4 Things You Need to Know about Change

1. There is no “new normal.” Things don’t stay the same long enough to normalize. And once you start thinkingthings are normal, you quit paying attention and get blindsided by the next change, big or small.

2. Singular solutions don’t exist. You can’t focus just on customer service and build a world-class company. Operations, finance, sales and marketing are just a few of the other truly critical areas that require ongoing attention.

3. Mastery of change requires both ability and speed. Given enough time, almost anybody can change. The key is to change faster than your competition or the demands of the marketplace.

4. Nobody will do it for you. There are no magic bullets. Sure, lots of people will help, advise, counsel and encourage. You might even hire a terrific coach or consultant to help you in needed areas. But ultimately you do the work.

Read more; http://www.marksanborn.com/blog/4-things-you-need-to-know-about-change/?utm_content=buffer6e3d3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Do You Have What It Takes To Be President?

How would you like to be the president of your company/organization? It is easier than you think!

Most of us in business desire success, almost as much as we need air.

From the moment we are born, we are looking to Do More, Get More and Be More.

The good news is that you are already president of YOU INCORPORATED - which means you are totally responsible for YOU and your SUCCESS.

You are in charge of and master of virtually all you do. In short, you are a lot more than meets the eye.

So, what are you already in charge of, Mr./Madam President?

You are responsible for sales - your income.

You are responsible for the books you read.

You are responsible for your moods and attitudes.

You are responsible for the time you get up.

You are responsible for your willingness to work hard.

You are responsible for your discipline.

You are responsible for who you hang around with.

You are responsible for your enthusiasm.

You are responsible for product knowledge.

You are responsible for your fitness.

You are responsible for your ethics. (Never lie, cheat or steal - ever!)

You are responsible for how you dress.

You are responsible for your language.

You are responsible for the questions you ask.

I'm sure you get the picture...

As president of You Incorporated, you are fully responsible for all you do - EVERYTHING! PERIOD!

The motto of Amazon.com: "Work hard, play hard, change the world."

Woody Allen once said, "Ninety percent of success is showing up."

So, for tomorrow, show up as president of you and conduct yourself that way. It won't be easy.

Try it for 120 days. Smile a lot, transform your life, be positive, be interesting, return phone calls, set big goals, dream big dreams, hang with other presidents and learn.

Philosopher William James once said, "Belief creates verification in fact."

"Your belief in yourself and your company and your place in the world may be the main determination of your success." – Tom Butler-Bowdon

So, go get 'em, Mr./Madam President.

Your future awaits.

Read more; http://us7.campaign-archive2.com/?u=dd06a025cdd9b3464c1c2e433&id=b875b61bef

My Advice to 22 Year-Olds

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My Advice to 22 Year-Olds

As I write this, I’m just past the big 6O. Here’s some advice based on thirty-eight more years of living than you have. I don’t expect you to believe everything I say–when I was twenty-two I wouldn’t listen to someone this old, but maybe some of this will resonate with you:

Challenge the known and embrace the unknown. Accepting the known and resisting the unknown is a mistake. You should do exactly the opposite: challenge the known and embrace the unknown. Now is the time to take this kind of risk because you have less to lose and everything to gain. Great things happen to people who question the status quo.

Be brief. Contrary to school, in the work place there are few minimums. In my entire career, I can count on one hand the instances when an email, presentation, or report was too short. The perfect length for everything is when it is “complete”—more is less, and “shock and awe” doesn’t work in business or war. Here are guidelines: email—five sentences; presentations—tens slides and twenty minutes; report—one page.

Tell stories, do demos, and use pictures. The most enchanting people tell stories, do demos, and use pictures to influence and persuade others. They do not belittle or berate. They paint a picture in people’s minds whether the medium is social media, email, in-person presentations, phone calls, or video conferences. There is only one Steve Jobs, but if you want a shot at being the next Steve Jobs, learn to communicate using stories, demos, and pictures.

Don’t sweat your first job. Over your lifetime, you’ll probably have five to ten jobs in two to three industries. Your first job is not going to be your last. It’d be great if your first job was to be the fifth employee of the next Google, but the odds of this are small. The only mistake you could make is taking a first job where you couldn’t learn anything, and if you can’t learn anything, it’s probably your fault. Just get in and work hard and stop thinking about finding the perfect first job.

