unable to save her in time. We see this FEAR play out again with Padme (his forbidden love) when he starts to experience visions/dreams of her death during childbirth.
Up to this point Anakin has experienced slavery, loss of a parent, and now the fear of history repeating itself with the impending death of his wife. Through these trials Anakin vows to grow so powerful that he could prevent the ones he loved from dying.
When we look at the Episode “The Revenge of the Sith”, we witness Anakin’s transition to what was termed ‘The Dark Side’ and we see his internal struggle, although a man, still yet a boy.
So where could it have possibly gone wrong? As great as the Jedi Order deemed to be, from a LEADERSHIP perspective there was room for growth– for example the aspect of Emotional Intelligence (EQ). Let’s take a closer look at where it might have fallen down.
- Failure to meet Anakin where he was – Everyone wants to be understood, before they are willing to understand. As leader we need to be able to understand the people we manage and lead, we need to get curious and ask questions like “This is what I am observing, help me understand what is happening here?”
- Focus was honed in on Anakin’s Aptitude and not his Attitude – This was a young man in clear mental turmoil. As leaders we need to be mindful, that regardless how skilled an individual may be, is he ready mentally for the task at hand. “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” – Abraham Lincoln
- Jedi Order lacked demonstrable Emotional Intelligence (EQ) – A number one key skill for success as a leader, is mastering the areas of EQ, which is all about being Mindful, Perceptive and Aware. Gaining this knowledge and skill will allow you to have a deeper understanding of the following areas – Self Awareness and Self Management; Relationship management (interactions with teams, peers, clients) and; Social Awareness. Mastering these skills will give you an edge advantage.
“Leaders must be close enough to relate to others, but far enough ahead to motivate them”. – John Maxwell
*Recommended Reading on EQ: Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ – Author Daniel Goleman
This is not to imply that Anakin would still not have ventured off to the ‘Dark Side’, however, if he had been given the people skills, understanding, and emotional support he needed, it would have presented a different set of options at play.
Not excusing ability this is highly important, yet, without the necessary people skills we find ourselves with clouded vision and impulsive actions. For this reason, we must create work environments that foster both ability and attitude. When we strive to have strength in both we create our most effective and dynamic teams which will ultimately lead to success.
As we wrap up, we see, The Jedi’s focus was on Luke’s ability to save the Galactic Empire, they failed to see he needed to be saved himself! – Lets not make the same mistake with Teams with Lead/Manage, including ourselves.
We hope you enjoyed the read, we would love to hear your thoughts/perspectives in comment section below.
Here’s to Your Success for 2016, Happy NEW YEAR, from the Quantum Change Consulting, Team.
With “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” official release, we were amped to write a piece on the notable leadership styles that were demonstrated throughout the prequel series.
As we watch the characters grow and discover themselves, we notice the emotional dilemmas some encounter, such as ‘right’ vs. ‘wrong’; ‘good’ vs. ‘evil’; ‘light’ vs. ‘dark’; ‘positive’ vs. ‘negative’.
We decided to single out two iconic characters. What we uncovered from a leadership perspective was interesting, inspiring, expected and surprising.
Let’s start with Yoda.
Yoda – “Use the Force Within”
As a legendary Jedi Grand Master, Yoda possessed, harnessed and managed great power. On all accounts he would be considered an expert in his craft. His dedication to his art ‘The Force,’ stemmed over tens, of decades. Yoda shared his wisdom with the ones he taught, in an attempt to train students in the Jedi way.
In our business/career, we would serve ourselves well by striving for this level of mastery. However, unlike Yoda, we do not have tens, of decades on our side; though, what we do have is the ability to master our craft through, focus, dedication and applied action.
Research has suggested that for an individual to achieve mastery/expert status, it takes ten to twelve thousand hours of hands-on experience within a chosen field or industry. Hence, for various career positions there is a minimum requirement of 5-6 years of solid, demonstrable experience, not just on an aptitude/ability (skill) level, but also on an attitude (behaviors, how we lead our teams, and interact with our peers, seniors, clients) level.
Being established as an expert paves the way for greater business/career success. In most instances it creates what we refer to as the ‘tipping point’.
Note: As leaders it is our responsibility to set our teams up for success.
- Talent Development
Yoda on a C-suite level was great at evaluating talent in a potential Jedi.
When meeting young Anakin Skywalker, he sees his innate ability (that raw superpower we all possess). Anakin was even referred to as the ‘Chosen One’; however, Yoda, shows skepticism sensing what was termed to as the, ‘darkness within,’ an energy that deemed to threaten the Jedi Order/Team.
