|
The Executive Connection SM
a publication of The Virtual Executive Coach SM
"Vision + Accountability = Success!"
In This Issue:
1. Preview
2. Executive Summary
3. The Alpha Male
4. Helpful Hints
1. Preview
The Executive Connection explores the creative and analytical process of business development, team-building, and executive development. We are an interactive community of executives and small business owners who desire to network with like-minded high-performance executives to enhance our knowledge, skills, and aptitudes in the competitive business world.
Published monthly, the Newsletter offers coaching suggestions around the topics of: business development, financing, marketing, networking, incorporations, mergers, human resources, governmental regulations, and tax laws.
Topics are presented from the perspective of Keith Barton and represent only his ideas on creating and running your business. Because we are an interactive community of executives and business owners, other viewpoints are welcomed and may be printed in future monthly newsletters with permission from Keith Barton.
2. Executive Summary
November, 2006
Dear Executive Connection Subscriber,
This month features information on the Alpha Male.
The Alpha Male
Kate Ludeman and Ernie Erlandson, both executive coaches in Austin have written a fascinating book, entitled the Alpha Male Syndrome, published by Harvard University Press in 2006. This book is a must read for anyone coaching executives. The authors themselves are typical of the executives they surveyed. Kate is an industrial psychologist and coach; her husband is a retired cardiovascular surgeon and now executive coach. They suggest four subtypes of alpha male (and female) executives: the Commander, the Visionary, the Strategist, and the Executor. Each has his/her own strengths and limitations. A short description of each follows:
The Commander: Decisive, strong, and authoritative; exudes confidence; often charismatic; has a big appetite for achievement and thirst for victory; brings out the best in others (think George S. Patton). Risk to the organization involves: sole player; domineering and intimidating; argues to win point; generates fear and self-protective culture; competes with peers; envious; loose with the rules (think Andrew Fastow).
The Visionary: High standards and expansive goals; inspires with view of future; makes creative leaps; strong convictions; unwavering faith, and tenacious will; trusts instincts (think Michael Dell); risk to organization involves overconfident about ideas; excessive bravado; defensive when challenged; closed to input; ignores reality, losing support of pragmatists; spins the truth (think Ken Lay).
The Strategist: Quick, probing mind; objective, analytic, data-driven, methodical; sees underlying patterns; leaps beyond the obvious and integrates disparate ideas (think Bill Bellichek, coach of the New England Patriots); risk to the organization involves: opinionated know-it-all; smug, arrogant, pretentious; has to be right; can’t admit mistakes; cold and unemotional; lacks team spirit; disconnects from others (think Jeff Skilling).
The Executor: disciplined, tireless pursuit of results; uncanny eye for spotting problems; gives excellent feedback and wake-up calls; moves people to action; helps team grow (think Omar Bradley). Risk to the organization: sets unreasonable expectations; micromanages; prone to workaholism and burning out employees; impatient; overly critical; focuses on shortcomings; expresses displeasure, not appreciation (think Jimmy Carter).
The authors offer a self-test for anyone who leads a company or coaches a CEO. The alpha “triangle” involves villain, victim, and hero roles for those who push the limits of their leadership. Commander villains demand extreme loyalty and subservience (think George Bush). Visionary villains believe in a bright shining future that no one else can even glimpse (think Al Gore). Strategist villains are intellectual bullies who think they have all the answers (think Bill O’Reilly). Executor villains are irritating nags, constantly looking over everyone’s shoulder (think your own boss).
Alpha “victims” include: accommodator, complainer, conflict avoider, overwhelmed, poor me, procrastinator, resigned to whatever, and worrywart. Alpha “heroes” include: cheerleader, energizer bunny, flatterer, harmonizer, peacemaker, protector, rescuer, and trooper.