Live in the present, work for the future. The day after you start work, no one is going to care what school you went to, what your grade point average was, if you were captain of the football, robotics, or debate team, or who your parents are. All that matters is whether you deliver results or you don’t, so work hard to make your boss look good (see next).

Make your boss look good. Your job is to make your boss look good. The theory that you should make your boss look bad so that you can advance above him or her is flawed. Trying to do so will probably make you look disloyal to your boss and stupid to the rest of the organization. You want your boss to succeed so that you can draft behind him or her.

Continue to learn. Learning is a process not an event, so you should never stop learning. Indeed, it gets easier to learn once you’re out of school because the relevance of what you need to learn becomes more obvious. Indeed, the day you graduate is when the real learning begins.

Don’t get married too soon. I got married when I was thirty-two. That’s about the right age. Until you’re about that age, you may not know who you are. You also may not know who you’re marrying. I don’t know anyone who got married too late. I know many people who got married too young.

Obey the absolutes. When you were young, it was absolutely wrong to lie, cheat, or steal. When you enter the workforce, you will be tempted to think in relative terms. As you grow older, you will see that right and wrong seems to change from absolute to relative. This is wrong: right is right and wrong is wrong forever.

Enjoy your family and friends before they are gone. Nothing–not money, power, or fame–can replace your family and friends or bring them back once they are gone. You probably have delusions of immortality right now—that’s natural. At least consider that while you may be immortal, those around you are not.

One more thing. When you were a child, you thought your parents were always right. Through high school and college, you thought your parents were always wrong. After college, you’ll realize that your parents were often right. And then, believe it or not, you’ll eventually become your parents. Wrap your young mind around that….

Read more; http://ht.ly/JwxSh

25 Leadership Quotes And Lessons From McFarland, USA

McFarland, USA is absolutely incredible and a movie everyone should see.  This movie chronicles the story of coach Jim White’s, played by Kevin Costner, relocation of his family to the Mexican-American farming community of McFarland, CA where he became the town’s high school cross country coach.

If you are looking for a family-friendly, inspirational movie about perseverance, family and the power of community, look no farther than McFarland, USA.  You will not be disappointed.

The following are 25 Leadership Quotes And Lessons From the absolutely wonderful McFarland, USA:

