Find the diamond in the rough

By William Seidman In Amsterdam I had the opportunity to visit Coster Diamonds. For 170 years, they have been transforming milky raw diamonds into clear brilliant jewels; some of their creations are in Royal collections. The company’s cutters can examine a jagged rock and envision what it could become. Then, they perform the correct cuts to realize their vision and transform the rock into a jewel. Company transformations also require the ability to see and realize potential. In Affirmative Leadership programs, several different people must have the vision and skill to transform raw data gathered from the top performers, or positive deviants, into learning programs that produce other great leaders. This happens in stages. First, top performers must be encouraged to share their own learning experiences. These raw learning experiences are then converted into engaging learning tasks. This work is based on the latest findings from the neuroscience of learning. Next, traditional and behavioral measures of tracking success are merged into precise new systems. Finally, managers are transformed into great coaches by showing them how to teach others to embrace the positive deviant wisdom as their own. When the knowledge and skill of your star performers is transformed into concrete and engaging learning tasks, others within your organization can learn how to become great leaders, too. The process may reveal more “diamonds” among your management team than you ever thought possible!    ]]>