Observations: When hiring, leading and mentoring we are right tread carefully, I am a big believer in ‘Hire for Attitude, Train for Skill’.
Regardless of how skilled an individual is, we must assess their attitude, for if he/she has the wrong attitude, this may affect how they show up as a team player, which could result in business losses such as reputation, credibility, good employees, and loss of clients.
- Face The Fear
Yoda teaches us that FEAR does not serve one on his journey of learning and development. All that fear results in is a lack of mental ability to move forward.
We have all faced fear at one time or another. Fear has a way of paralyzing one, causing them to stall and preventing them from moving forward (that ‘Stuck’ feeling we get), but, thankfully with the right level of thinking life has many ways of presenting opportunities for facing and conquering our fears.
What we learn from Yoda is savored in his quote ‘Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose’. The big conundrum for most is that this is easier said than done, especially when there is a lot at stake. Sometimes ‘You Just Have to Be Your Own Hero’.
It’s my assumption, that in Yoda’s 900 years of mastery, he had plenty of opportunity to practice the art of ‘Letting Go’. We however, will not be afforded that time, nonetheless, with the time we do have let’s look at a few tips on how to face our fear, in order to be our most effective on the journey to, reaching our full potential.
Tips:
“The Same Level of Thinking That’s Created a Situation, Is Not the Same Level of Thinking at Which You Can Find a Solution”.
Personally when presented with a situation / challenge, I start by asking myself these 3 simple questions:
- What is the real fear behind the situation/challenge presented? – This will identify triggers from previous experiences and provides some rational context.
- What are all the possible outcomes that could transpire? – include both desired and undesired outcomes? – once you look at all sides of any situation and face the potential scenarios, your RAS (Reticular Activating System) which is similar to a ‘google’ search (just within our brains/subconscious), goes to work to find a solution(s) for presented challenge, hence the expression ‘All That You Seek Is Within You’.
- What do I need right now, to help me with this situation/challenge? – Resources, Ideas, Connections, Communication, and the list could go on……
Reaching our full potential, rests on moving outside of our comfort zone and taking calculated risks. Once a fear is faced, our mind then has the opportunity to become a solution focused machine.
- Mentoring
Throughout the series we find that Yoda’s most prized strength is not his ability as a Jedi, but his ability to teach one to be a Jedi, notably mentoring Luke Skywalker the greatest Jedi of their time.
Observation: As leaders reach mastery they become so versed and embedded in a subject/topic, that one of their key values lays within imparting their knowledge by teaching others.
Darth Vader – “Together We Can Rule the Galaxy”
Considered one of the galaxy’s greatest villains, Darth Vader (originally Anakin Skywalker) demonstrated behaviors, such as Viciousness and Forcefulness.
He used ‘The Force’ (his power) to choke his commanders and rule with an iron fist. However, if we disregard for a moment, Darth Vader’s malevolence might we be able to find characteristics of a great leader? may he have shown great prowess in leading the Galactic Empire? Let’s examine.
- Outcome Focused
Darth Vader demonstrated his ability for laser focus. He was a keen observer, noting what cards were at play in the galaxy, including the Galactic Empire. His goal orientated mindset had him analyzing how outside factors could affect his desired goals and how he could mitigate that threat.
Observation: As a leader, we need to have our ears and eyes to the ground. It is beneficial to have a deep understanding of what is going on in our organization and our industry, enabling us to highlight and stay ahead of any potential threats on the horizon, and/or any opportunities for capitalization. We should know where we are in the market and how external elements can affect business-as-usual. Everything should be examined relative to our goals.
‘No one should know more about your business than you’
- Team Manager
Darth Vader demonstrates great ability at managing his team. His style was to delegate and to then let them work autonomously without interjecting excessively. He looked for members that would consistently add value, assessing them along the way and pushing them when needed, all in an effort to build the most effective, strong team.
He praised those that did well (great quality) while reprimanding those who did not (not the most effective approach). Darth Vader’s ability to lead strong teams gave them the confidence and belief that they were more than capable of attaining their desired goal(s).
Observation: As leaders of people we strive to develop the strongest teams possible, teams that look at a goal and regardless of size find ways to achieve them, aiming to have teams that cover our blind spots (you don’t know, what you don’t know).