1. The Only Difference Between Anger And Danger Is A “D” – Leaders often lose influence when they lose control of their emotions.  Coach White’s only option for employment was a school in one of the poorest cities in America after his anger resulted in a teenager getting injured.
2. Leaders Want Options – After Coach White’s family arrived in their new McFarland home, he said despondently, “We’ve got to make it work.  We don’t have another choice.”
3. The Power Of Persistence – One of the runners said to Coach White, “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight.  It’s the size of the fight in the dog.”  To which Coach White responded, “Depends on the size of the dog.”
4. Leaders Build The Self-Esteem Of Those They Serve – After being removed from an assistant football coach job after just one game, one of the runners told Coach White, “They’re treating you like a picker.”
5. There Is A Fine Line Between Success And Failure – There was a striking parallel in that a federal prison (failure) was right next to the high school (opportunity).
6. Churches Should Prioritize Ministry To The Next Generation – One of the schools teachers told Coach White, “These kids, this is the best years of their life.  If we’re going to reach them, now is the time.”
7. Out Of Great Calamity Comes Great Opportunity – Coach White made an interesting observation.  What better place could you find a cross country team than with kids who eat the right foods, pick in extreme heat and running is their primary mode of transportation?
8. Great Leaders Recruit Influencers First – After identifying which students would make the best members of the cross country team, Coach White recruited one of the Diaz brothers because he would bring his two other brothers with him.
9. Great Leaders Give People A Picture Of A Brighter Tomorrow – Coach White gave the team a picture of how running could benefit them and their families.
10. The Chain Is Only As Strong As Its Weakest Link – The Diaz brother enlisted to recruit his brothers was the slowest runner on their team.  However, by the movie’s end, his contributions were critical to the team’s success.
11. Losing Is Never Easy For Great Leaders – Coach White told the team after losing their initial race, “What is hard is watching someone pass you on a hill…What is hard is losing.”
12. Great Leaders Trust Their Preparation – They lost their first race because of how they ran the hills.  But after training differently, Coach White confidently acknowledged, “When we see a hill we’re going to smile.”
13. Going To A Higher Level Requires A Different Set Of Skills – To help the team cope better with racing through the mountains, Coach White demanded they “change gears going up a hill.”
14. Leaders Get Better With Focus – Sometimes a lack of options is good for leaders.  It eliminates distractions.  Coach White told Thomas Valles, “Running is all you got.”
15. Great Leaders Connect With Those They Are Called To Serve – Coach White took a day to pick cabbage with three of the Diaz brothers and their families.  This brought him credibility with the Diaz family.
16. Great Leaders Provide Solutions – After working a day in the fields, the exhausted Coach White worked out a schedule which allowed the Diaz family to continue making income while also racing.
17. Even Great Leaders Make Mistakes – Coach White forgot his daughter’s birthday.
18. Great Leaders Do Not Focus On Negatives – To relieve some of the team’s pressure, Coach White said, “Quit staring at the mountain.  It’s not going anywhere.”
19. Great Leaders Give Their People An Identity – One of the runners wrote, “When we run we own the earth…We’re not immigrants anymore.”
20. Great Leaders Have High Pain Tolerance – When comparing his team to others, Coach White reminded them of what they face everyday and said, “It comes down to which runner can handle the pain.”
21. Great Leaders Give Their People New Experiences – After making the state finals, Coach White took his team to experience something they never had before – the beach.
22. Great Leaders Are Protected By Their Teams – When Coach White’s daughter was involved in a random act of violence, the entire cross country team provided protection by jumping in front of her.
23. Great Leaders Prioritize Relationships – When considering leaving McFarland after the incident, Coach White’s wife Cheryl weighed the value of the friendships they had made.  She said, “Jim, the owner of the store has a name and he’s our friend.”
24. Leaders Make Their Teams Feel They Can Accomplish Anything – Before the final race, Coach White said to the team, “You run like you’re superhuman.  There’s nothing you can’t do with that kind of strength.”
25. Leaders Validate Their Teams – He concluded by saying, “You’ve got the biggest hearts I’ve ever seen.”

READ MORE; http://ht.ly/JsXgA

Six Questions To Improve The Power Of Your Message

Recently my son decided that he wanted to change a class in his junior high schedule. My wife and son went to pay a visit to the school counselor.

During the meeting, the counselor asked him why he wanted to change to a different science teacher.

He said, “Well most of the time I have a difficult time focusing which makes the teacher really hard to understand.”

To this the counselor replied, “What you really mean is your teacher is boring and you can’t stay awake. Is that right?”

He responded, “Well I didn’t say exactly that.” Unfortunately for him, she did not allow him to change teachers.

When my wife told me this story, I thought that perhaps we were doing something right, and I was impressed that he had enough presence of mind to think about how to frame a message in a way that was more respectful and that might lead to a positive outcome.

Consider the power of words in your message. Dr. Albert Mehrabian taught that when talking about your feelings or attitudes that only 7% of your message comes from the words that you use. He also proposed that your tone accounted for 38% and body language or nonverbal behavior accounted for the remaining 55% of meaning in your message.

However, it would be a broad generalization to assume that all messages would be attributable to the same percentages. Once someone asked me, “How do you know when your message was absolutely and perfectly clear?”

To which I responded, “When I am angry.”

My confidence in my response is based on the perfect alignment of my words, feelings, and actions. Unfortunately, we know that speaking to people in a state of high or hot emotion does not a rational conversation create, nor can we trust the accuracy of what the other person is hearing or what they will say. What we don’t often take into account when we are delivering our message is the context within which that message is being delivered.

Words when combined are powerful tools for inspiring, uplifting, enlightening, informing, motivating, and describing any number of situations. One of the most powerful functions of words is the picture or context that they create for the listener.

