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    Woven Leadership
    Woven Leadership
    Woven Leadership
    Ebook109 pages1 hour

    Woven Leadership

    By Kim Box

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    About this ebook

    Introduction to Woven Leadership

    It’s time to start recognizing that leadership comes in all shapes and sizes, demographics and life experiences. We must see diversity as a secret weapon to be exploited in order to build the most successful organization. And we must also acknowledge that acting based on our own authenticity is imperative to weaving together the strength of the very fabric of the organization. We will explore why diversity and authenticity are now requirements for any organization that wants to succeed.
    What does diversity leadership mean to you? Attending an annual seminar to fill a Human Resources requirement? Adding a token minority to the management team? Posting a demographically diverse picture on your web site? After almost three decades of working and leading global operations at Hewlett-Packard, I am here to tell you what “Diversity Leadership” means to me and why it should be important to you and the success of your organization.

    The Real Definition
    Diversity leadership is the art and science of bringing people with different ways of looking at the world together to weave creative solutions. Those alternative points of view can come from growing up in different cultures, generations or business units. You see, divergent perspectives come from more than differences in race, gender, sexual orientation or age. Everyone looks at the world through the lens of his or her own personal experience. All of those perspectives can contribute to developing and implementing innovative ways of solving problems and doing business. That is why it is essential to have lots of different points of view around the table.
    The most important challenge for today’s leader is to stress the positives of colorful, inclusive teams while smoothing out the wrinkles that can pop up when team members clash in approach and style. Like a modern-day Rumpelstiltskin, today’s leader has to be able to take the raw materials of varied skilled employees and spin them into the gold of an efficient organization.

    A Strong Framework
    This process of diversity leadership goes by many names, but I call it Woven Leadership because it emphasizes the big picture company goals while capitalizing on the unique contributions each team member makes every day.
    No magic spell exists for turning straw into gold. Similarly, effective diversity leadership is not a simple sleight of hand. It is about taking the time to put in place a solid framework that brings together a well-rounded team based on trust. Individuals are accountable for reaching individual goals and everyone works for the good of the organization. Once those supports are in place, a good leader can weave in a culture based on creativity, adaptability and authentic expression. That is how effective leaders change the game to be successful in dynamic industries.
    In the next seven chapters, I will share the stories from my experience as a leader and anecdotes from other leaders as the basis for stringing together strong teams. I am passionate about sharing my message that diversity is critical to any organization and its mission.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherKim Box
    Release dateJan 20, 2011
    ISBN9781935953159
    Woven Leadership
    Author

    Kim Box

    After a long and rewarding career as an IT executive, Kim Box decided she was ready for a change. She had the desire to share her passion about leadership focused on diversity and authenticity. She left her corporate career and embarked on writing Woven Leadership with the intention to inspire both aspiring and experienced leaders to look at diversity as a competitive imperative. She wrote the book, Woven Leadership, to fulfill this goal and is now speaking at events and forums. She also facilitates a large and inclusive on-line community with engaging and up-to-date dialog on leadership and diversity on her website - www.kimboxinspires.com

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      Book preview

      Woven Leadership - Kim Box

      WOVEN LEADERSHIP

      Organization for Success

      By:

      KIM BOX

      Published by Authority Publishing at Smashwords

      Copyright © 2011 by Kim Box. All rights reserved.

      Smashwords Edition, License Notes

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional when appropriate. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, personal, or other damages.

      1. Business & Economics : Leadership 2. Business & Economics : Organizational Behavior 3. Business & Economics : Management - General ISBN: 978-1-935953-15-9

      Cover design by Vanessa Perez

      Original Copyright © 2011 by Kim Box

      Revised Edition

      This book is available in print at www.kimboxinspires.com

      Dedicated to my mom and dad, who have been an inspiration to me throughout my life. Thank you for the gift of setting such a wonderful example.

      CONTENTS

      Acknowledgements

      Foreword

      The Loom

      1. Introduction to Woven Leadership

      Section I: The Warp

      2. Building in Diversity

      3. Trust and Integrity at the Center

      4. Accountability Is Key

      Section II: The Weft

      5. Creativity Runs Through It

      6. The Adaptable Team

      7. The Authentic Leader

      The Fringe

      8. Afterword — Leading with Purpose

      Notes

      ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

      There are many notable people who have been a part of my journey over the years. Each one has led to the writing of this leadership book. While I cannot recount every person, I do want to acknowledge that learning and growing comes from many different situations — some are positive, some are a struggle — but in the end they are all formative in our evolution. I would like to thank all of those people along my path — you have a part in the making of this book.

