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Inspiration Leadership

On Creativity, Joy and Inspiration for Leaders

One of the things that I love is learning about new resources that will inspire and support leaders. Sometimes these resources are books, increasingly they are podcast episodes and music, and often they are practices that help leaders create an environment for themselves and their teams that support whatever their goals are.

Lately, I’ve been asking my clients and friends for the resources that are giving them the most inspiration and support right now. Their ideas inspired me to create this blog post and to share them with you.

Insights on an Environment That Inspires Creativity

Sam Gutsch, CMO of California Closets and a dear friend, was inspired by “The Daily Show’s Secret to Creativity,” an episode from organizational psychologist Adam Grant’s WorkLife podcast and is bringing what she learned into her own team meetings.

The story takes us behind the scenes of The Daily Show and reveals a creative team of 30 writers, producers, and on-air talent that starts each day with a blank page and ends up with 22 minutes of great comedy. In the words of Grant, “Four days a week, they make a show that millions of people watch. I want to know how they pull that off because usually big groups are where creativity goes to die.”

Decades of evidence document that brainstorming doesn’t work. Groups produce fewer and worse ideas than the same people working alone. People tend to silence themselves out of a fear of looking stupid. Some people dominate the conversation, with the effect of silencing others. And then there’s the tendency people have of getting behind the boss’s favorite idea.

The Daily Show’s creative team has overcome these problems. Grant takes us into the writer’s room and shows us how. You have to listen to the episode, but two big takeaways for any leader stand out.

  1. To encourage creativity, there needs to be a high level of psychological safety on the team and it’s the leader’s job to create this. 
You’ll get to hear Trevor Noah setting the tone.

  2. Teams create best when they have a structure that helps keep the group focused. 
You’ll hear about the rules of when and how the Daily Show’s team works together each day.

Finding Joy During Life’s Inevitable Suffering

Joe Morris, a leader in grass-fed beef farming and a new friend, approaches his life and work with two key values in mind:

  1. Treat others with respect

  2. Be of service to the community in all its aspects, from health to the environment

He’s been drawing inspiration from The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World, which captures a five-day conversation between good friends and Noble Peace Prize Laureates, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. They discuss the question “How do we find joy in the face of life’s inevitable suffering?”

Like everyone, leaders suffer. They face failures, losses, hardships, and boredom. To lead well, they need to be resilient and find optimism and joy, especially in moments of difficulty.

Both the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu have been tested by great personal and national adversity, and in this book they share their personal stories of struggle and renewal. Now that they are both in their eighties, they especially want to spread the core message that to have joy yourself, you must bring joy to others.

Learning to Listen to See

James Flaherty is the founder of the New Ventures West coaching school and a good friend, teacher, mentor and now colleague (I am enjoying being an adjunct faculty with one of James’ professional coaching certification classes). James brings a depth of wisdom, kindness, and uplifting creativity to coaching that is truly unique.

Senior leaders are charged with seeing multiple dimensions of a situation—including those that are hidden. It’s difficult to do this well because it requires different parts of the brain to work together in a unified way. The emotional brain needs to be able to register gut feelings and intuitions. The relational part of the brain needs to listen to what others are saying and not saying. The thinking brain needs to be able to grasp problems and potential solutions.

One of the ways that James helps his clients to develop the ability to see multiple dimensions simultaneously is through listening to music. Different parts of our brain respond to the lyrics than to the timbre, rhythm or emotion. Shifting attention between different elements and the “zooming out” to the gestalt of the song helps strengthen the brain’s capacity to unify the experience, making us better able to appreciate more dimensions of a situation.

One song he often shares is Another Train sung by the Poozies.

The lyrics speak to loss and failure—experiences everyone has, but which can leave leaders feeling very alone. The music starts off feeling sad, slow and heavy before shifting into another mood. What range of feeling arises when you listen? Can you identify how different elements of the music affect you? Music can be a powerful teacher—and all you need to do is listen.

Lessons from Four US Presidents + One First Lady

I became an American citizen after the election of President Obama because I wanted to be committed to the country he envisioned. As Presidential Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin says, history reminds us of who we are and in this turbulent time, I know that I am not alone in wanting to better understand and have faith in this country’s leadership history.

Two of my favorite books of the moment are Doris Kearns Goodwin’s new bestseller, Leadership in Turbulent Times and Michelle Obama’s new bestseller, Becoming.

Leadership in Turbulent Times profiles the four presidents that Goodwin has written about extensively and studied most closely—Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Lyndon Johnson—all of whom led the country during uncommon adversity.

