Chris revisits the key points made by Peter Maurer, adds his own insights and gives listeners some suggestions for practical actions they can take immediately to help them get where they want to go.
PETER MAURER – REFLECTIONS ON THE TOP
Welcome to every one of our Perspectives from the Top community of listeners around the world to “Reflections from the Top”. “Reflections” is to help you get the best from the series by me reviewing the key points from our latest guest, giving you some of my insights and suggesting a few simple practical actions you can take to get the best out of what our guests said to help you get to where you want to be.
Our last guest was Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, someone whose work in some way impacts us all, directly or indirectly, who champions the core principles that underpin humanity and whose organization seeks to help and protect those who are victims of conflict or violence across the world. Every year, he addresses all heads of government when they meet at the United Nation on critical issues facing the world in conflict, violence and humanitarian law. He was previously head of the Swiss Diplomatic Service. If you didn’t hear his interview I strongly suggest you do as I can only just touch the surface of the amazing insights he gave us.
One of Peters first points was not to worry about things that you cant influence, just focus on those you can. That’s on thing we often all get wrong in our personal as well as professional lives.
Peters leadership approach is driven by the idea that its about co-creation, the leader being in the middle to pull together the experts they have on their team, but also being an example for this ethos. The example you give is what creates purpose for the team
For those who are leaders listening the old directive leadership approach is now dead in all but the rarest of situations, such as an emergency, the rest of the time my “we not me” is proven to deliver success more effectively.
But Peter also touch on giving hope, in the worlds refugee camps the role of the Red Cross is to show that even in the worst of times there is hope, the world wont suddenly become wonderful but there is still hope. That’s a powerful lesson for all of us both personally and professionally, there is always hope and as leaders in particular in tough times we are the source of hope for our people. My military experience taught me the power of that.
Again linked to Peters global experience in dealing with world leaders is the idea that leaders do better if their care about their people – his role in encouraging leaders to treat their people well and gain the benefits, but when you and I think about this it absolutely applies to us at work. This introduced the core principle of Peters influence with global leaders, the “win/win”, building consensus amongst all involved to move forwards. He also said that the Pope advised him that if there are big differences just start with agreement on a few small things first.
So where there is some form of conflict the aim is to get as much of a win/win as possible for everyone and that a win for you and lose for someone else if a temporary success. The same applies to all the most successful outcomes I have ever seen to conflicts at work, and is essentially the driver behind great team work across organisational silos.
One area that Peter said was critical to ICRC being able to do its job was giving people on the frontline space to get on with their jobs without interference from high up as they know whats really going on and are so placed to make the best decision, AND allow them to make that decision. Not only that but accept that sometimes things go wrong, mistakes happen, events overcome the best laid plans, DON’T blame those who work for you for making a genuine mistake that was a reasonable course of action. If you are a leader and take nothing else away from Peters insights just do that.
I cannot even think how much leaders and organisations who don’t let people get on with it at front line level, who don’t give them power to decide and don’t understand mistakes happen block their own organisations speed of response, agility, innovation and employee motivation – and thus make less money than they could.
Letting people get on with it Peter said was about trusting them. All of us want to be trusted to do our job well, and given the chance, but we also want to trust our leaders.
So what would I say are 3 key actions from Peters interview which might be of value to everyone listening :
Try to implement those and be great to hear your success stories. Contact me on LinkedIn or via email as detailed on the Perspectives website. And don't forget to sign up to Perspectives from the Top. It's free, so you don't miss any of the great episodes.
Once again thanks to Peter, and best wishes to all at the Red Cross in the great work they do.
And it's now, good luck to you and onwards and upwards.