For example, if someone told you that a person was self-centered before you even met him, when you finally did meet, you would see everything that he or she did as evidence that they were self-centered. And unless you were consciously assessing your own interpretations or judgments of their behavior, you may never change your opinion of that particular character trait.

In fact a famous psychologist once told me that once President Clinton told the public that he “did not have sex with that woman,” that no matter what evidence was offered later, many people still refused to believe anything that ran contrary to what they initially thought.

If you want the message that you deliver to have a positive impact, consider the following questions you might ask yourself that will help you consider the context of the message and the person to whom you are speaking:

What is the topic to be discussed? Obviously the delivery of your message will be different based on the topic. Is this a search for understanding? Do you need to provide constructive or negative feedback? Are you simply looking for more information on an issue? Is this a very sensitive subject with legal ramifications that need to be discussed? You need to be clear about the topic and determine the best way to approach the message you want to deliver.

What is the purpose of the conversation? Specifically identifying your purpose allows you to determine what you would like the person to do. If you don’t know what you want to accomplish, then you are almost assured of not achieving what you want. You have to know what you would like the end result to be if you expect to communicate clearly.

What is the current status of your relationship? You might even ask yourself on a scale of 1 to 10 how much trust currently exists in your relationship with them. In situations where you have a strong or positive relationship, where the person really knows that you care about them both as a person and a professional, you can deliver a strong message, and they are less likely to take what you have to say personally. However, you must realize that many people take everything personally as a matter of their style. However, the strength of the relationship should be considered as you chose to deliver your message.

What judgments do you hold or assumptions are you making? Before holding any difficult conversation, it is important for you to surface and assess the judgments or assumptions that you hold about the person. For example, if you think that they are a “jerk,” the chances are great that you will treat them in such a way that your behavior will elicit their jerkiness. In essence we often influence people to show up in a certain way by the way that we treat them. You must identify any negative thinking and suspend it if your conversation is going to be successful.

What are the data in the current situation? Your thinking is based on the data, observation, or evidence that you have experienced. Once you have surfaced your thinking, you need to look for the evidence that substantiates your thinking. For example, if you repeatedly hear yourself accuse a person of being lazy, but you cannot identify any data that would logically lead you to that conclusion, then you need to seriously reflect on the conversation that you need to hold. After all, the data becomes the justification for what the person needs to change. If you can’t point to a specific behavior that you want them to improve, then they will not know what to change.

What is your plan for improving the situation? It is always best if the person comes up with their own plan for improving or changing the current situation. You would do this by asking them what they did, what they might do differently going forward, or where they are stuck in the process of trying to identify a viable solution. If they struggle to identify a plan, you want to be prepared by taking a moment prior to the conversation to identify a possible plan of attack. That way you can offer suggestions to help them create a plan that will work for them and you.

The questions above should help you to consider the words that you will use as you craft your message or prepare for the difficult conversation that you need to hold.

Obviously, not all conversations are difficult, but if the potential is there for the conversation to go awry, you need to slow down, reflect on the questions above, and identify the best way to deliver the message you really want to give.

Taking a moment to do so will improve the message that you deliver and the results you want to achieve.

Read more; http://leadchangegroup.com/six-questions-to-improve-the-power-of-your-message/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

How Human-Centered Leaders Follow Principles that Matter

Many think of leadership and power as a peanut butter and chocolate combination. They just go together. There is power in being a leader yet too often leaders put the objective of power above doing the right thing and engaging people in a respectful, thoughtful way. Self-interest overrides sound leadership principles.

When principle is placed first, however, our leadership changes dramatically. Leading on principle first solves many problems and produces clarity in how to build organizational cultures.

The Buffer Example

Several weeks ago I received an email from the team at Buffer. I am a customer. The email subject was “Introducing Transparent Pricing.” Here is an excerpt:

“Transparency has been a foundational principle of the way we do things here at Buffer. We share the details of our salaries, our revenue, our fundraising, and more. Today, I’m so excited to extend this transparency directly to you, our beloved Buffer customer!”

Leading on principle first solves many problems and produces clarity in how to build organizational cultures.

As I clicked through and read more, I was amazed. They highlighted where money was spent and identified monthly salaries of team members. Much more about the organization wasrevealed in their blog.