The book outlines each man’s formative years, shares how each overcame devastating reversals and provides a step-by-step analysis of his greatest leadership success. It’s great, insightful storytelling.

Becoming tells the compelling story of Michelle Obama’s life and provides an honest, revealing perspective on the experience of being the spouse of the first Black president and her thoughtful approach to the role of the first lady.

These four presidents and the first lady all had different backgrounds, abilities, and temperaments, but they all led in a way that enlarged the opportunities and lives of others. In a time when our President represents the worst of our natures, these books show us that those who lead us can remind us as President Lincoln did in his First Inaugural Address, that it is possible to lead “by the better angels of our nature.”

Goodwin’s and Obama’s insights inspire me as an American and in my work with leaders, and provide fresh roadmaps for leaders in any field. More than anything, they are important reads right now.

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Inspiration Leadership

What my mother-in-law, Sandra Day O’Connor, taught me about leadership

I have the privilege to work closely with many leaders and to observe how they navigate their worlds effectively so that others are committed and together something better is created—whether that is new policy and programs, or breakthrough technologies and services.

Sixteen years ago, I married Jay O’Connor, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s youngest son. As part of the O’Connor family, I have had many blessings. One has been to observe the many qualities that make my mother-in-law such an effective and beloved leader. No doubt, you are familiar with her service on the US Supreme Court. But her work with iCivics, which she founded in 2009, is equally inspiring to me.

Retiring from the Supreme Court

Sandra chose to step down from the court in 2006 at age 76 to care for her husband, John. As his Alzheimer’s advanced, she asked herself what she would do with the rest of her life.

Justice Sandra Day O’Connor with other members of the Supreme Court

This was a hard moment for her: she had given up work that was deeply meaningful. Jay and I were with her one day when she wondered with great sadness if her time of contribution was over.

Before long, she gave birth to iCivics, a nonprofit that brings civics education alive for young people. She had become very worried by what she saw as a growing lack of understanding among citizens about the fundamental concepts of our government, our Constitution, and the importance of civic engagement.

Creating Something from Nothing

When she dug into this problem, she saw that civics education had largely disappeared from US school curricula. Her vision was to develop a solution that wouldn’t simply educate students but would inspire them to participate in democracy.

iCivics was Sandra’s vision to inspire kids to participate in democracy

Rather than revive the old civics lesson plans, she was inspired by Silicon Valley to create interactive video games that would teach young people how government works.

The idea of gaming as a teaching tool was in its infancy and she knew nothing about it, but Sandra learned and created an organization that solves an important societal problem and that brought a new mission to her life. She worked passionately on behalf of iCivics—giving speeches around the country, raising money and providing direction—until very recently.

Today, the iCivics program provides quality, non-partisan, and truly engaging civic education to more than half of all middle and high school students in all 50 states. My husband Jay and his brothers Scott and Brian are continuing to carry the torch for iCivics, along with a very dedicated staff and Board that includes Justice Sonia Sotomayor. In the Fox TV interview below, Jay shares his mother’s passion about iCivics.

While Sandra has had many big moments, I want to share a few small, personal ones that have taught me important lessons of leadership.

1 | Service

Serving others is in her bones. In the first year of his presidency, President Obama awarded Sandra the Presidential Medal of Freedom. As part of the celebration, each award recipient had a private conversation with the President.

We asked her what they talked about. Sandra said, “I told him that we needed more women on the Supreme Court.” In a moment that was a celebration of her, where the conversation could have been about her, she chose to speak about what she believed the country needed.

2 | Relationships

Sandra built and maintains strong relationships. At every organization she has been involved in, she has lived her philosophy that the key to making things happen is bringing people with different perspectives together to get to know and understand one another.

On the Supreme Court, her colleague, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg said about Sandra: “She has done more to promote collegiality among the court’s members, and with our counterparts abroad, than any other Justice, past or present.”

In fact, she makes friends from all walks of life. In 2004, I joined her on a safari in South Africa and Botswana organized by Kathleen Smalley, one of her first law clerks. It was my mother-in-law’s first trip to South Africa—she had been invited many times, but would not go when the country was under Apartheid.

Sandra Day O’Connor visits the South African Supreme Court and the Apartheid museum

She was deeply moved by our visit to the South African Supreme Court where she heard stories about the work her counterparts were doing to establish constitutional law in the country.

What sticks out most in my mind from that trip was how much Sandra connected with our safari guide, Anthony Bennett (known as Ant). Sandra appreciated Ant’s commitment to and knowledge of African wildlife. When she heard that he had never been to the U.S, she invited him to visit her in Washington DC. Ant ended up staying in her home and then staying with the O’Connors in Phoenix and with us in San Francisco.

