Values-Based Leadership For Dummies E-Book

Maria Gamb

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 649

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018

Beschreibung

Benefit from values-based leadership Values-driven organizations are considered by some to be the most successful on the planet. They have high levels of engagement, generate higher earnings, and are more profitable by having an inclusive, multi-tiered strategy. It's a win-win! In Values-Based Leadership For Dummies, you'll get a fool-proof plan for putting the principles of values-based leadership in action--which will inspire and motivate others to pursue what matters most. With many Baby Boomers edging toward retirement, the largest generation in history, the Millennials, will be taking over the reins and stepping into leadership roles. They've suffered through the difficult economic times and corporate scandals of the early 2000s and they want things to be different. Inside, you'll get the framework for adopting the principles of values-based leadership that will help Millennials--and any member of any organization--thrive: utilizing the tools of self-reflection, actionable grace, agility, and a commitment to lead responsibly. * Establish leadership positioning and company culture steeped in values * Foster employee engagement on all levels * Inspire greater performance while creating real impact socially and economically * Increase the ability to remain competitive and relevant during times of change * Harness the passion and commitment of the millennial workforce Whether you're in an entrepreneur, entry-level position or a CEO, employees at any level can benefit from leaning into values-based leadership--and this book shows you how!

Leseprobe

Values-Based Leadership For Dummies®

Published by: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2018937411

ISBN 978-1-119-45344-4 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-119-45431-1 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-119-45432-8 (ebk)

Values-Based Leadership For Dummies®

To view this book's Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and search for “Values-Based Leadership For Dummies Cheat Sheet” in the Search box.

Table of Contents

Cover

Introduction

About This Book

Foolish Assumptions

Icons Used in This Book

Beyond the Book

Where to Go from Here

Part 1: Getting Started with Values-Based Leadership

Chapter 1: Welcome to the World of Values-Based Leadership

Walking through the Evolution of Company Culture

Understanding the Escalator Effect of Values-Based Leadership

Avoiding a Flatline to Extinction: When You Know Change Is Needed

Building Winning Organizations: Culture Eats Strategy for Lunch

Chapter 2: Understanding the Evolving Workforce You Serve

Pinpointing the Quad Workforce

Leading the Quad with Insight and Understanding

Chapter 3: Shifting Your Consciousness beyond the Self

Looking at the Four Be’s of Values-Based Leadership

Fitting Values-Based Leadership into the Big Picture

Assessing Your Command and Control Temperament

Following the Path Cut by Other Leadership Influencers

Chapter 4: Reframing Your Perception of Business

Unraveling the Bad Reputation of Business

Changing Lives in the Shared Values Economy

Part 2: Becoming a Values-Based Leader

Chapter 5: Before You Get There: Knowing Where You Are as a Leader

Planning Your Adventure into Different Levels of Leadership

Determining Where You Are on the Journey

Chapter 6: Nurturing the Four Attributes of a Values-Based Leader

Seeing a Snapshot of the Four Attributes

Embracing Self-Reflection

Showing Actionable Grace

Expanding Agility

Influencing Responsibly

Chapter 7: Activating the Grounding Principles

Introducing the Ten Values-Based Leadership Principles

Making It Easy for Your Team to Buy into the Leader (Yes, You)

Assembling Your Framework for Deploying the Principles

Chapter 8: Defining Defiant Workplaces

Facing the Effects of the FARCE Syndrome

Evolving the Mindsets of People and Organizations

Becoming Part of the Solution — Or Exiting Stage Right

Part 3: Charting the Course and Crafting Your Values

Chapter 9: Lighting the Pathway to Establishing Trust

Surveying Ideas for Building Trust in Business

Defining Trust and Needs in the Workplace

Getting Others to Trust in Your Leadership

Setting Standards for Others by Example

Harnessing People Power

Chapter 10: Facing the Truth about Who You Are

Understanding How Others View Your Company

Making Everyone a Trustee of the Company

Chapter 11: Identifying Values and Creating a Values Statement

Using the Self-Reflective Method for a Public Values Statement

Rolling Out Your Values Statement to Your Company

Chapter 12: Going It Alone When Your CEO Isn’t Interested in Values-Based Leadership

Accepting That the Top Brass Isn’t Interested in Values-Based Leadership

Guiding Your Crew When You’re Just an Officer, Not the Captain

Creating Your Leadership Starlight for the Team

Bolstering Your Commitment to Values-Based Leadership with Other Features

Chapter 13: Cementing a Career Starlight for the Long Haul

Building Your Career Starlight from the Ground Up

Translating Your Career Starlight into a Good Fit with a Company

Seeing the Effects of Being Known as a Values-Based Leader

Part 4: Supercharging Your Team and the Workplace with Values

Chapter 14: Hiring and Retaining Great Talent

Recognizing Why People Leave One Company to Join Another (Like Yours)