What was clear is that transparency was a galvanizing leadership principle. Everything done by the company is centered on being transparent. And transparency is expanding as the company grows, not the other way around (as would be expected).

I have never met Joel Gascoigne, CEO of Buffer, but I would like to. Joel represents someone who is challenging leaders to raise the standard in the way they lead. He is not the first, although he is likely among a minority of leaders who are leading on clear principles.

Why Leading on Principle Matters

People often talk about leadership principles. They have a list off six to eight principles they try to lead by. Those principles are likely in a handbook, pinned to a wall, or just part of a quarterly speech. A list of principles is just that: A list.

When a principle that matters is front-and-center and used in every important decision made, the principle is a leading one. The principle becomes the guiding light and the test to ensure the decisions square with the principle. The principle is activated within the leader. I may sound repetitive but this is important. Rather than being talked about, the principle is used often and others see the impact of the principle in how work is done and how everyone acts.

Let’s be specific. Highlighted below are three reasons why leading on principle matters.

1. Brings Clarity to Discussions and Decisions

When people are wrestling with important decisions, the test of whether or not the right decision is being made is how it stacks up against a key principle. In Buffer’s case, whether or not to withhold certain performance news would be a short conversation. Doing so would violate their principle of transparency.

Clarity brings speed to some decisions. Clarity will also bring meaningful conversations, ensuring the principle remains unvarnished and can thrive through various business and leadership challenges.

2. Creates and Sustains Organizational Culture

When starting a company, getting the initial hiring right is crucial. Hiring the right people delivers a foundation in which the company can continue to succeed in their mission. With a guiding principle, the right questions to ask an interviewee is easier. With a guiding principle, the screening process is easier. Self-screening may happen as well.

In the Buffer example, when a potential hire reads about their transparent culture and how salaries are known by the world, they may elect to not apply. This culture may not fit everyone and that is okay. In fact, it is better this way for many reasons. From costs of early departures to disruptive behaviors, avoiding these costs and hurdles means a lot to any organization – young or old.

Clarity will also bring meaningful conversations, ensuring the principle remains unvarnished and can thrive through various business and leadership challenges.

3. Serves as a Way to Galvanize Organizational Purpose

Uncertainty creates wasted energy. There is enough uncertainty in market conditions without adding to it with internal wishy-washiness. Let’s be real honest. Too many organizations seem flimsy in what their real purpose is. Instead of focusing on a higher mission or purpose, many competing individual desires take over. Uncertainty in purpose reigns and, worse, people get worn out and the organizational culture becomes disoriented.

When principles are present and demonstrated with consistent messages and actions, peoplefeel joy in their work. The joy in the work happens because purpose and principle usually go hand-in-hand. When strong principles guide leadership, purpose is present, too.

Abdicate Power, Elevate Principle

orePrinciples elevate leaders to act in an unselfish way and focus on a higher purpose of their organization. Purpose floods in every doorway and hallway, and you can see the determination and joy in each person. People want to do work where what they do matters and serves some greater good. Principles serve as the motivating core to make this happen.

The time is now to lead on principle, empowering a higher standard of leadership and engagement. The power of principle will inspire the sweet mix of purpose, profit, and people.

Read More; http://switchandshift.com/how-human-centered-leaders-follow-principles-that-matter?utm_content=bufferd8130&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Are You Adding Value Or Subtracting Value

Somewhere someone has been inspired by you.

Somewhere someone has been empowered by you.

Somewhere someone has done an act of kindness because of you.

Somewhere someone has taken on a challenge because of you.

Adding value doesn’t occur by accident, nor is it something that happens on its own, like the tides. The best leaders add value intentionally by knowing what is important and making choices based on that knowledge.

But true leaders know that the question, whether they are adding value, is not the only question, they are also asking themselves if they are subtracting value too.

Are you adding value to yourself or subtracting value from the person who matters the most?

Are you acquiring new skills? Are you spending your time on improving your competencies? Are you working on your leadership and adding value to your life, or are you squandering your time with the same old- same old?

Are you adding value to your team or subtracting value from those you care about the most?

