Hi Bob,

I hope the situtaion is easing a bit over time.

The strategy I’d suggest is that you look for ways to reposition yourself in the eyes of your former colleagues by discussing, or otherwise making evident, the new work you’re doing.  It’s much easier to say that you’re not able to help if it’s in the context of other work that must be done.  Perhaps out-of-office messages that state that you’re out all week at a training program?  Or an email to your old team asking their input on a new course you’re designing?  Any way you can politely remind them that you have a full commitment to your new responsibilities should help reduce the number of times they turn to you.

Best wishes for success in your new role.

Warmly,

Tammy

Filed under: Leadership | Published: 01/15/11

Thanks, Sharon.  What a great role you have!  It’s unusual to find someone who explicitly defines their mission the way you do.  But you’ve got your eye on the critical elements of success in today’s economy.  I think of a leader’s job today as being that of encouraging just a few more people every day to invest just a little more discretionary energy toward the organization’s goals.  Doing that requires both a compelling question (or vision, or quest) and trust based relationships among individuals. 

Warm wishes,

Tammy

Filed under: Leadership | Published: 06/17/09

Dear SP,

That’s an interesting question.  There are a number of extraordinary women thought leaders in the area, but I’ve never considered whether there is a distinctly feminine perspective on innovation and leadership.  Let me offer some suggestions regarding people whose work you may enjoy exploring – I’d love to hear from you whether you find a shared point of view among their perspectives.

Lynda Gratton, a professor at London Business School (and, in the interest of full disclosure, a dear friend and frequent co-author) studies organizations that excel at innovation.  Her book Hot Spots, based in part on research that she and I conducted together on team collaboration, outlines the characteristics of teams that have that special spark of creativity and commitment.  She has written a number of other books on leadership; one of my favorite is The Democratic Organization, in which she outlines the challenges posed by today’s work environments.

Herminia Ibarra is a professor in Leadership and Learning and faculty director of the INSEAD Leadership Initiative.  She is an expert on professional and leadership development and has written a wonderful book called Working Identity: Unconventional Strategies for Reinventing Your Career (Harvard Business School Press, 2003) that documents how people reinvent themselves at work, as well as numerous articles on innovation, networking, career development, women’s careers and professional identity.

Teresa Amabile is a professor at Harvard Business School. Originally educated as a chemist, she investigates how life inside organizations can influence people and their performance. Originally focusing on individual creativity, her research has expanded to encompass team creativity and organizational innovation.

My first book, Third Generation R&D, focused on building innovative organizations.  Two of my recent articles, both co-authored with Lynda Gratton, address important aspects of this topic:  “What It Means to Work Here” Harvard Business Review, March 2007 and “Eight Ways to Build Collaborative Teams” Harvard Business Review, November 2007.

Happy reading!

Warmly,

Tammy

Filed under: Leadership | Published: 05/13/09