Distinguishing Yourself from the Competition

Benefiting Everyone with Nontraditional Perks

Craving the Opportunity to Learn

Working toward Compatibility Triumphs

Chapter 15: Maintaining Engagement and Job Satisfaction

Grasping the Importance of Engagement and Job Satisfaction

Staying Active and Happy: Engagement

Keeping the Wisdom Pool Full: Job Satisfaction

Chapter 16: Motivating the Masses

Peeking into the Human Motivation Theory

Helping People Find Their Meaning and Purpose Again

Practicing and Reinforcing Motivation

Chapter 17: Slicing the Pie: Creating a Culture of Leadership

Recognizing That Leadership Is a Job for All Staff Members

Identifying the Leaders in the Field Who Can Help Your Organization

Chapter 18: Fostering an Environment of Innovation

Beginning with a Few Basics on Innovation

Igniting Innovation with a Few Principles and Pointers

Chapter 19: Being Willing to Let People Go

Asking Questions and Showing Acceptance When People Leave

Staying True to Your Values

Part 5: The Part of Tens

Chapter 20: Ten Practices to Stay on Track as a Values-Based Leader

Setting a Daily Audit Practice

Embracing Meditation

Finding Your Own Spiritual Practice

Disengaging Your Ego

Forgiving Your Shortfalls

Eliminating the Things That Cause Brain Fog

Raising Endorphins to Gain Clarity and Reduce Stress

Using Technology to Prompt Excellence

Establishing a Trusted Feedback Group

Engaging a Mentor

Chapter 21: Ten Tips for Staying Connected with Your Team

Making Time to Get to Know Everyone

Acknowledging Life Accomplishments

Keeping an Open Dialogue

Communicating Expectations with Clarity

Saying “Thank You” Often

Maintaining Promises, Inside and Out

Keeping Your Door Open

Surveying the Vendor and Resource Base Often

Showing Transparency

Modeling Best Practices

Chapter 22: Ten Facts about the Millennial Market, Its Values, and Its Influence

Millennials Are Powering Different Aspects of the Economy

Emerging Leaders Have Heart

Coaching Takes Center Stage

Work Cultures Are Collaborative and Connected

Flexibility Takes on Heightened Importance

Making a Difference Matters

Old-School Values Make a Comeback

Buyers Vote at the Checkout Counter

Millennials Resist Mass Media Traps

A Career Should Have Multiple Experiences

Chapter 23: Ten Workplace Myths

Women Primarily Leave Their Jobs to Have Families

Men Aren’t as Interested in Work-Life Balance

Flexibility Means Shorter Hours

Everyone Knows How to Advance Their Careers

Decision-Makers Know the Key Talent

Conflict-Resolution Training Is Passé

Technology Takes Care of Communication

You Have to Build a Fortress to Stake Your Claim

Managers Don’t Need to Coach Their Teams

Understanding Motives Isn’t Necessary

About the Author

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Index

End User License Agreement

Guide

Cover

Table of Contents

Begin Reading

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Introduction

Welcome to Values-Based Leadership For Dummies! There’s always something in life that sets us on a trajectory toward a goal. We seek, consciously or unconsciously, to fulfill that goal our entire lives. For me, it’s always been to be a really good leader who does the right thing by my people. I always knew that if you treated people well, they would go to the ends of the earth for you. Treat them badly, and you’ve got a whole other problem on your hands. I could chalk it up to being one of four children in a boisterous house where my mother taught me to always look out for my brothers and sister — and everyone else. Maybe you’re the same. It’s just programmed in there. No matter what, it’s unshakable. You too?

So, here we are together, about to embark on this journey called values-based leadership (VBL). I’ve ventured to share whatever I’ve learned over these many years in business, personally and through my mentors and clients. It’s not perfect — after all, I’m not perfect. Even the title “expert” makes me cringe. This book is just one woman’s take on the topic of leadership. It may not suit everyone. But it’s completely customizable, so you can take what you like and leave the rest behind.

On this journey, there will be good days. There will be bad days. And then there will be those days when you think you just simply can’t bear it anymore. But I assure you, you will bear it. You won’t abandon your team. I know that because you’re here with me. Sure, you may move on, but leaving for other opportunities isn’t abandonment. Abandonment means not caring about them and saying, “See ya later.” You won’t do that. I know that with every fiber of my being, because it’s not just your average human being who will pick up a book titled Values-Based Leadership For Dummies. You’re seeking to make the business workplace whole again with an eye on the bottom line. And man, am I happy you’re here! The world needs you. The people you lead, or will lead, need you.

About This Book

First and foremost, I want to assure you that this book is for current and would-be leaders, managers, entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and every other person who exchanges in the art of commerce. I’ve done my best to include a few key entry points for those who aren’t in “traditional” business setups. And just about everything in this book can be used for more than one purpose. Don’t shy away from a chapter just because it doesn’t seem to pertain to you at first glance. You may be very surprised by what you learn about yourself. Self-reflection plays a central role throughout this process. Without it, you’ll be flying blind. Seeing ourselves, our true motives, and how the decisions we make affect many lives requires such introspection.

Values-Based Leadership For Dummies isn’t meant to be read as a step-by-step manual. However, you’ll need to embrace some foundational principles and attitudes in order to make use of many of the other tools. If you’re reading something that isn’t quite making sense to you, I suggest you go to Parts 1 and 2 to find the core principle and meaning of why certain tools are important in the process.

Be warned: I’m going to offer you a different way of viewing leadership and business as a whole. Understanding that commerce is a vehicle for something good, even noble, will forever change how you lead other people. It will also change how you look at your role in this grand play. Your role is to create businesses and teams that serve one another and the community around you, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) is the way to achieve this. This all may sound grandiose, but I assure you that it’s no longer an option — it’s the way things are now, and it’s become the normal expectation of employees. Preparing for that will assure survival of your leadership.

The principles of VBL establish a platform to create a great company culture where people are focused on living the values set forth by the leader and the organization. This creates a ripple effect into every nook and cranny of the organization: your business model, investing in your team, building strong partnerships, cultivating future leaders, improving communication, and making sure people are the right fit for the organization. Collaboration is the environment where people win. And this is all built on the foundation you set using trust as the key ingredient.

