With the passing of the presidency to Raul Castro, the world is abuzz about Cuba’s future and how the U.S. should or could play a role. It’s all about leadership, the styles and the strategies.

Fidel is not gone, and will no doubt still have a say.  Raul is known to be less charismatic and more pragmatic.  He has spoken of including others in decisions, more of a team approach.  And in the past year, he has involved the citizens, capturing their complaints from forums around the country.

Acknowledging citizens’ pleas for livable wages, Raul agrees something needs to be done. He cautions that for stability sake, change will have to come slow.  That is a reasonable message, considering the current economic situation and the U.S. embargo.

As for the U.S., it would be wise to observe and learn before making assumptions. There are many pieces of social infrastructure that work in Cuba.  Understanding all that is Cuba today could change attitudes and strategies.

Beyond the economics of day to day survival, Cubans don’t have many gripes. They are among the most literate countries of the world.  They have neighborhood doctors and architects; unfortunately they lack medicine and building supplies. They are rich in culture, as the arts are embraced and valued as much as anything.

Your Havana taxi driver most likely has a degree in medicine or engineering.  In Cuba a taxi driver can earn more than a doctor.  Tips are the uncontrolled variable and wage multiplier. Musicians also fare well.

 Cubans are hungry, not just for healthier and more plentiful food, but for many of the things we take for granted.  Water is often captured from rain, and when it doesn’t rain, there are no showers, no water for plants. There are no stores with shelves full of product. There are no malls. There is not a lot of choice.

This hunger for more and better could make Cuba easy prey for large corporations. Current practices by some large U.S. firms around the world validate the term “prey” and spark thoughts of humanitarian sins. And while the U.S. government is blind to these practices, it condemns and isolates Cuba for inhumane acts.

There is room for much leadership within and from outside Cuba.  Letting go of the past, understanding the present, and focusing on steps of progress for the future is what is needed.

            I was reading some leadership tips from Bill Gates the other day.  He recommends taking two retreats every year to develop long-range strategies.

Not a bad idea.  My mind didn’t feel the need to ponder such a common sense idea for long and leaped to thoughts of the extended sabbaticals that were popular for CEOs in the 1990s.

            I remember reading about some CEOs who left their jobs behind for up to a year.  The goal was to do nothing related to the job, to drain the brain of all job consciousness.  The idea being that we need to grow, learn new things, and expand our realm of experience without any interference of the office pressures.

            It follows the same philosophy that has colleges and universities requiring some general studies to graduate.  A broad perspective and knowledge base better equips us to think, problem solve and maintain a healthy perspective. It seems silly to end that with the days of formal study.

            I did several searches only to discover that the brain drain still means the CEO leaves his job, but its current meaning includes permanently.Considering the dwindling of the talent pool, the brain drain of this decade may be a good reason to practice the brain drain of the past.

            Further searches provided evidence that longer sabbatical leaves are still being practiced, and prove to be beneficial to the individual and the organization.  Retention was cited as a key reason among companies allowing the lengthier leaves, saying it provided a kind of pressure valve.

            Lynn Charytan, a partner and vice chair of the communications and e-commerce department in the Washington law firm of  WilmerHale, took the summer off to be a Mom.  That opportunity was missing from her life.

            The firm’s sabbatical policy allowed employees of seven years to take a one-time three-month paid vacation to follow whatever dream they wished.

            “To be able to just put all of yourself in one place and have peace there, I thought was such a wonderful gift,” Charytan said.

            Another attorney, Michael Hodes of a Baltimore firm, found it refreshing to take six weeks of leave.   “I had a whole different vision when I came back – you’re not quite as myopic as you are day to day. … You look at your people in a whole different way.” Hodes recommends the practice for management in general, not just law firms.

            Sabbaticals have also been used as a tool of transition, when someone is moving from position to another. Dan Northover of the interactive design firm of Global Beach, was told to take some time away before assuming a new role at the firm.   He spent his time exploring Vietnam, Cambodia and Burma.  He didn’t leave all thoughts of work behind, though.  He found Vietnam was more advanced than he had thought and Burma showed him the extreme of the digital divide.

            Most of all, perspective is what Northover found.  “Very often something that isn’t really important gets blown into a big issue. Spending time away gave me a perspective on that,” he said.

            But that’s not all it did for Northover.  It helped him relinquish his old role.  “Going away for five weeks helped me to let go and allowed others to take over.”

            That was true for Daryl Willcox, too.  Founder of the internet company, Daryl Willcox Publishing, Willcox was moving from CEO to chairman of the board.  He took four weeks for flying helicopters, traveling and family time.  While he was gone, his successor had the freedom to make his place in the company.

            Willcox said he returned with renewed enthusiasm for the business, and a decision to spend less time in the office.  Only one day is spent in the office, the rest of the time he is with customers or writing white papers at home.

            While not widespread, the day of the longer sabbatical may be coming with more flexibility overall in the work place.  Businesses often think they can’t afford such practices.  Yet the competition for talent may prove such policies are more affordable than higher wages.

