In case you missed it this past Friday, here is the video of our kick-off of Maximizers, where business leaders meet to discuss how to flex Faith, values, excellence, best practices and more in our community.
The corporate world often tells us to cover up what we don’t know, we pretend and are not authentic, we hide…
Vulnerability runs counter to our society- we avoid pain and vulnerability is open to being hurt
The 3 Fears that keep us from being vulnerable (The pieces to Naked Service):
#1 Fear of Losing the Business (Fear of being rejected)
We have to exercise our willingness to be rejected- that’s how we’ll attract
Enter the danger. Think improv- walk right into the whackiest comment or danger. We need to enter the danger.
We need to enter the danger with clients, our teams, and our people. People need people to be candid and are looking for it.
Why won’t we confront people? We don’t want to be rejected. Sometimes we need to be rejected.
We’re not looking for activists that will name call, we’re not looking for brown-nosers, we need and are looking for those who will tell the kind truth.
8 out of 10 times you’ll be rewarded for telling the truth and at times, 8 out of 10 times you won’t.
Technical term for not telling the truth: “A wuse”
#2 Fear of Being Embarrassed
Our job is to ask the dumb questions as leaders
When people think you’re editing yourself, you can lose trust, and it can shut people out
Celebrate our mistakes
The best leaders are the one’s who show they sweat
If you fart. Own it.
#3 Fear of Being Inferior
We need to be comfortable being inferior
Show people you’re willing to do whatever you’re asking others to do
Serve others- without looking for reward, make it your lifestyle
Honor your clients work, be so interested in them, and it is about them, not you.
It’s not about looking good, it’s about helping your clients or congregations in any way you can
And when you don’t get rewarded, say a prayer of thanksgiving to the One who displayed true humility.
#1 Big Question: What is your current leadership challenge level at work? (Underchallenged? Appropriately challenged? Dangerously overchallenged?) Where in this spectrum are you?
Where do you think you do your best work in that spectrum? Where do you come up with your innovation? Research says it’s just over the line of appropriately challenged and creeping into overchallenged.
Think about building muscle, you need to stress it a bit to grow but overstress it and you can tear your muscle- but you need some stress.
If you’re underchallenged and stay there, your leadership strengths will atrophy and diminish
If you’re dangerously overchallenged, you will break down physically and mentally. If you stay there too long, you’ll break down in ways you don’t want to break down.
If you’re modeling being dangerously overchallenged- you risk your team doing the same thing and burning them out.
Stress improves productivity in short spurts, it flattens out in town, but continued stress will cause you to crash. What is the pace you’re running in?
How do you refuel your leadership bucket? How and when do you take your foot off the pedal?
Underchallenged people leave your organization. Are you challenging your team appropriately?
#2 Big Question: What is your plan for dealing with challenging people in your organization?
If you lost 50% of your revenue, how would you decide who would have to go? If you have a team of 10, who are the five that would have to go? They can be great people but as an exercise, it gives you clarity on your “challenging people” list
The future of your organization is critically tied to the quality of your team moving into the future. How is your ability in keeping and attracting the best people?
How much time are you going to give those who have an attitude issue roaming in your organization? A day? A year? Leaders have to have a point of view on this.
Have a conversation quickly, “Fred, why are you walking around the organization with a pitch fork? What can we do to help? But you need to know, this is going to need to be resolved in the next 30 days.”
The damage someone with a bad attitude can do in your organization can be breathtaking if left alone
What is your plan for underperformers? You need to have a plan. Willow addresses immediately but gives them 90 days to get it resolved.
The hardest is when the organization outgrows a team member’s capacity or talent. They’re a great person but they become a lid to your organization. Willow works to give them 6-12 months to transition, move to another seat, or make sure they treat them well in their exit/severance.
If you don’t deal with the worst attitudes, you demotivate the best people and you risk losing them.
Challenging people deep down are typically not happy people.
#3 Big Question: Are you naming, facing, and resolving the problems that exist in your organization?
You’ve seen it…. organizations that push issues under the rug and eventually die.
Every idea you have has a life cycle: Accelerating, Booming, Decelerating, Tanking
“Nothing rocks forever- there is a season for everything and every new idea….”
Part of your job as a leader is to look problems straight in the eye and not be intimidated by them. Work to move tired ideas back to a refreshed accelerating mode before they deplete or “tank”
#4 Big Question; When is the last time you examined the “core” of what your organization is all about?
Reevaluate…. what business are we in? Are we clear about our core?
Re-thinking your core can help bring new messaging to your market
The Church is about the people transformation business- real life change through the Gospel
With a circle, in 5 words, explain or summarize the central message of Christianity…. do the same for your organization or business. 5 words.
