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Spring 2007

"Let us be thankful for fools, for without them the rest of us could not be successful." Mark Twain

Wise leaders seek out and nurture trusted advisors. One of the most important and often least sought after advisors is the Fool. Fools provide the valuable and potentially hard to swallow feedback that courageous leaders value.

One such leader is Frank Fox, CEO InterFace Solutions. Frank is clear about the characteristics he seeks in advisors and how working with them sustains him in his leadership role. Foremost, he seeks good chemistry with an advisor because the relationship is an intimate one characterized by mutual respect. Good chemistry and mutual respect are essential for establishing the contract between the Fool and the King. In a mutually respectful relationship, the leader respects the fool's words and the fool demonstrates respect for the leader by finding the words and timing that will make even the worst feedback palatable to the leader

Conversations with an advisor must also be non-threatening "like talking to a stranger on an airplane." There are no consequences, barriers or vulnerabilities talking with strangers on an airplane because you'll never see them again and that's the conversational relationship Frank Fox seeks with advisors. A good advisor will be a "non-threatening listener, someone who doesn't feel less about me, knowing my faults and problems." The Fool's job is to see through the armor into the best that the leader can become so that even the toughest feedback is given in the spirit of achieving the leader's personal best.

Once the chemistry is right, Fox looks to advisors who exhibit:

• Clear, eclectic thinking
• Openness
• Boldness
• Outside experiences and resources
• Independent, free thinking
• Dramatically different ideas

In short, Frank Fox looks to advisors to tell him what he needs to hear, not what he wants to hear-exactly a Fool's job.

In particular, Frank Fox states, "Profit and loss decisions and business strategy decisions are easy decisions. It's the people decisions that are the hard decisions because they affect lives, so those decisions are the ones where an advisor is helpful." Advisors help support him with people decisions by ensuring all the angles are discussed and by pushing toward a decision at the appropriate time. "A good advisor knows when to use surgical precision to cut to the heart of the matter. Talking forever won't produce a solution and a leader can't wait for the perfect solution." The advisor supports the leader by facilitating the process of moving from discussion to decision, while respecting that "The leader must decide; inaction is not acceptable."

Frank Fox, during his distinguished 40-year career, helped establish Armstrong World Industries and Interface Solutions Inc. as industry leaders in product development, technical achievement and marketing innovation. In 1996, Fox was named President of Armstrong Industrial Specialties Inc., the company that industry knows today as Interface Solutions Inc., the creator of Select-a-Seal rubber-edge composite sealing technology, created as a private company in 1999.

Author Presentations

"Clare Novak is a natural storyteller and teacher. In her presentation of the material from 'Never Rule without a Magician, a Sage and a Fool' Clare weaves her leadership lessons through the tales that have had us spellbound over the ages."

--Valeria Maltoni, Coordinator, Fast Company Readers' Network, Philadelphia

• May 15, Greater Valley Forge Human Resources Association, 5:30 pm www.gvfhra.org

April Fools Day is Coming!

Is there a boss in your life who needs a nudge to value a fool's advice? Consider a gift copy of Never Rule Without A Magician, A Sage and A Fool from www.novakassoc.com, xlibris.com or amazon.com

Read more about key advisors in Never Rule Without A Magician, A Sage and A Fool by visiting www.novakassoc.com and downloading a FREE chapter.