            What do executives think?  How do you balance the cost and benefit of a sabbatical policy?        

Remember the “Nowhere Man in his Nowhere Land making Nowhere Plans”? Well, he “Doesn’t have a point of view, Knows not where he’s going.” His relevance and that of those song lyrics continues. The Beatles and their messages live on.

Recognized for their never-ending influence, The Beatles were spotlighted on the 50^th Anniversary of the Grammys. Through music, The Beatles produced images and became role models that extended the boundaries of lifestyle, politics and business.

They challenged practices and beliefs with optimism and a philosophy of personal freedom. Their message translates as well in the business world as it does around the world. As cultural historian Steven Stark said, “They represented freedom, the idea that one person can make a difference, that the whole is greater than some of its parts.” citing song titles such as Come Together, All You Need is Love, All Together Now, We Can Work it Out.

Allowing individuals to make a difference is the key to attracting the best talent to the workplace. Purpose in life and work is the all powerful motivator, and The Beatles played to that basic human need. Businesses that understand and practice this will find people at all levels of the organization are among the best for any particular job and that they truly do make a difference.

Not stopping there, however, The Beatles sang of assembling the individuals to work together toward a common purpose. Around the world, freedom-loving people came together for revolutions in Prague, Warsaw, Beijing, Bucharest, Berlin and Moscow. What a powerful model for the work place… a unifying mission and a team to accomplish it.

They are such basic concepts. Common sense really. So if it’s not your reality, can’t you just Imagine.

He didn’t need a two by four.  He had me off-balance, head reeling and stomach churning in the utterance of his first few words of feedback.  It was evaluation time again.  The name of the game was surprises.

            I struggled to remember as I tried to recover from the first blow…  Something about a project completed 10 months ago.  OUCH… surprise No. 2 sends me into oblivion… No hope of responding.

            Bosses will tell you they never save all their concerns until the annual review; employees will counter just the opposite. It is one example of workplace communication that doesn’t follow the Golden Rule: Treat others the way you want to be treated.  However, bosses aren’t the only ones to break this common sense rule. Surprises send them into head spins all too often as well.

            The topic of communication between bosses and employees was popular among blog entries (Execupundit.com) and articles I encountered this week.  Everything from the transparency of bosses to the “please understand me” plea from both perspectives.

            Not so amazing, the “please understand me” lists were quite similar from both boss and employee. They both ask the other to understand:

            n I’m under enormous pressure from others.

            n I have to juggle the concerns and interests of a variety of people and departments.

            n I am forced to learn by trial and error.  I will make mistakes.

            n If I do something dumb, please tell me. Don’t hint.

            n Please respect my time, I have a job to do.

            At first thought, the similarities would give hope that boss and employee could connect on common ground.  Closer consideration shows it is the very substance of their pleas that contribute to day-to-day breakdowns.

            The combination of pressure from all sides, juggling of interests and learning by trial and error is not the framework from which clear thinking and communication are built.  Rather it pushes the door wide open for interpretation and rumor.

            In the rush to survive and conquer the day-to-day to-do list, communication is left off, put off and sometimes even forgotten for days and weeks at a time. And for the introverts among us, that suits just fine.

            Whether we realize it or not, when communication is decreased, the time spent on creative translation increases.  That is, we spend time paying attention to which route the boss takes through the office, who he/she stops to chat with and/or avoids, how much coffee is being consumed, whether the doomsday black jacket is being worn, how many department head meetings are being held, whether that right eye brow is furrowed… and on and on.

            Of course it all has significant meaning, or so it is believed.  And in all fairness, many times employees are able to accurately read the boss’ actions.  For bosses, like all of us humans, have behavior patterns. And their patterns change with their moods; worried and upset doesn’t look the same as happy about a banner month.

            The difference between communication and interpretation is in the detail.  And when there is no detail…open door, come in worst case scenario. When left to their own translations, employees conjure up the worse.  Not because they are pessimists, but rather because they are human.

            So in the effort to save some time, in the push to complete the to-do list, efficiency is lost.  We all know communication should be at the top of the list, and part of every plan undertaken.  And those who do elevate communication to spot of priority see the rewards.

            I knew one leader who, as an introvert, did put it at the top.  He knew himself, and knew communication would be at the top of his procrastination list if he so allowed.  Instead, he had marked on his calendar communication to-dos, with whom and when. Around the building he would go, making dialogue as important as anything else scheduled. It was not just that it was greatly appreciated, real problems and concerns were addressed more quickly.

            Many reasons for frequent and informative communication are obvious. Behavioral psychologists have long considered it one of the greatest work motivators and critical to employee morale.  For communication generally allows for greater participation and therefore the realization of two pinnacle needs on Maslow’s hierarchy, satisfaction of ego and self-actualization.

            Management all too often says people are our most important asset. At the same time, employees repeatedly and emphatically state on climate surveys that ignorance is in no way bliss.  So why the disconnect? Oh yeah, that pesky to-do list.

            Share your encouraging stories of communication success, as well as those that are all too sadly true.  Let’s communicate!