I’m a pretty straightforward person. I’m not very good at hinting around without telling you what’s really going on. In this book you find real steps and concrete activities to help you move through situations. You find real stories of real experiences. Don’t you just hate when people skirt around the issue and never get to the meat? Me too! Or they tell you they did something amazing but won’t share how they made it happen. Ugh. It’s so annoying. That won’t happen here.

Some of the stories appear in shaded boxes called sidebars. They’re skippable, though when you get the chance you may enjoy reading them. My clients and some of my own personal experiences are pretty amusing. I’ve also provided some juicy info marked with the Technical Stuff icon to appeal to analytical types who want to know the what, how, and why. Figures and lists are sprinkled throughout for maximum saturation of concepts, facts, and processes.

One more thing: You may notice that some web addresses break across two lines of text. If you’re reading this book in print and want to visit one of these web pages, simply key in the web address exactly as it’s noted in the text, pretending as though the line break doesn’t exist. If you’re reading this as an e-book, you’ve got it easy — just click the web address to be taken directly to the web page.

Foolish Assumptions

Assumptions can sometimes get us into trouble. However, it’s really important that we’re all on the same page together. So, for the moment forget what they say about making assumptions and have a look at the following laundry list. I assume that you

Are a leader or manager or aspire to be such.

Find your current workplace landscape mildly or severely out of step with who you are and what you stand for.

Want to improve your leadership skills.

Think your workplace needs to evolve but aren’t sure how to go about it.

Are ready to take the reins and make things better for everyone.

Additional assumptions about you, on a more personal level, are that

You’re seeking some joy, fun, and energy in your leadership.

You’ve had enough of stodgy, old-school leadership and know it needs some lightening up.

You’ve got a healthy sense of humor and an adventurous spirit.

You’ve got a big heart and want to balance profits with your desire to do good in this world.

Icons Used in This Book

Throughout your exploration of this book, you’ll notice some markers along the way. I’ve set these in place to call out certain elements on your journey. The little images in the margins of this book, called icons, are signs to pay attention to. Here’s what they look like and how to use them:

This icon alerts you to a tip or action that will help you implement what you’re learning.

If you take anything away from this book, it should be information marked with this icon. It’s a good place to pause and absorb.

This icon serves as a flashing light to alert you to potential missteps, mishaps, or landmines.

This icon highlights statistics and other more technical things that support the material. This is for those who want to know the stats and results from various studies. If that’s not you, feel free to skip this stuff.

Beyond the Book

If you’re more of a get-to-the-point, read-it-on-my-phone-during-my-commute, quick-reference kind of person, I’ve got something to suit your style. To view this book’s Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and search for “Values-Based Leadership For Dummies Cheat Sheet” to find a handy reference guide that answers common questions about VBL.

More bonus materials can be found on www.VBLeader.com and www.MariaGamb.com. There you’ll find a very cool infographic pathway to VBL that will keep you focused and on track. You can also subscribe to my newsletter while you’re there to receive tips and reminders that are short, sweet, and to the point. Best of all, all of that is completely free.

Should you decide you’d like to learn more about VBL training, communication skills, or signature Values 2 Vision Retreats, you can find it on the website or drop me a line at [email protected]. I customize all training and coaching programs to the needs of the users and the company.

Where to Go from Here

I’m not sure anything in life is completely linear. We can plan, but plans are often trampled by life. Journeys take unexpected detours. But ultimately, we end up exactly where we need to be. You may, of course, skip around this book at your leisure. One element or another may catch your eye, and that could be your starting point. That’s fine.

However, I suggest that you consider beginning with Part 1. Business is a bit different today. You may find that the reframing process around how we view businesses and leadership has evolved. I believe that many of these concepts will help you recognize that VBL is exactly what you’ve been looking for, though you may not have been able to put into words. It’s a world where business and leaders serve many — without the fluffy stuff and talking sticks.

Feel free to use the table of contents and index to skip around after that to see what’s most appealing to you. If you’ve got a challenge with motivating people, for example, head to Chapter 16. Perhaps there’s a serious lack of trust where you currently work? Jump to Chapter 9. However, all roads eventually lead back the grounding principles and tools to becoming a values-based leader that I discuss in Part 2. Parts 3 and 4 talk about setting your own values standards right here and now — and how to further roll out the influence of your leadership within an organization. Values without actions are meaningless.

All roads also go back to the leader, to how they engage with and lead all who follow them. That would be you. At times, you may wonder whether all of this can actually be done. I respect that. Leadership is a skill that you’ll learn to sharpen through experiences. The more you seek knowledge and apply what you’ve learned, the faster the process will unfold. So, although I certainly want you to get to it, I also advise you to take your time.

Whatever you do, don’t treat this book with intimidated reverence. Take it with you on vacation. Mark it up. Sticky-note the daylights out of it. Most of my favorite books are full of highlighting, dog-ears, and penciled-in notes. I’m hoping you find enough value and wisdom in these pages to do the same to this book. If there’s a coffee cup ring on the cover, even better!

You’re exactly where you need to be to start this journey. Don’t tarry. Just jump in.

Part 1

Getting Started with Values-Based Leadership

IN THIS PART …

Explore the basic concepts and application of values-based leadership.

Decipher the workforce Quad: who they are, what they want, and how they’re reshaping leadership today.

Understand why values-based leadership requires a different type of leader who can focus on we rather than just me. Narcissism is an outdated strategy.

Unravel what it really means to create a shared values economy and see how it can help boost your organization’s effectiveness to make a difference.