Are you delegating to others to show that you trust them? Are you eliminating the barriers that make others feel useful and important? Are you allowing your team to step into their roles and step out with their talent? Or are you controlling and micromanaging? Do you need to pull back from doing and spend more time advising?

Are you adding value to your family or subtracting value from those you love the most?

Do you hold family paramount? Do you remember to cultivate a relationship with your family, to give something to and for them on a daily basis? Sometimes we get busy and we forget to make the time. Are you checked in or checked out? Make family a priority, and make decisions that benefit those you love. The concept of making a difference for your family holds families together in tough times as well as good.

Are you adding value to the things you hold dear or subtracting value from what you regard the most?

There is a cause or an issue out there with your name on it—something important to you, someplace where you can serve and make a difference in a way that is unique to you. Have you sought it out and cultivated involvement? Are you devoting energy every day into making a difference or are you waiting for the right time, right place, right people to appear in your life?

Many times we are subtracting value without even realizing it, but true leadership is always being mindful and always asking am I adding or subtracting?

To be the most successful as a leader, find the time to ground yourself daily in the things that are most important to you: Your own leadership, your team, your family, your passions.

Lead From Within: Stop and think. Are you adding value or subtracting value? Think hard where you want to concentrate your efforts, and where you most want to make the most difference because that is where you leadership and life begins.

- See more at: http://www.lollydaskal.com/leadership/adding-value-subtracting-value/#sthash.lNk90SAL.dpuf

How Top CEOs Cope with Constant Stress

How to Lead in Ambiguous Times

A glance at today’s headlines leaves little doubt that we have entered a new era of geopolitical turbulence. Acts of terror and violence, humanitarian crises, and public health emergencies are rarely localized events. Instead, these shocks transcend borders, presenting global challenges. Just as one crisis fades, another rises to take its place. Adding further complexity, today’s enemy (unlike in that previous period of great geopolitical uncertainty, the Cold War) is often unseen or unknown.

Of course, it’s not just our problems that have become global. Most mainstream businesses have operations and business units spread far and wide, and an eye perpetually turned toward expansion. For company leaders, then, geopolitical uncertainty raises critical questions: How can you make decisions, particularly long-range investment decisions in far-flung parts of the world, when so much is in flux? How do you lead your organization through ambiguity to success?

Economists tend to focus on growth in determining the attractiveness of an investment. That makes sense when the international backdrop is reasonably stable. For instance, in the pre–financial crisis environment, you could successfully choose an emerging market to invest in by throwing a dart at a map. But in a more turbulent world, these countries are becoming increasingly differentiated—in their economic health and potential, as well as in their particular rules of the road and political threats to investments and foreign business activity. On top of this, many emerging market growth rates are only on par with those of developed states, and many developed states face political uncertainty more characteristic of emerging markets. The categorization is breaking down, making it much more difficult to engage in universal strategies.

Moreover, the very definition of success changes amid uncertainty. The more volatile and hostile the environment becomes, the more we see success and survival begin to converge: In a cataclysmic environment, the two would be one and the same. We aren’t facing threats of that extremity, and corporate leaders cannot give up the need to grow. But they have to take ambiguity into account. In essence, the right approach is focused on sustainability. When we hear talk of sustainability, it is typically of the need for corporations to reassess a go-go growth model—one aimed at maximizing profitability—that is viewed as insufficiently inclusive. Company leaders are asked, by their employees, customers, or society at large, to “give back” by supporting charitable causes and the environment. But the same companies do not pay enough attention to becoming more sustainable themselves.

The more volatile and hostile the environment, the more success and survival begin to converge.

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The kind of decision making that works when you know what’s likely to happen won’t suffice. Sustaining a business in uncertain times requires executives to prioritize stability, resilience, and relationship management. Underpinning all three is a shift in strategic direction—from a focus on growth above all else to a focus on having enough. You make your company prosper enough by maintaining and improving the quality and caliber of what you do. You decentralize your business enough so that the parts can be strong if the whole faces risk. And you maintain and improve the relationships that your business depends on enough by integrating them with your whole company. Developing these executive practices won’t shield you from crisis, but it will help ensure that when the dust settles, your company is not just standing, but moving forward.