      To all of those who graciously contributed through interviews and questions to help bring my thoughts and experiences to life: Fred Arcuri, Dr. Amerish Bera, Roger Box, Tara Bunch, Nora Denzel, Robert Farrell, Sandra Goldstine, Sushma Nagaraj, Jyoti Narula, Martin Nivinski, Nicole Nivinski, Dr. Claire Pomeroy, Larry Welch, Michael Ziegler.

      To JT Long, my publishing consultant: without your guidance, expertise and perseverance to meet our schedule and guidelines this book would most likely still be in the making. You have been the epitome of professionalism and excellence in traveling this journey with me. I am so grateful that I had you as my partner to make my thoughts, ideas and passions come to life in this book.

      To all my early readers — Dejan Milojicic, Avinash R. Mugali, Paul A. Ridge, Joe Robertson and Barbara Wakefield: thank you for your invaluable feedback with the finishing touches.

      And lastly, special thanks to my husband, Craig Robertson, who has given solid support for this project and all the time I spent sequestered in my office! You are a joy in my life, each and every day.

      Foreword

      Writing a book about diversity and authenticity was not part of my long-term career plan. I was busy managing my team all over the world, raising a family and trying to be a productive member of my community. Along the way, I had a lot of time to think about what makes an effective leader. I have seen and experienced many types of leadership, some strong and successful, some weak and ineffective. They all contributed to my understanding of what is required to be a true leader. Over and over again, one of the defining features of a person who wins where others fail is the ability to embrace the concepts of diversity and authenticity.

      I know, two easy words to say, but they carry a great deal of weight and must be deployed with care. To reap the benefits of a diverse organization, an authentic leader must move forward with awareness, foresight and a goal-oriented approach. Diversity cannot be a good intention that goes unmanaged. Every step must be part of a unified plan.

      Likewise, coming into your own authentic self is a process to be nurtured. We all know that personal growth is a lifelong evolution. It takes thoughtful contemplation at various times in our lives to understand what we are all about and how we want to show up in the world. This is a key aspect to being a strong leader — knowing yourself and honoring all of the uniqueness that you bring to your everyday actions. Only then can you embrace the uniqueness of all of those around you and own the power of leading a diverse organization.

      The good news is that all this hard work can result in a competitive edge that homogenous teams could never achieve. Diversity yields far greater creative solutions to business challenges by opening the door to an array of views from a world of perspectives. In today’s business climate, that creative advantage can mean the difference between the success and the failure of an organization.

      That is why I decided that I had to write this book. Diversity in the workplace is no longer something it would be nice to have. It is an imperative. Those who understand the power of a diverse, authentic organization are the ones who will shape the future. We have left one century and entered into a new one, and it is time to leave behind some old ways of thinking and move forward to explore new ideas that will serve us well going into the future.

      I hope that by sharing my passion and the best practices of some of the people I admire most in the field of diversity leadership, I can inspire at least one person to pursue the authentic path. Our world is coming together as never before. The more we understand the power of diversity and operate from our authentic selves, the better off our companies and communities will be today and tomorrow. That openness to the value each person can contribute every day is the basis of Woven Leadership.

      The Loom

      "Strength lies in differences, not in similarities."

      —Stephen R. Covey

      Chapter 1

      Introduction to Woven Leadership

      "If we are to achieve a richer culture, rich in contrasting values,

      we must recognize the whole gamut of human potentialities,

      and so weave a less arbitrary social fabric, one in which each

      diverse human gift will find a fitting place." —Margaret Mead

      It’s time to start recognizing that leadership comes in all shapes

      and sizes, demographics and life experiences. We must see

      diversity as a secret weapon to be exploited in order to build the

      most successful organization. And we must also acknowledge that

      acting based on our own authenticity is imperative to weaving

      together the strength of the very fabric of the organization. We

      will explore why diversity and authenticity are now requirements

      for any organization that wants to succeed.

      What does diversity leadership mean to you? Attending

      an annual seminar to fill a Human Resources requirement?

      Adding a token minority to the management team? Posting

      a demographically diverse picture on your web site? After

      almost three decades of working and leading global operations

      at Hewlett-Packard, I am here to tell you what "Diversity

      Leadership" means to me and why it should be important to you

      and the success of your organization.

      The Real Definition

      Diversity leadership is the art and science of bringing people with different ways of looking at the world together to weave creative solutions. Those alternative points of view can come from growing up in different cultures, generations or business units. You see, divergent perspectives come from more than differences in race, gender, sexual

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