Chapter 1

Welcome to the World of Values-Based Leadership

IN THIS CHAPTER

Understanding the progression of company culture

Recognizing the steps of values-based leadership

Knowing when change is necessary in a company

Creating a winning company with values and character

I wonder why you’re here, reading this book. Are you experiencing a problem in your own leadership? Or have you perhaps recognized that you want to move your organization in a more constructive, socially aware, and purposeful direction? Maybe you’ve begun the practice of values-based leadership (VBL), but something isn’t firing on all cylinders yet. You may be looking to find the missing pieces. You may be a Millennial who knows you’re going to lead massive teams, and you just want to get a leg up on how this leadership may look outside of the models you’ve seen already.

All these reasons are valid, but the common thread is the desire for change. People don’t always come to change easily. At times, it’s consciously accepted, but sometimes change is forced on them. You may be thinking, I know something has to change, but I’m not sure what to do now. Knowing there’s a need for change is the first step in VBL.

The second step is understanding that change begins with you. Then everyone else will follow. In this chapter (and this book), you go through a journey that requires deep introspection, deciding what you stand for, and the courage to carry out a plan. Read on.

Walking through the Evolution of Company Culture

Company culture wasn’t always a catchphrase. It was more like a fraternity. The hit show Mad Men dramatized the clublike mentality of the American workplace and showed a culture that was mostly male. Women had little power. Business was conducted with copious amounts of alcohol. There was little respect for clients and customers. Leaders, in general, had weak moral fiber. It’s true the show was a dramatization, but it was an insightful one.

Some of the 1960s mentality carried through time; fast-forward to the 1990s, and still not many people considered business to be a vehicle to help others or give back to communities. That’s what charities were for. Twenty-five years ago, we were far less global, not yet connected to one another through the Internet, and less aware of the world around us.

However, groups like Conscious Capitalism, formed in 2010 and spearheaded by Whole Foods CEO John Mackey, began bringing social and community needs to light and suggested a way of doing business differently. What was once considered earthy or crunchy consciousness in how we do business has gone mainstream. (See the nearby sidebar “The rise of awareness” for more on Conscious Capitalism.)

The world has changed. Diversity has improved. Immigration is a constant. Women are more prevalent in the workforce than at any other time in our history. Our interconnected lives via social media are bringing us closer in some ways, but also propelling us to need more time to disconnect and have our own life experiences.

American culture has changed as generation after generation seeks better way of living, working, and experiencing new and more interesting opportunities. But now the tsunami is here: the Millennial generation. They are the largest cohort in the history of the planet. They will take all of us over the top to a new way of thinking about business and being corporate citizens.

The goalposts have moved. Profits are great, but they need to be achieved in conjunction with a purpose or mission, and a company culture that behaves responsibly to its employees, the communities it does business in, and the broader world. (To find out more about how Millennials will influence every aspect of life, head to Chapter 2.)

THE RISE OF AWARENESS

According to ConsiousCapitalism.org (www.consciouscapitalism.org/about/history), a steady flow of influence has been propping up the need for awareness in the business community. Its initiatives have been a big part of this shift:

1984: Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Approach by R. Edward Freeman is published.

1995: Economist, banker, and microlending pioneer Muhammad Yunus uses the term socially conscious capitalist enterprise in a major publication.

2005:Megatrends 2010: The Rise of Conscious Capitalism by Patricia Aburdene is published.

2007 (February):Firms of Endearment by Raj Sisodia and David Wolfe is published.

2007 (August): A white paper titled “Conscious Capitalism: Creating a New Paradigm for Business” is released.

2008: The first Catalyzing Conscious Capitalism Conference is held with 120 individuals in attendance (this would later be renamed the CEO Summit).

2009:Be The Solution: How Entrepreneurs and Conscious Capitalists Can Solve All the World’s Problems by John Mackey and Michael Strong is published.

2010: Conscious Capitalism, Inc., is formed by the merger of FLOW, Conscious Capitalism Alliance, and Conscious Capitalism Institute.

2012:Conscious Capitalism: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business is published by John Mackey and Raj Sisodia.

2016: Alexander McCobin becomes co-CEO, and Conscious Capitalism, Inc. opens its office in San Francisco.

Understanding the Escalator Effect of Values-Based Leadership

VBL continues the evolution of how we choose to engage in business. It’s the next step in the integration of one of the initial Conscious Capitalism principles: Business is good, noble, and heroic because it provides ethical opportunities for everyone.

VBL expands on Conscious Capitalism using a specific, yet customizable, set of values as the platform for norms of doing business with others and internally. Each step in this leadership model (see Figure 1-1) leads to an organization that performs at maximum capacity.

© John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

FIGURE 1-1: Leadership escalator.

Within each of the five sectors in Figure 1-1, specific tasks, actions, and behaviors need to be instituted. This is the starting point of your journey — the awareness of what I will unfold in this book. Here is an overview of what each sector means:

Values-Based Principles:

There is a difference between what’s implied and what’s expected. Clarity on which principles are selected by each leader for themselves and their organizations is the foundation for the process.

Character of Leadership:

You’ll hear me say many times that character can’t be faked. It can be evolved and directed in more constructive ways, but it’s not something you can fake, not for long. It is who you are. On our journey, I’ll show you how, where, and why you need to expand on who you are to become the leader others really need and want right now. Flip to

Part 2

for more information.