The Power Vacuum

To understand the shift in focus that companies need to make today, executives need to first understand how we all got here. The old geopolitical model is breaking down, but the only thing emerging in its place is sustained crisis. U.S. president Barack Obama said as much in a speech in Seattle in July 2014 that addressed the crises in Ukraine, Gaza, Syria, and Iraq: “Part of people’s concern is just the sense that around the world the old order isn’t holding and we’re not quite yet to where we need to be in terms of a new order.” The most alarming long-term global challenges, such as climate change, cyber-conflict, and the threat of terrorism, will loom much larger before they elicit a coordinated government response—and by then they will be that much more difficult to address.

Read more; http://www.strategy-business.com/article/00306?gko=1c731&cid=20150203enews&utm_campaign=20150203enews

HOW TRUST CAN UNLOCK SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE

“The first job of a leader—at work or at home—is to inspire trust.” – Stephen M.R. Covey

Last week I was humbled to be honored for the second year in a row as one of the top thought leaders in trust by Trust Across America ™(TAA). I was delighted to be celebrated among many fellow champions for workplace trust who I admire – people like Stephen MR Covey, Bill George, Jim Kouzes, and others who have worked tirelessly to convey the importance of trust and to embody it within the ecosystems of their organizations. The recognition inspired me to further reflect on the importance of trust.

I’ve written at length about practical ways leaders can build trust – by mastering their craft, cultivating competence in their chosen field, connecting with their purpose, holding steadfast to a clear code, leading withunwavering integrity, and through anabundant approach that is both tough-minded on standards and tender-hearted with people. So, I’ve widely covered the “how” of trust. But I think it is important now to celebrate the “why” – because it holds the key to unlocking sustainable exemplary performance. At the end of the day, leadership is all about performance. We discuss, opine, and ruminate often enough about leadership models and behaviors. Rightfully so, as they are important components to our effectiveness. But process must always be in service of outcome. In my experience  — without a tangible commitment to trust, our outcomes will suffer. Which causes more mistrust. And, the dysfunctional cycle repeats.

Why does trust lead to higher performance? Because it enables the organization to work as it should; it is the first defense against dysfunction. In a high-trust environment, populated by contributors with great competence and laudable character, even the most challenging task can be accomplished. Often without much fanfare. People do what they say they are going to do. Contributors listen carefully to one another to safeguard against miscommunication. Engaged colleagues rally around a shared vision, have each other’s back, and are aligned properly to produce results that meet, and often exceed expectations. Trust is the lubricant that enables the high-functioning human machinery of an ideal enterprise. Put simply: breeding high-trust is essential to delivering extraordinary results in an enduring way.

As you might expect (or may have even experienced), the alternative is all too common and yields a much less desirable result: a low-trust environment, where competence is questionable and character is murky; in these workplace climates, even the most mundane task can seem unachievable. The efforts of the group become marred by chaos. I contend that in the absence of trust, potential doom looms large. Mistrust causes discord when people fail to listen to one another. It festers and begets resentment when people don’t do what they say they’re going to do. It multiplies exponentially as people strive in futility, without a clear direction or alignment around goals. Mistrust thrives in the pettiness and incompetence it helps to create, and it almost always leads to sub-optimal performance.

This is why building trust is the absolute first thing a leader must do. When I developed the Campbell Leadership Model as CEO of Campbell Soup Company, I very purposefully placed “Inspire Trust” as the #1 expectation for all our associates and leaders globally. With good reason. Before a leader can create direction, align the organization, build vitality, or deliver excellence – the trust must be there. Before he or she can surpass the expectations of all the stakeholders, materialize a transformational initiative, or steady a ship that has drifted off course, the trust must be there.  Without it, there will simply be no foundation for results. Think of trust as the roots – and everything else a leader must manifest as the tree. You’ve got to put down the roots if you expect the branches to sprout, grow strong, and inch ever-higher towards the sky.