- Take the Lead
Darth Vader was great at prioritizing and delegating responsibilities, however, his leadership skills really shone through with his ability to step in and take the lead when needed. We see Darth Vader take control of high pressure situations repeatedly throughout the series. Darth Vader knows when he needs to step in and take control of the situation. Demonstrated during his battles with Luke Skywalker and/or going into battle with his TIE Fighter during the Battle of Yavin
Observation: As leaders we should have the ability and know when to step in and take the reins, especially when a task is critical, when doing this we also need to take note of where additional training, mentoring, or coaching is required for the team and future endeavors.
As we can see, both Yoda and Darth Vader possess strong qualities that we as Leaders should be striving for. If you can mentor like Yoda or manage teams like Darth Vader, you will find great success. If you can acquire all of the skills stated, you will be unstoppable.
Food for Thought……
I pose the question; Did the Jedi fail Anakin Skywalker, if so how?
With today’s leadership and development tools could the fallout, have been avoided? To answer these questions, we examine Anakin’s turn to the Dark Side.
The Dark Side of Leadership:
To understand the man, Darth Vader, we need to understand the boy, Anakin Skywalker. If we take a look at Anakin’s childhood, we see he was a rebellious soul that had challenges with the status-quo and authority; possessed a high tolerance for risk. He had the Spirit of what would be deemed today as Adventurous, Innovative, Go-Getter.
Quick Background Recap; After Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn realizes Anakin is strong with ‘The Force’, he helps him gain his freedom with the purpose of taking him to Coruscant to train him as a Jedi. Anakin’s mother Shmi gives her consent to Qui-Gin, and watches her son leave the protection of her wings, as she stays behind.
Later in the series we see Anakin rushing to the aid of his mother in an effort to save her life, despite all of his training as a Jedi and his visions, he was unable to save her in time. We see this FEAR play out again with Padme (his forbidden love) when he starts to experience visions/dreams of her death during childbirth.
Up to this point Anakin has experienced slavery, loss of a parent, and now the fear of history repeating itself with the impending death of his wife. Through these trials Anakin vows to grow so powerful that he could prevent the ones he loved from dying.
When we look at the Episode “The Revenge of the Sith”, we witness Anakin’s transition to what was termed ‘The Dark Side’ and we see his internal struggle, although a man, still yet a boy.
So where could it have possibly gone wrong? As great as the Jedi Order deemed to be, from a LEADERSHIP perspective there was room for growth– for example the aspect of Emotional Intelligence (EQ). Let’s take a closer look at where it might have fallen down.
- Failure to meet Anakin where he was – Everyone wants to be understood, before they are willing to understand. As leader we need to be able to understand the people we manage and lead, we need to get curious and ask questions like “This is what I am observing, help me understand what is happening here?”
- Focus was honed in on Anakin’s Aptitude and not his Attitude – This was a young man in clear mental turmoil. As leaders we need to be mindful, that regardless how skilled an individual may be, is he ready mentally for the task at hand. “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” – Abraham Lincoln
- Jedi Order lacked demonstrable Emotional Intelligence (EQ) – A number one key skill for success as a leader, is mastering the areas of EQ, which is all about being Mindful, Perceptive and Aware. Gaining this knowledge and skill will allow you to have a deeper understanding of the following areas – Self Awareness and Self Management; Relationship management (interactions with teams, peers, clients) and; Social Awareness. Mastering these skills will give you an edge advantage.
“Leaders must be close enough to relate to others, but far enough ahead to motivate them”. – John Maxwell
*Recommended Reading on EQ: Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ – Author Daniel Goleman
This is not to imply that Anakin would still not have ventured off to the ‘Dark Side’, however, if he had been given the people skills, understanding, and emotional support he needed, it would have presented a different set of options at play.
Not excusing ability this is highly important, yet, without the necessary people skills we find ourselves with clouded vision and impulsive actions. For this reason, we must create work environments that foster both ability and attitude. When we strive to have strength in both we create our most effective and dynamic teams which will ultimately lead to success.
As we wrap up, we see, The Jedi’s focus was on Luke’s ability to save the Galactic Empire, they failed to see he needed to be saved himself! – Lets not make the same mistake with Teams with Lead/Manage, including ourselves.
We hope you enjoyed the read, we would love to hear your thoughts/perspectives in comment section below.
Here’s to Your Success for 2016, Happy NEW YEAR, from the Quantum Change Consulting, Team.
Gita and Spenser
Are you a high-level executive looking for something new? Perhaps you want to change your employer or maybe even the industry in which you work.