Building an Environment of Trust:

This is the part of your company culture that’s crucial — without it, you’ll fail. Trust in the leadership, one another, and the path you’re all on together will determine how productive your teams will be. Simply put, if they don’t trust you, they most certainly won’t follow you, at least not wholeheartedly.

Part 3

(especially

Chapter 9

) has more information.

Employees Engaged:

Either they’re part of the process and the organization’s success, or they aren’t. Your willingness to invest in them will speak volumes to them. That investment comes in a variety of applications, such as training, development, benefits, perks, and simply making them part of the process. Check out

Part 4

(particularly

Chapter 15

) for guidance.

Performing at Maximum Capacity:

The first four elements bring us to this point. Let’s reverse the thought process. Engaged employees who are actively involved in the company’s success are working from a place of trust. They are all in. This was achieved because the leader has led by example with clarity, consistency, and empathy. People love working with people who they truly believe have their best interests at heart, and not just the bottom line.

So, are you in? Your reaction to the top-level view will tell you a lot about your own capacity to evolve, change, grow, and adapt. What’s your willingness level at this point? Rank it from one to five. One means “I’m really not interested at all.” (I highly doubt these individuals are reading this book.) Three means, “You’ve got my attention but I’m not sure,” and five means, “I’m all in.”

If you’re at a three, teetering in either direction, read on. Fours and fives, you’re definitely in the right place.

Avoiding a Flatline to Extinction: When You Know Change Is Needed

There’s a concept in nature called bifurcation. Bifurcation is a process that nature takes to renew itself. Usually it involves a disruption or inflammation that precipitates a split, a morphing into two. For example, deep forests are prone to fires. Within the forest are types of trees, spores, and other flora that require excessive heat for them to reproduce. With fire, they grow and multiply. Without it, they rot and die. One branch of possibility becomes life-affirming as a result of the disruption, and the other (without the disruption) could lead to the species becoming extinct.

When we apply bifurcation to business, we see that normal disruptions happen, and as a result — for example, the market crash in 2008 or massive corruption scandals — the system is forced to make a choice: review, reflect, and enact change, or do nothing at all (see Figure 1-2). Doing the latter often results in the company petering out into extinction. Many companies and their leadership have taken this route. Sure, sometimes staying the course and holding steady are great. But at some point, we all must upgrade our systems, thinking, and ways of being to continue to be viable.

© John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

FIGURE 1-2: Bifurcation decision point.

Not all disruptions or course corrections are a result of such large issues as I’ve described. Consider the following as potential signs that a change is needed in the leadership approach:

Excessive competition:

While competition will occur, overly aggressive and destructive or disruptive behavior will crumble teams. The attributes and principles of values-based leadership become the remedy (see

Chapters 6

and

7

).

Exclusions and exceptions:

Creating an environment where only some people need to follow the rules disrupts the level playing field of fairness where everyone has access to opportunities. You can read more about this topic in

Chapters 9

and

17

.

Excessive gossip and rumors:

These are key indicators that there is a lack of communication and lack of trust seeping into the organization. See

Chapter 7

.

Team failure:

Teams fail to work together to reach their goals. This topic is covered throughout this book, but a great place to start is

Chapter 9

.

Us versus them:

When teams, managers, and leaders are pitted against one another, progress is inhibited. The antithesis of these behavior is detailed in

Chapter 4

.

Employee turnover:

High levels of turnover create gaps in wisdom and continuity in the organization. Find out more about the cost of high turnover rates in

Chapter 15

.

The decline of trust and motivation:

These elements create the foundation where people work together for the greater good of all involved. See

Chapters 9

and

10

for more information.

Lack of ownership:

Leaders and employees who aren’t tapped into the vision, mission, or purpose for the organization’s work create apathy.

Chapters 3

and

4

cover various aspects of building purpose into the workplace.

Stagnation:

Lack of innovation in processes, problem solving, products, services, production, sourcing, and technology causes a great deal of frustration for employees. Innovation, in general, is covered in

Chapter 18

, but you’ll notice the breadcrumb trail of each of these issues addressed throughout this book.

The preceding bullets cover just some of the many issues you can list as reasons to consider making a change. If I missed your particular reason, feel free to write it on a sticky note and place it in this chapter as a reminder of why you’re here with me now. Either way, Figure 1-2 illustrates the crossroads.

Once the decision is made that something must change, which is where I think you may be in this moment, the next step is to conduct a review to determine how to course correct and then roll out adaptive action and rewrite the future. You may be on a course that’s not sustainable. People may begin walking away from the company (see Chapter 19), or apathy may continue to weigh down progress. I’ve seen both happen. In your heart, you’re probably thinking, I just need to give this one more shot before I walk away. Or: This place has massive potential, but things have to change.

What’s scary is when leaders either refuse to see they have a problem or don’t care enough to make any changes. That, inevitably, leads to extinction — dismissal of leadership and potentially the failure of the company.

However, you don’t need to wait for your most senior leadership to embrace the principles and attributes laid out in this book. You can get started wherever you are in your organization. Chapter 12 shows you how to do this; there are prompts for those of you who may be on a solo journey inside an organization or who are entrepreneurs.

You make the choice to grow, change, and adapt and create a brighter future — or not. To make this choice, you need to be a leader who is open-minded, ruthlessly self-aware, and willing to look at the truth of your results. You also need to be savvy enough to understand that the world of business is changing. Will you keep up or be left behind?