Fully half of the Commanders also have anger, competitiveness, and impatience. Heart attacks and other stress-related diseases are part of the risk factors with alpha commanders. Female commanders are more subtle with their anger and competitive edges, and cloak their anger with more passive-aggressive tactics—e.g. letting a committee recommendation die a slow death. Visionaries can be so far out of the mainstream of the organization, that they can rile everyone into a frenzy with the myriad, random, and disorganized ideas they come up with, expecting staff to execute on every idea with staff burnout a surety. Strategists can be so painstakingly unemotional that people are treated as cogs in a wheel. This John Wayne approach to managing is like sending the first wave of troops up the side of the hill at Imo Jima. Executors can be such micromanagers that no one wants to take on assignments for fear of second-guessing.
The Alpha Male Team (or high performance team) is discussed in terms of coaching groups of alpha males and females who must work together to reach a common goal. Pitfalls abound without an astute group process coach who can pick up on the nuances of group behavior. Clearing the air of anger, resentment, and hostility are key to keeping a group on task. Other tools include healthy competition that places the needs of the group above individual egos; collaboration is another useful tool to build consensus. Opening yourself to feedback and contrary opinions leads to self-disclosure and a level playing field without executive titles and roles.
Helpful Hints:
- Take the Alpha Test in Ludeman and Erlandson’s book to see what subtype alpha male or female you are. What do you want to change about your behavior to be more convincing and genuine to staff and peers?
- Look at the Apprentice show on TV. What alpha type does Donald Trump epitomize? What group dynamic does he encourage for one to be successful?
- Pick a successful company who was in Fortune 100’s fastest growing companies and look for alpha subtypes that complement one another.
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
The Executive Connection SM is a free publication. If you want to continue to receive this Newsletter, you can SUBSCRIBE by clicking here or by sending a blank email message to keith_barton@att.net
with the word SUBSCRIBE in the subject line.
Be assured your name and email address are confidential. We do not sell, rent or share our mailing list with anyone.
Contact Information:
Distribution Rights:
The Executive Connection SM is copyrighted, but you may retransmit or
distribute it to whomever you wish as long as not a single word is changed, added, or deleted, including the contact information. However, you may not copy it to a web site.
Republication of The Executive Connection SM in paper media is encouraged and permitted by individuals, organizations and associations, as long as the issue is reprinted in its entirety, without change, and includes the contact information.
With advance permission, we are happy to edit an issue to fit your space requirements. Republication also is encouraged under other circumstances. However, the advance permission of A. Keith Barton, Ph.D. must be obtained in the event that changes in the text are desired.
The Executive Connection SM Mission:
The Executive Connection SM is dedicated to helping first-time business owners and executives to recognize resistance to change, while they create and manage their own businesses. My goal is to help you transform your vision into a successful business venture with the addition of accountability structures and silent partner.
The Executive Connection SM is a publication of The Virtual Executive Coach SM and Keith Barton, Ph.D.
We would like The Executive Connection SM to be as interactive as possible. If you have feedback, comments, topics you would like addressed, or can suggest additional resources to benefit us all, please email us at any time. Send your e-mail to
keith_barton@att.net
.
Please forward this issue to anyone you think would find The Executive Connection SM interesting and beneficial. Your recommendation helps us keep growing, and ensures an excellent exchange of information and techniques.
Archives:
You can read previous issues of The Executive Connection SM in our archive section.
About Keith Barton, Ph.D
Dr. Barton received his Ph.D. in 1972 from the University of Texas at Austin and has been a practicing therapist for over thirty years. He is a graduate of MentorCoach and is accepting new clients. He has been an adjunct professor at the University of South Carolina, consultant to Fortune 500 companies in executive development, founded and managed Texas Community Living Ventures, Inc., in 1986 for providing group home services to persons with mental retardation, and has been running a clinical practice in Northwest Houston since 1990. He writes part-time with the goal of completing one novel a year. His desire to coach others derives from his passionate interest in helping others become attuned to their creative powers of storytelling.
Dr. Barton has training in coaching, cognitive and family therapy and health psychology. He has published articles, made presentations and conducted workshops about:
Small Business Development
Employee Wellness Programs
Anxiety and achievement
Stress management
Self-esteem
Communication skills
Leadership styles
Core values in the workplace
Executive Development
High-performance groups
Physician support groups
Writer support groups
© 2010
The Virtual Executive Coach SM and Keith Barton.
|
