by Mark De Roo, Advisor
Do certain things stick in your mind? Sure they do. Here’s a headline from my hometown newspaper, the Columbus Dispatch that has stayed in my mind since high school: Sneezing in St. Louis Causes a Thunderstorm in Shanghai. As a weather-wannabe, that headline grabbed me.
In reading the article, it was all about how the pressure exerted when sneezing (obviously, the person has no manners and didn’t cover his/her mouth!) can change the molecular structure of the immediate molecules in the area-which impact the air molecules in the St. Louis area-which then alter the molecular composition of water particles in Missouri-which then change the air environment of the entire Midwest-which then adjusts things for the entire North American continent-which travels ¾ of the way around the world with such force that a thunderstorm is created over the Himalayas and eventually dumps a ton of water on Shanghai. Now, that’s some type of sneeze!
Before you discount such a theory, there’s actually some science behind it. For the readers who opted for physics in high school or college, such science might sound familiar. It’s called quantum physics. The essence of quantum physics is the proposition that all matter is linked through a series of complex arrangements, involving protons and neutrons. Furthermore, these arrangements aren’t static. They form a series of inter-related networks where one alteration will inevitably affect another one-even if it’s half-way around the world.
Such a theory isn’t the sole property of the natural scientists. Social scientists want a piece of the action, too. In numerous studies, it has been noted that the thoughts and expectations of an experimenter can actually cause the experimenter’s outcomes. As such, the power of thought can enable someone to create their own reality.
So, what does this say about “leadership?” Fundamentally, leaders can affect the reality of their organization through the intentional expectations of themselves, their employees, and the culture of the organization. When you walk into the office or the plant, what mood are you projecting? When you are talking to someone, are you truly connected or are you only half-listening? If you really believe in “empowerment,” do you hold your tongue with the answer or are you really willing to let the employee own the potential solution to a problem?
Last year, I coached a Vice-President who received feedback about his moodiness each-and-every morning. One of his supervisors openly informed him that on several occasions, the V-P’s mood shut down his willingness to share some potentially awesome ideas that could improve quality. How unfortunate. What might be even more unfortunate is the potential disposition of that supervisor with his employees or even customers during the rest of the day. If the supervisor isn’t 100%, do you believe his employees will be? Probably not. And if these employees aren’t fully engaged, what could their demeanor be like when they get home with their families?
Whether you want to call it “quantum physics” or the “Domino Effect” or whatever, these connections are all too real. And they’re put into motion by us as leaders.
So, how do leaders do this well? They heed the words of George Dana Broadman who said:
Sow an action, reap a habit.
Sow a habit, reap a character.
Sow a character, reap a destiny.
It all starts with simple actions. But the implications can have huge-almost thunderstorm caliber-effects. What action will you start today?