Although remnants of the old, establishment way of operating linger on, this Millennial wave is becoming tremendously influential and will continue to lead us into a more progressive view of business. Already leaders of today are required to deploy a more comprehensive set of tools that go well beyond a technical skill set and a lofty education. Empathy and awareness are being added to leaders’ skill set. So-called “soft skills” are no longer considered intangibles. They’re a big component of why people will want to work for you and with you, and why they’ll aspire to follow the leadership image you provide for them.

Throughout this book I provide you with several different situational applications of these and other soft tools. The most important is the use of self-reflection to gain insight into yourself and your motivations. You must consider what it will mean for you to operate in a “we” rather than “me” environment (see Chapter 3). Reframing how to view business differently sets the foundation for your journey. You’ll encounter the following questions again and again in subsequent chapters because this is always going to be your check-in point:

Is what I’m doing about me — or about them?

Who is this serving — me or them?

Am I setting up a culture that evolves around me — or around us?

You have to assess the selflessness of your leadership. You’ll need to make decisions that affect the whole. Knowing which course to take may become murky, but be sure that you’re thinking of the whole — the we — of the organization. When it gets into me territory, you’re in trouble. Everyone has a survival mechanism that’s designed to look out for number one — to protect yourself. But when it comes to your leadership role, we must always be part of the equation.

Building Winning Organizations: Culture Eats Strategy for Lunch

Management expert Peter Drucker once said, “Culture eats strategy for lunch.” This is one of those statements that should be posted in your workspace. Your company culture will make or break your success because your culture is a reflection of you and how you’ve set up the engagement for the entire organization. Although there are some outside factors that you may not be able to control 100 percent of the time, such as rogue leaders or managers, the overall tone of the organization rests on the ground rules you establish (the values) for engagement that establish the working conditions both internally and externally. (See Part 2 for full details.)

Creating that environment of trust and a culture of engagement means people are, literally, engaged and felt taken care of. Employees will stay with a leader they know has their best interests at heart longer than they’ll stay with one who doesn’t know their name or care about them. This isn’t a kumbaya situation I’m talking about. It’s about treating others with dignity and respect. This culture wins out every time when coupled with clear direction, goals, and support to exceed expectations. Playing loose won’t get you past the goalpost — structure and clarity are what channel talent and enthusiasm toward a productive end. (Check out Part 3 for more information.)

On the flip side, an organization full of apathetic, downtrodden, low-energy employees is usually not operating under focused leadership. It’s nearly impossible unless one of the field-level leaders corrals them and applies VBL at that point of interaction. And if that happens, it still means only one team is productive. Guess what? That will lead to resentment. Although there will always be a portion of the workforce who is happy to just come in, do nothing, and collect a paycheck, fortunately that’s not everyone.

Being aware of who is willing and hungry for direction is the way to start to mobilize a potentially demoralized group of people. People will follow those who offer hope. Through VBL, you’ll be able to extend that feeling to harness the amazing talent in your organization. In the following sections, I introduce the two vital components of building a winning organization: values and character.

Managers and leaders in the field can create their own private nirvanas using VBL principles, as you find out in Chapter 12. This version addresses how you can fill in the gap between your employees and potentially leaders above you who are either too busy or uninterested in VBL as a solution. It’s not always easy, but it can be done successfully.

Shaping the company culture with values

What exactly do I mean by values? To start, let’s get on the same page with regard to terminology here:

Values:

Fundamental beliefs that make you who you are or make your organization what it is. There are several categories of values — this book focuses on core values only (flip to

Chapter 11

for details).

Values-based leaders:

Based on core values, setting the foundation of how everyone will engage creates an expectation that the leader always operates for the greater good of all. The expectation is that the leader has a well-developed character that establishes an environment of mutual respect, at a minimum. (

Part 2

focuses on becoming a values-based leader.)

Values-based organizations:

A business isn’t just the building that contains the staff that works with and for you. VBL extends beyond and reverberates into everything the organization stands for. Based on the values selected, values-based organizations determine ground rules for how we do business, how we invest in others, how we serve the community, and how we create sustainability (see

Chapter 3

for more information).

When the leader sets the organization on a clear track and models from the front rather than lecturing others, the team will follow suit. This creates a fair, level working environment imbued with the values and clear expectations that employees use when they work with vendors, suppliers, and overseas partners without exception. Core values are woven into every aspect of the company’s being and presence. They’re the commitment and promise made as to who you will be and how you will operate every day — not just on good days, but always.

This process not only creates a consistent company culture, but it also provides the framework to build your reputational capital — capital that doesn’t necessarily have a price tag but that will affect your bottom line (see Chapter 10). Investors, creditors, and stockholders want to know you’re consistent. Staff, vendors, and suppliers want to know you’re trustworthy. Cultivate a positive reputation, and people will flock to work with you and for you. Get a poor reputation, and you may never get the best talent or the funding to expand your situation. It’s as simple as that.

Influencing the company culture with your character

Character is the means between two extremes. It is the balanced point between a deficiency and an excess of a trait. It’s nearly impossible to always take the middle road; humans tend to lean to one side or another of the characteristic embodied. This is also called the near-mean, or the one favored. The favored isn’t always the darker or more extreme side of the spectrum.

In this book, you traverse a number of the traits that make up a values-based leader, but the singular trait all leaders require is courage. On a continuum, courage ranges from timidity and caution to boldness and rashness. Sitting somewhere between caution and boldness is what would be required of any leader in just about any demonstration. That’s because the fundamentals of leadership require not just insight and perception but also efficacy — getting things done.

People can’t have the greater good in mind or the desire to fulfill a purpose as part of their leadership without embodying a balance of courage to persevere in various states of challenge.