She went all out for her friends, both new and old, and it’s something that I saw and experienced many times.

3 | Play

Sandra worked hard throughout her life. While undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer, she didn’t miss a day of work on the Court. But she also loved to play.

She has an enormous appetite for sports (skiing, golfing, tennis, fly fishing, dancing), the arts (music, theater, fine art) and travel. And she loves to laugh until the tears roll down her cheeks.

Play and laughter were essential elements of her leadership. They recharged and rejuvenated her so that she could keep showing up to do the hard work with energy and passion. Play is something that some leaders struggle with, but Sandra showed me how important it is.

Heather Corcoran with Sandra Day O'Connor
Kathleen Smalley, Sandra and I off to play

The Humanity of Leadership

Clearly much has been written about Sandra’s intelligence, commitment, energy, and mastery of constitutional law. The qualities of creativity, service, caring and play that I witnessed were ones that brought her humanity to her tremendous skill.

That humanity is very present today in her openness about stepping back from the active life she loved due to dementia. Anyone who has had a loved one with dementia, and more than 5.7 million Americans do, knows it is hard for everyone. So in this time of transition, we are grateful to be open about this condition and to hear how Sandra has touched others. With this, I want to add my voice to appreciating her and remembering the power of her lessons.

To honor her and in gratitude for the work I have the privilege of doing with creative and caring leaders, I am making a contribution to iCivics. If you are so moved to join me, the whole O’Connor family and iCivics thank you!

More on Sandra Day O’Connor

To learn more about Sandra Day O’Connor and her legacy visit the resources below:

  1. Learn more about iCivics + how to support their work with a charitable donation

  2. Sandra Day O’Connor’s letter to America about her dementia and personal thoughts | New York Times, October 23, 2018

  3. Interview with Jay O’Connor about his mother’s legacy | CBS This Morning, October 25, 2018

  4. Life’s Work: An Interview with Sandra Day O’Connor | Harvard Business Review, December 2013

  5. First | An intimate, inspiring, and authoritative biography of Sandra Day O’Connor, drawing on exclusive interviews and first-time access to archives by New York Times bestselling author, Evan Thomas.

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Leadership Teamwork

Lessons in Leadership and Teamwork from the Thai Cave Rescue

Like many, I closely followed the Thai soccer team trapped in Tham Luang Cave. I have a 14-year-old soccer player and this story, while more than 7,000 miles away, felt close to home. The potential for tragedy was heart-sickening.

When it was announced that the boys and their heroic Navy SEAL rescuers were out of the cave, I felt such inspiration and gratitude. More than anything, I was awed by the leadership and teamwork of those who were called to help in a mission that by all accounts seemed impossible. The New York Times and Times of London each published detailed stories that demonstrate just how astonishing this rescue was.

Rescuers carry life-saving oxygen tanks through cave complex | PONGMANAT TASIRI/EPA

We’ve heard a great deal about the extraordinary people whose love of and expertise in cave diving made the miracle possible, but there were many others who came together and played a part. The New York Times reported that 10,000 people from around the world participated, including 2,000 soldiers, 200 divers and representatives from 100 government agencies.

Teamwork, Collaboration + Success out of Chaos

How was such collaboration possible from such chaos and complexity? How did a diverse team of experts work together to come to an answer better than any one of them could have come to alone? The leaders I work with may not face such life and death odds, but the questions are similar.

It’s been some weeks since the rescue, but I keep thinking about how it was accomplished against all odds. Three lessons from this beautiful story of heroic leadership continue to strike me and I want to share them along with some related resources to help you do extraordinary things.

Experts working together delivered an astonishing rescue | Corcoran Leadership
Lead with Values

Topline | The diverse people involved in the Thai cave rescue—from the international divers to the engineers who worked on draining the water to volunteers doing laundry—were united by values that called them to help. Values such as service, connection and supporting the wellbeing of others.

These values inspired them to rise above their own self-interest to make such a harrowing and complex rescue possible. They were very clear about why they were there.

Leadership Values Resource | People who lead from their own human-centered values are able to inspire and unite others to do astonishing things. The act of connecting with our values is an ongoing practice, a way of continuing to anchor us to who we really are, and it’s particularly helpful in challenging times.

Defining the values that inspire your behavior can bring depth and humanity to your leadership. What are the values that mean the most to you?

  • Creativity?
  • Loyalty?
  • Learning?
  • Family?
  • Community?

