May 11

Meeting Heroes and Icons

Have you ever met an icon - one of the greats in your profession? Have you met one of your heroes, that person who seems to have mastered the realm you work in, that man or woman who has earned their way to the center of your industry, the sage elder teacher? Yesterday I did.

At a meeting for the University of San Diego Masters of Science in Executive Leadership program, I met Ken Blanchard.

More than anything, I wanted to express my gratitude; his deep study of management science helps me in every area of my executive coaching work. Doubtless, he is as influential in the area of management and leadership as Tom Peters and Jack Welch.

Blanchard’s most recent teaching takes the form of stories and this is where he proves his evolution from expert to master. Stories are how humans have learned from the very beginning of social time. Predating written language, which is a very recent invention relative to the oral tradition, stories remain the method for learning not only the technical aspects of a craft or subject, but the emotional aspects, too. Have you ever noticed that after-dinner speakers don’t teach five simple ways to anything? No. They tell stories. They blend inspiration and entertainment with information. Stories allow a synthesis of science and spirit not possible in our facile, ten-fast-steps-to-success-(and-oh-by-the-way-results-not-typical) business and teaching systems.

We’ve taken textbook writing over the edge. We want How-To lists and bulletized recipes for everything. Yet, having a schematic to a car does not make us masterful builders or drivers. A recipe for triple-berry tart with clove custard doesn’t instantly get me on dessert staff at the Ritz.

Stories tell us this. They use more words and so slow us down. This has the effect of reminding us the journey to mastery is walked in many steps over time, and over and over - over time. Among Blanchard’s many books, Gung Ho! and High Five! are good stories about leaders wrestling with everyday life and business issues - and how they came to solve them. Immerse yourself in these books sometime. You will find in them wise friends guiding you on the path of discovery in a way textbook writers cannot achieve.

Technical how-to lists have their place; I write them myself. But, they are like paint by numbers, simply primers for creating something more substantial.

After breakfast, I thanked Ken and asked him to lunch. (I think I was the only one who did.) Naturally, he warned me his schedule is crazy before offering his email address and asking that I remind him that we talked. I just know he’ll say yes.

What a thrill, this chance to sit toe to toe with one of the masters. It’s a rare honor, humbling and invigorating - and one I intend to savor.

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