Additionally, how you behave is an example to everyone around you. The saying “When someone tells you who they are, believe them” rings true. You tell people who you are by the way you speak to others, by the level of care, respect, and discretion you show. You tell them who you are by the depth of honesty that you embody while balancing truth. Each of these characteristics will either build or damage trust (see Chapter 9).

Trust promotes faith in your leadership. It also establishes a playing field where people can express creativity and innovation without feeling judged or confined to the four walls around the existing process or product. Trust promotes growth, which is essential to the organization’s life.

Wherever there is backstabbing, gossip, and judgment in your leadership, replace it with kindness, temperance, patience, and acceptance. This would be a way to demonstrate the action you want others to emulate as well. You can’t manage other people until you manage yourself — that includes your own emotions and possible blind spots.

Chapter 2

Understanding the Evolving Workforce You Serve

IN THIS CHAPTER

Dissecting different generations in the workforce

Leading employees of all ages

Lumping people into one category creates tension. Lack of inquiry into knowing who your people are causes frustration. When you know who they are and what matters most to them, you’re deeply connected to your audience. Business creates audiences — the focus is usually on the customer or end user, but for this conversation, the audience that will consume your leadership is made up of the staff, stakeholders, team, tribe, or however you describe the group of people powering the company and your ideas. They’re your best resource because they’re the ones who run the show every day.

Knowing them and their hearts is one way of tapping into the power of your audience. Famous orators and leaders such as John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., and Nelson Mandela knew their audiences and knew how to speak directly to them in order to mobilize their ideas. But to do so with your employees, you’ll need to know the influences that fuel their wants and desires.

Having insight into your audience’s wants and desires will help you comprehend the factors that lead to their perceptions of authority, leadership, values, virtues, and work ethics. These are mobilizing factors. In this chapter, I show you how to gain that insight by breaking down the workforce into the beautiful Quad — the four generations currently operating in the workforce today.

Here’s what I’ll be looking at:

Who makes up the workforce today?

What do they want?

What inspires, encourages, and motivates them?

What do they want from you, their leader — or do they want to lead?

Pinpointing the Quad Workforce

During adolescence, people make determinations about what is cool, healthy, natural, and worth their time; sexuality emerges, and passion and ambition start to pique their interest. Opinions based on outside influences create the framework to ultimately determine what they want. The formative years also play a large part in determining how people will view the world. Their perceptions and reactions to different stimuli, such as how their parents raised them, current events, music, politics, and so on, create opportunities to draw conclusions on safety, security, money, career, government, and so on. These outside factors create their mindset and way of being in the world. Although no two people will react the same, general conclusions about generations can be derived.

Listen with an open mind. Don’t judge. Be aware of what may be your own preconceived notions of who and what each generation in the Quad represents.

Generational cohorts are defined by a period of development within a certain span of time. To some extent these boundaries are arbitrary, and defining and labeling generations can vary from sociologist to sociologist, though for the most part they vary by only a few years. I’ll be using the research of noted sociologists William Strauss and Neil Howe to bracket the generational periods. Feel free to adjust the years I use based on your understanding if needed.

In Figure 2-1, you may be surprised to be classified not as a Baby Boomer, but on the outer edge of Generation X. Or you may be more Millennial than you knew.

© John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

FIGURE 2-1: The current workforce Quad.

There are three main generations that make up the current workforce: Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials. On the outskirts are the almost completely retired Silent generation and the emerging Homeland generation. Together, they make up the “bumper” generations of the current workforce and are classified as the fourth part of the Quad.

GENERATIONAL DEMOGRAPHICS

Understanding the pitfalls around values-based leadership and its many initiatives is relevant to creating success. The workforce continually evolves; generations come in, make their mark, and then hand the baton to the next generation. One generation hopefully learns from the more experienced generation and influences the next.

The effects of the global financial crisis of 2008 have altered American workers’ perceptions about everything from security to money, authority, and work. For example:

Boomers plan to work “forever” and potentially have a second career. Money is a status symbol.GenXers aren’t as worried about money and security; they prefer to change careers and/or take a sabbatical to have different experiences. Money is just a means to an end.Millennials put a high premium on living for today; they hope to change the world and do meaningful work. Money is a payoff for today.

GenXers and Millennials currently make up the bulk of the workforce. Millennials represent the largest generation in history: They number some 75 million in the United States and 2.5 billion globally. By 2020 they will make up 46 percent of the workforce. This generation will change the norms of business and politics. (For more information, check out the Pew Research Center’s 2016 paper on the topic at www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/04/25/millennials-overtake-baby-boomers.)

The generation after the Millennials, called the Homeland generation, is coming of age quickly and will begin to enter the workforce in 2023 when the first ones turn 18. Some may enter earlier, depending on their track.

Picking out postwar, workaholic Boomers

The parents of the Baby Boomers (born 1943–1960) were traditionalists. The Boomers grew up in a postwar era of growth fueled by patriotism. They watched their parents work hard and the American dream unfold. The United States entered a period of great prosperity while Boomers were in their formative years. As they became young adults, human rights movements dominated the headlines, and the sexual revolution unfolded. During this time, they learned that hard work equals success; what could have been perceived as a material approach to the world around them began to shift into wanting to do something good in the world.

Here is a snapshot of the events and people who influenced Boomers:

Events shaping their world:

Civil rights, women’s rights, and gay rights movements, the moon landing, the Vietnam War, the OPEC oil embargo, the sexual revolution, the advent of birth control, and the second highest divorce rate in history, as well as the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., and Robert Kennedy.