How do these connect to the work you’re doing?

One of my favorite resources to help leaders clarify and connect more deeply with their values is The Leadership Challenge Values Cards.

Designed especially for leaders, these cards are a companion to The Leadership Challenge, one of the three must have leadership books that I often recommend.

Create a Structure that Encourages Collaboration

Topline | Leading teams across multiple boundaries like geography, culture, and function is messy and conflict-filled. Yet that’s exactly what is required for high stakes work, whether organizing a complex rescue, addressing global issues such as climate change or developing brand new technology. It matters how you structure your teams.

Teamwork Resource | One of the resources that I love to recommend to leaders is chapter six of Amy Edmondson’s Teaming: How Organizations Learn, Innovate and Compete in a Knowledge Economy. It recounts the effort to rescue 33 Chilean miners in 2010 which spanned 69 days and included the cooperation of three separate drilling rig teams, nearly every Chilean government ministry, NASA and a dozen corporations from around the world.

Edmondson describes the way these diverse groups worked together through clear agreements to make the impossible happen. She also outlines how leaders can apply this learning to their challenging work. It’s a great read, loaded with practical tools and suggestions.

Cultivate an Inner Calm

Topline | The young boys in the cave were taught meditation by their coach to help them stay calm. In moments of stress and challenge, our minds can either work for us or against us.

Many brilliant leaders I have worked with had patterns of blowing up in meetings and shutting others down. In the face of high stakes and tight timelines, they were often frustrated by what they saw to be ignorance, incompetence, fearfulness, or lack of integrity in their colleagues. While their frustration may have been legitimate, their emotional reactivity got in the way of their ability to bring out the best in others.

Thai Soccer Team in Cave
The cave boys were taught meditation to help them stay calm | Corcoran Leadership

Leadership Presence Resource | RJ Jennings is a black belt in Aikido who has a wise and gentle presence that fills the room. I often bring him into an engagement when I have a client who wants to learn how to manage more effectively in chaos and conflict.

At its core, all the work of a leader—teamwork, collaboration, conflict etc.—is a physical experience, but many of us tend to ignore our bodies and focus on what’s going on in our heads. Learning to tap into the wisdom and power of the body can help you to navigate stress and challenge more skillfully.

RJ teaches a practice called Leadership Embodiment that brings Aikido off the mat and into practices to support leaders. It is a powerful way to work with your body to cultivate an inner calm in the midst of stress, conflict, and challenge. If you’re looking for a way to become more mindful and sitting on cushion either seems unappealing or hasn’t worked for you, this is an excellent choice.

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Leadership

Leader of the Year

With the year drawing to an end, I wanted to close the loop by sharing an example of someone who showed themselves worthy of consideration as leader of the year. By highlighting this not widely known leader, it may give you ideas for new directions to take your leadership in the new year.

How a leader of the year stands out.

John Evans was an exceptional Canadian leader who died in February of 2015 at the age of 85. I want to highlight not what he did in this year particularly, but his leadership over his lifetime. His obituary from the Toronto Star serves as an excellent window into his revolutionary contributions and visionary approach.

When he was only 35, Evans was asked to start a new medical school at McMaster University in Canada and rather than replicating the other schools around the country, he created an entirely new model. Instead of having students learn anatomy by rote, he introduced them to real patients in their first semester and had them research diagnosis and treatment.

The “McMaster model” is now hailed as one of the greatest innovations in medicine and widely imitated around the world.

Evans brought this visionary approach to all of the organizations he led, including Canadian biotech pioneer Allelix, the University of Toronto and the Rockefeller Foundation. He also founded MaRS, an innovation hub in Toronto.

He was a model of what Jim Collins calls a Level 5 Leader. They have vision, creativity, humility, an ability to collaborate and can build organizations that outlive them. As former University of Toronto President, John Prichard said about John Evans, “He spent his entire life serving, using his abundant talent to make the world better.”

What is so inspiring about this leader?

John Evans was my uncle. He showed me that it’s possible for a leader to make contributions to entirely different types of organizations and sectors (he advocated changing jobs every seven years!). Most significantly I will always remember the warm way in which he connected with people and was able to inspire others to serve a bigger purpose. He was an empathetic and visionary leader who demonstrated the power of bringing a clear vision, curiosity, kindness and a sense of humor to his work.

When working with CEO’s and other executive level clients who are seeking breakthroughs for their organizations, I often call John to mind as a model of what’s possible and how he measures up to be a leader of the year. I am grateful to have loved and been loved by such a great human being, and I miss him.

Learn more about John Evans and his leadership.

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