Inaugurating Hacker In Chief and President Biden – I’m in – are you?
Yesterday, America inaugurated Hacker-in-Chiefs – President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Their mission: to unite and unlock the collective wisdom and potential of America. We need the world to follow suit. Are you in?
Biden said:
'With unity, we can do great things, important things. We can right wrongs, we can put people to work in good jobs, we can teach our children in safe schools. We can overcome the deadly virus, we can rebuild work, we can rebuild the middle class and make work secure, we can secure racial justice…'
He's right. He just didn't get round to mentioning the Hackers-In-Chiefs.
Biden reminded us (not that we needed it) that the world is awash with crisis and need: the planet, the pandemic, racism, truth, inequality, health, education, jobs and business. And trust is in short supply.
At the same time, there is so much potential, knowledge, science and wisdom to unlock – or as, I would say 'Hack'. The opportunities are significant. The world is quite literally in all our hands. The key is to grasp the notion of ‘all’.
There is a growing global rejection of autocracy, division and inequality. People want more justice and more equality. They expect accountability from their leaders. The notion of ‘ruling’ seems to have had its day.
Despite the challenges, I remain eternally optimistic – because every day I get to meet and unlock the brilliance, the wisdom and commitment within teams, places, organisations and communities. They constantly inspire me. I relish every moment of being 'A Hacker-In-Chief'. We just need more of them.
For too long, we have expected leaders to have the answers and mostly (not always) rewarded them for their' personal/individual achievements' not their collective efforts and results. It means that many of them are missing the answers right under their noses – if only they 'hacked' and united the potential of everything around them. Clearly, this is not all leaders – I meet and see examples of great ‘Hackers’ every day. Jacinda Arden in New Zealand is one of many standout examples.
Here is a snapshot of my personal reflections on what makes a great 'Hacker In Chief' and why it's important.
Be at the centre, not at the top
Hackers-in-Chief lead from the centre and brings people together, hacking the diverse, collective wisdom, knowledge, perspectives and experience. That means fellow leaders too. They posses a 'design mindset', seeking to deeply understand the challenge before coming together to create solutions. This is where some skill is needed. Interest in using a 'design thinking' mindset is growing. For us, it's what we do, and we appreciate some leaders need a helping hand with this. If you want to learn how to ‘hack’ give me a call.
Hackers-in-Chief ask difficult questions and listen hard to the answers - particularly the uncomfortable ones. They seek to create alignment and build trust – which underpins collectivism. With collectivism and unity, you have the opportunity to make most things possible – you really do. Biden was right when he said:
'we have never failed when we've acted together'.
This is generally true of most things – we just need constant reminding. Think back to summer last year, in Britain we were happily - (well almost) – in lockdown, working together, clapping for our beloved NHS – the nation was united in a collective spirit. When the scientists and politicians started to publicly disagree – trust was lost, conspiracy theories were rife, and an 'individualistic culture' prevailed. The rest is ‘recent history’.
A Hacker-in-Chief is brave enough to 'stop, look and listen' – that pause can save time, mistakes, money and yes, lives. They help people off their square wheeled bikes and replace them with round ones and a flatter road to travel.
I'm a raving social capitalist. Believing it's the holy grail of win-win, delivering what is good for people, the planet and the bottom line – it's this combination which makes things sustainable too. As a social capitalist, a Hacker-in-Chief can harness the collective power, wisdom and energy to drive greater, lasting potential and change for society and the planet.
Moving to the centre: becoming a Hacker-in-Chief
Changing your perspective of leadership could feel daunting and potentially too much of a risk or too much effort. At times of pressure, it's common to hunker down, stay in our comfort zone and do what we know. Think of this like 'getting fit': it takes some effort and feels a bit uncomfortable at first, but the rewards are worth it. A clearer mind, energy and focus and a body capable of so much more. And yes - many more friends and allies too. That's what 'good hacking' does.
If you want to be a Hacker-in-Chief, there are some essentials. You need to be:
Facilitator, collaborator, co-creator, dot joiner, empathetic guide, translator of needs and a storyteller who unites and takes people with them – focused on the mission. You need to build trust and trust others too. You might want to ask yourself: does this describe you, the people you work with and for?
If you want to shift and apply a 'hack mindset'
Stop, look and listen: apply a design mindset and seek to understand the problem before jumping to the answer.
Keep the pace: stopping to think doesn't mean compromising on pace and progress. It provides focus and ensures things get done.
Focus on the five Cs: culture, connectivity, collaboration, co-production & clarity: connectivity between the mission, people, knowledge, technology and systems; clarity of purpose and roles; commitment to co-produce and collaborate fully and a ‘hack culture’ which respects everyones point of view and creates a safe space within which to be brave.
Finally:
Fall in love with the problem and the skills and insights of others. Relish how you can solve it and relish what you can do together.
Enjoy.
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On holiday in Devon when I first heard Joe Biden was running for president, I was inspired to do my first ever podcast
I discussed why I believe the world needs more Hackers-in-Chiefs. As Joe Biden and Kamala Harris - I believed then - were set to become global leaders. Seeing that become a reality has been a real thrill. Here is the podcast - remember it was my first :) You can listen here: 'Leading by Design' here.
I’d love your views
I would love to hear your views about 'hack leadership', particularly brilliant examples of success or learning from failure. Or if you just want to take me to task or ask a question. I would love to hear from you and your perspective.
Meanwhile, stay safe, stay well and ‘hack some joy’.