Famous figures:

Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, Gloria Steinem, Rosa Parks, The Beatles.

Emerging technology:

The microwave oven.

What they learned to value:

Hard work, patriotism, authority, equal rights, equal opportunities, optimism, personal growth, wanting to make a difference in the world, resisting authority but then conforming.

Prevailing attributes:

Challenge authority, live to work, optimism, political correctness (PC), willingness to take responsibility, competitiveness, ambition, consumerism, capitalism, diplomatic communications.

Work motto:

“Live to work.” Work is their life.

Late Baby Boomers will retire around 2025 or later if they choose to work beyond age 65. All Baby Boomers will retire, of course, but situations such as the need to finish paying off mortgages and student loans keep them working. (Did you know that if you still have a student loan debt at the time you begin to collect Social Security, if you’re still working, your earnings will be garnished for what’s owed?) In addition, rising medical costs make employee benefits such as health insurance a very enticing reason to stay. Other Boomers just love the challenge of work and keeping their brains engaged and learning. This phenomenon isn’t restricted to the United States. In 2011, the U.K. abolished the default retirement age of 65, thereby preventing employers from automatically retiring workers. Due to many factors, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reports that workers over 65 account for a noteworthy percentage of the population, as you can see in Figure 2-2.

© John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

FIGURE 2-2: Population working beyond age 65.

Although the data in Figure 2-2 doesn’t state the specifics within each country contributing to the rise in late retirement, the global financial crisis of 2008 put a dent in many individuals’ plans. The immigration population worldwide also continues to circulate more Baby Boomers in the workforce. The European Union has fluid borders allowing citizens to work more easily in any nation within the EU. Technology is another big factor — the next evolution in telecommuting from India to Chicago isn’t far away. National borders can’t stop the globalization of the talent pool.

Understanding latchkey, self-reliant GenXers

Generation X (born 1961–1981) is the first generation to experience working mothers as routine, not the exception. Latchkey kids had both parents still at work when they got home from school, and they had to amuse themselves until their parents returned home. They were self-reliant and self-directed, doing homework and chores without after-school supervision Monday through Friday. Daycare was created. Divorce rates remained high, spurring GenXers’ desire for family and a fierce commitment to work-life balance. Early GenXers lived through the Watergate scandal in 1972, while later Xers saw the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal in the 1990s and formed the belief that politicians and authority cannot be trusted.

Here’s a snapshot of the events and people who influenced Generation X:

Events shaping their world:

The end of the Cold War, Watergate, Title IX, the assassination attempt of President Ronald Reagan, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Space Shuttle

Challenger

disaster, grunge and hip-hop, the AIDS epidemic outbreak changes dating and marriage perceptions, and the rise of dual-income families and single-income families led by women.

Famous figures:

Madonna, Mikhail Gorbachev, Grandmaster Flash, Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots.

Emerging technology:

Personal computers, cell phones, PDAs.

What they learned to value:

Diversity, entrepreneurship, education, independence, self-reliance, skepticism and cynicism, pragmatism.

Prevailing attributes:

Focus on results, ignore leadership, mistrust government, pampered by parents, unimpressed with authority, confident, competent, ethical, willing to take on responsibility, will put in extra time to get it done.

Work motto:

“Work to live.” GenXers sacrifice balance occasionally but prefer to work to fund the life they desire.

Meeting digitally savvy, tenacious Millennials

Growing up during the era of mass school shootings and terrorist attacks, Millennials (born 1982–2004) learned that they should enjoy today because who knows what will happen? Early Millennials left adolescence and college before the Great Recession hit, but the later part of the generation found their college tuitions and family finances compromised. This generation has experienced economic highs and lows unlike any other generation since the Great Depression. Despite this, they look toward the future and want to contribute and find meaning in just about everything they do. In their own way, they are truth seekers, trying to understand the why and how of everything. Digitally connected and technologically savvy, they have access to the world like no generation before them.

Here’s a snapshot of the events and people who influenced Millennials:

Events shaping their world:

Columbine, 9/11, ISIS, terror attacks, the first black president, the Great Recession, and race riots.

Famous figures:

Barack Obama, Mark Zuckerberg, Miley Cyrus, Prince William, Justin Bieber.

Emerging technology:

Facebook, Twitter, Napster, Snapchat, Tinder, smartphones, a fully integrated digital existence.

What they learned to value:

Transparency, efficiency over long hours, skepticism of leaders, pragmatism, independence, entrepreneurship, fun, diversity.

Prevailing attributes:

Self-sufficient, results driven, unimpressed with authority, willing to take on responsibility, loyal to manager, an antiestablishment mentality.

Work motto:

“Work to live.” Like the GenXers, Millennials prefer to work to create a lifestyle. If they’re given the choice of a work promotion or maintaining a desired lifestyle, lifestyle usually wins.

Considering the bumper generations

The bumper generations are those that are either on the cusp of leaving the workplace or preparing to enter the workforce. Both are worth taking a look at because they add something to the mix.

Recognizing the Silent generation

Although some in the Silent generation (born 1925–1942) may still be working, the percentage is very small. They are mentioned here because of their influence as a generation of hard workers with respect for authority, government, and conformity. They raised the Baby Boomers and GenXers. They’re grandparents to Millennials and some Homelanders. The Silent generation grew up during the Great Depression and World War II. Patriotism is a hallmark of this cohort. Their influence continues.

Anticipating the Homelanders

This cohort has been cast and recast several times. First called Generation Edge or Generation Z, being born 1996–2010, the term Homeland