What role does emotion play in completing any important mission or objective?

To help clients answer this question, we often put them through a simple test that even the toughest NFL superstars who come to our HQ facility in Orlando Florida typically fail.

The test is administered in small groups of three to five people. The group is given a simple mission - to follow a wilderness trail adjacent to our property for one mile, touch a white fence that crosses the path at the one-mile marker and return to the training center in under 18 minutes. For an elite athlete, running two miles in 18 minutes is hardly challenging.

However, prior to the mission's start, the runners are told to stay alert, as there are water moccasins and alligators in the area. Both can be dangerous and are sometimes on the running path because of a small canal that runs parallel to the trail. A stern reminder is again given to complete the mission - "touch the white fence and return in under 18 minutes." A final warning is made seconds before starting: "Heads up! Pay attention to this. We have wild boars in Florida, and they are mean and aggressive. If you see a wild boar, take appropriate action, but complete the mission!"

With that final instruction, the runners begin the mission… GO!

Take a guess at how they respond...

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September is a time of change for many individuals and organizations. But this year seems exceptionally turbulent for some of our clients. Whether its concerns about merger transitions, massive org restructuring, or shifts in government ministry portfolios - they all trigger some challenging thoughts and emotions.

Everyone faces fears, doubts and obstacles. But how we respond to them will define our leadership legacy. How to ordinary people become extraordinary leaders under extraordinary conditions?

In 1994 two unthinkable tragedies occurred on the University of South Florida's division one tennis team. Within the span of two months, a member of the team, and the coach's own son died.

In a remarkable example of personal leadership, the team captain rallied the players to support the coach and his family in their grieving, pushed them to continue to work hard, and encouraged them to remain focused and positive despite the pain and confusion. Through his leadership, the deaths unified the team, deepened their character, compassion, commitment, and focus on each member. The team finished with an unprecedented top-20 division one national ranking.

How was this achieved?

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This is a survival manual for leaders trying to stay afloat in a constantly changing organization. Robert Quinn's key arguement is that people can effect great change in large organizations only if they first change themselves. This is not a book about change management so much as a new way of thinking about change and how it affects our lives.

In four sections, he defines "deep change," discusses the need for personal change, provides insights into the perceptions of an internally driven leader, and challenges the reader to develop a vision that includes the creation of excellence.

Each chapter is followed by a set of questions that are to be used as springboards to personal and organizational energy management. His book reads easily, and the presentation is inspirational.

Robert Quinn is professor of organizational behavior and human resource management at the Graduate School of Business, University of Michigan and consults with hundreds of organizations, including Fortune 500 companies, public agencies, and volunteer organizations.

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