Making Fierce Conversations Count – In Business and in Life
Fierce CEO, Halley Bock, was interviewed in this Huffington Post article by Colin
Hunter. It was originally posted here.
Continuing the theme of last month's interview with Tim Brown, I have once again revisited my shelf of inspirational leadership books. This month, Halley Bock, President
and CEO of Fierce, Inc., the company behind the best-selling book Fierce
Conversations, Achieving Success at Work and in Life One Conversation at a Time, has
agreed to share some of the insights included in the book.
After reviewing Fierce Conversations in a recent blog post, it became very apparent that
this book is relevant not only to those at CEO level, but to anyone who has ever felt that
there is no room for emotion in the dog-eat-dog business world. As our company is built
on the notion of being refreshingly direct, I was keen to talk to the people behind the
book that has inspired businesses around the globe, and my business in particular.
Although the art of honest conversation might not seem like such a difficult concept,
many leaders struggle to encourage and embrace them. Fortunately, Bock and her team
extol the virtues of making 'fierce conversations' not only a way of conducting business,
but a way of life. The core message of the book is to use exchanges to bring about change
through confrontation, overcoming fear or encouragement of opinion - ultimately
making conversations count. Bock tells us how these concepts can come to life.
How have you been involved with the book, Fierce Conversations, and how
has it shaped your business today?
Fierce Inc. is a global leadership development and training company that drives results
by improving workplace communication. Many of our training curriculums are based
upon the techniques, methodologies, and philosophies explored in both Fierce
Leadership andFierce Conversations.
What is the fundamental premise of the book from your perspective?
The fundamental idea of Fierce Conversations is that there is enormous power in
conversations. Everything we do - our work, our relationships, and in fact, our very lives
- succeed or fail gradually, then suddenly, one conversation at a time.
How do you encourage people to have fierce conversations in business or in
their private life? What holds them back, and what ultimately helps them to
overcome these challenges?
By challenging them to come out from behind themselves and interrogate reality. People
often shy away from asking uncomfortable questions, because they fear what the
answers may be. This procrastination in confronting crucial issues only amplifies the
core problem, leading to further complications.
What was the overall reaction to the book?
The reaction to both books has been very positive to this day. We still get letters from
organisational leaders, business managers, schoolteachers, and others, sharing their
personal stories on how the books have helped them change course and become more
effective team members and team builders.
What makes the Fierce Conversation approach to business/leadership
different?
The Fierce approach has a positive, transformative effect with some very distinct
features. Unlike traditional top-down business and management structures, where
leaders resemble dictators, directing, telling, and imposing their views on organisations,
the Fierce approach is radically different. Employees are invited to participate in
decision-making, and their contributions are encouraged and sought after. This makes
for a more transparent workplace, highly engaged workers, and richer relationships
among co-workers that improve productivity and performance.
What makes the Fierce Conversation approach to business/leadership
sustainable?
Primarily because it does not require costly outside resources, it utilises resources that
organisations always have in their possession - the talent within their workforce.
What other leadership books would you recommend?
Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, which offers an astounding peek into what really makes
great leaders tick. Blue Ocean Strategy by Renée Mauborgne and W. Chan Kim, a gamechanging look at what it means to compete and win. And Good to Great by Jim Collins,
which turns traditional thinking about "what makes an organisation great" on its ear,
supported by irrefutable research.
What predictions do you have for the future with respect to leadership in
business? What will success look like?
I think great leaders of the future will be facing the same problems that our current
leaders face. Driving business results while simultaneously establishing a healthy
work/life balance for their teams.
What advice would you give to up-and-coming business leaders?
New leaders are entering a work environment that can often be impersonal, with
employees working remotely, primarily communicating electronically, and rarely
meeting with co-workers. A leader's ability to connect can be seriously compromised.
Constant, dedicated development of interpersonal skills, such as soliciting other's
perspectives, building teams, and actively listening is crucial in the modern working
world.