With these points in mind, I encourage you to view the duty of establishing institutional trust as mission critical.  The undertaking may not prove an easy one but it will undoubtedly be a worthy and essential pursuit. Be steadfast in cultivating trust and infusing it into the spirit and framework of your enterprise. Vehemently defend its import to skeptics. You may encounter those who mistakenly misconstrue a trust initiative as a “soft-edged” quest. The best way to prove them wrong is to show them otherwise . . . by exceeding performance expectations. It has been abidingly true in my experience, that if you start with trust, you will likely end with tangible, hard-edged, more-than-competitive performance in the marketplace. And, if you approach this mandate earnestly, the possibilities are endless. I have found, when your motives for moving the organization forward are unmistakably pure, your opportunity to influence direction is dramatically enhanced. So, let the very first step you take as a leader be a bold and purposeful one towards trust. Then watch your performance prospects soar.

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Apple’s Big Lesson for Business Leaders

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Looking back on it, when Apple launched the Think Different ad campaign in 1997, it didn’t just mark the return of Steve Jobs, a new philosophy to reignite a beat-down culture, or the beginning of the greatest turnaround in corporate history. It forever changed our definition of what couldn’t be done.

If you have ever doubted for a minute that conforming to the status quo is the most insidious threat to business success, it’s time to wake up and smell the groupthink. Make no mistake. Apple’s extraordinary rise to the top of the corporate world is based on a culture that challenges conventional wisdom.

In PBS’ One Last Thing documentary, Steve Jobs said (I’m doing a bit of editing here for clarity), “The minute you understand you can poke life – if you push in, something will pop out the other side – that you can change it, you can mold it, that’s maybe the most important thing.”

He was right. That is the most important thing. If you dare to think different and have the talent to match, here are nine lessons that fly in the face of what’s passed for common wisdom in the business world for far too long, courtesy of the world’s most valuable company, Apple:

You only need a focus group of one. Apple does not do market research. It does not hire consultants. It does not use focus groups. It’s its own focus group. It invents products its own people want to own. Jobs said they created iTunes because they all love music and thought it would be great to buy online. They were right 14 years ago, and they’re still right today.

You can have your profits and your growth too. Apple’s blowout record quarter was a result of selling more iPhones than ever before at a higher average price, which is incredible considering the product’s been around for over seven years. And now that premium-priced product is outselling competitors all over Asia.

Your product is your brand. Apple is the most powerful brand in the world because its primary focus is on customer experience with its products and services. It makes iconic products users love and are willing to pay a premium for. And by communicating less, not more, and on its own terms, it controls the message better than any company on Earth.

Brick and mortar dominates retail. Technology is transforming how people buy products but the ecommerce growth rate is slowing and only accounts for 6% of total retail sales. Besides, half of those online sales go to brick and mortar retailers. The pundits thought the Apple Store concept was crazy. The pundits were wrong. 

It is not better to be first. Personal music players, smartphones and tablets were around for years before the iPod, iPhone and iPad. And while global PC sales decline, Apple keeps breaking Mac sales records. It has essentially erased the entire concept of a first mover advantage. Breakthroughs are breakthroughs whenever they happen.

Own the user experience. Apple products have all sorts of issues. They break ... a lot, in my experience. After all, these are complex products, to say the least. But as a tech-savvy culture we’re used to that. By owning the user experience from start to finish, Apple has raised the bar on customer service and satisfaction. Competitors are following suit.  

Ecosystems trump intellectual property. Ecosystems are not a new concept; just ask Walmart, Microsoft, or Oprah. But Apple has built a tightly woven ecosystem of platforms, developers, and product and service synergies that make it hard and costly for users to switch while raising competitive barriers more effectively than patents alone.

Vertical integration is a good thing. For years we were taught to focus on our core competencies and outsource the rest. While Apple focuses on surprisingly few products and uses manufacturing and component partners, it maintains absolute control over every aspect of its operations and ecosystem from chips and software to materials and apps. Apple brought back vertical integration in a big way.

Proprietary kills open source. Proponents of Web 2.0 – the open source platform that brought us social media and user generated content – would have us believe the world is better off as one big happy collective of worker drones. Apple’s success – Microsoft’s too – proves the opposite is true. Sure, Google created Droid, but last time I checked, Google Search, its primary source of revenues and profits, is still proprietary.

One last thing. Think Different.

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