Christianity 5 words: Love, Evil, Rescue, Choice, Restore When you identify that, we bring clarity to our message, we’ve simplified a message.
#5 Big Question: Have you had your leadership bell rung recently?
When is the last time we’ve cast a bold vision to our team…. Do you need your boldness back?
If you’re sick enough of being stuck, you would do whatever it took to create action…. Are you sick enough? Are you willing to do whatever it takes to be “un-stuck” or are you making excuses?
Your God-given job as a leader is to move an organization from here to “there”. Whatever it takes, wherever it takes. If you’ve lost this vision, step aside and let someone push the vision.
There’s too much at stake in this world not to take action and lead.
Why not challenge yourself and your team to make the next five years the best five years of your leadership? The people following you deserve to have your next 5 years be your best.
When people are passionate about what they do they are far more effective at what they do
In church leadership, people don’t come to follow you, they come to follow Jesus, not you… in sales they call it bait & switch… It’s a real step down from Jesus to you…
Mimicking is not leadership, people don’t want imitation
Leadership is always about transition, not maintaining- going from here to there – People follow people who move and take risks
People want to have a sense that their purpose is bigger than them- we need to find that purpose in our organizations
Two different people can say the same thing different ways- one inspires you, the other just makes you want to die
From the head to the beards to the skirts- Our leadership and vision cannot be diluted or polluted- it needs to make it all the way down through your team(s)
Stretch people but don’t tear people apart by overwhelming them- it will break them and they will leave
Most people don’t have a good sense of what they do well, we need to point out and call out the strengths we see in people
Your team must deliver on what we promise and get people fired up about it
“Put people to work doing the things that make them leap out of bed.” – T.D. Jakes
2 Different leaders, builders and bankers
Builders: You can give them little or nothing to work with and before you know it they’ll turn a match into an inferno… Give them a hopeless situation and they’ll turn it around… Generally they’re better at building than maintaining…
Bankers: Better at maintaining
“Are you bringing around people who do what you do? If you do that, they compete with you, not complete you.”
Good teams complete you, they add to you,
“If you have 2 or 3 people you can be completely open and vulnerable with (confidants) in your lifetime, you are a blessed person.”
Don’t hold people too tightly that were meant to come and go (constituents)- they are not there for you, they are there for what you are for
Comrades: They are against what you are against- good to have one ear cutter/fighter on your team- they’re an asset if you know how to use them, if not, they’ll fight against you. Direct them to the right target, not your back.
The people you lead begin to flow in your spirit- they become more like you and your style, vision, passion-
If you are transparent with your team, show them your wounds, they can get in sync with your spirit and “catch your passion”
I’m so wonderful and good, I wish I had a “me”… Leadership can drain you when pouring out to others…
When you find yourself running a little on empty, you have a God to whom you can turn and say, “Help me so I can help them, give me passion so I can give them passion, give me fire so I can pass on the flame.”
Leaders have to be authentic: People can see through the phonies, they need to know they can count on the leader- often people take on a “persona” that’s not themselves…. “corporate stiffs”
They think they have some title which means they’re supposed to behave a certain way… not authentic
Energize: You’ve got to excite and energize the people around you- if you can get a vision/mission and energize people around it- that’s critical
How do you energize people? He spent 10 hours with the call center… He worked hard to make sure they understood their story, he engaged with them, he stayed until they all got on the same page, they had fun, went down ten different paths until they got on the same page… Tell people how their roles will make a change, how it’s important
If you don’t feel it (the vision), it will be really hard for you to pass it along
Most meetings if they’re any good, the leader raises the level of the conversation in the meetings- so people can learn… everyone gets smarter
Insecure people hire dopes and they don’t get any better
Give people the opportunity to collaborate, raise intelligent ideas, get on the same page, and be able to articulate the unified message in their roles
Candor: We fought desperately to get people to say what they really thought on the table, it improves the organization drastically
Differentiation: The Top 20%, the vital 70%, and then the 10% that had to be dealt with… He feels it’s the kindest way to deal with people…. Sports teams differentiate all the time, who wins? Is winning good? You’re competing with other people/companies
You have to have a good appraisal system, reviews and evaluations don’t help people in most organizations…they’re a waste of time. You need to let people know where they really stand. (Candor)
In most places, people spend most of the time trying to fix the 10%- in most cases the employees know it… It’s not a surprise if you have a candid appraisal system
A level people: energizers, good values, well-liked, they get a kick out of seeing others grow, they hire great people, call the best out of people, they lack envy, celebrate success in people
B level people: Isn’t always there in a clutch but is smart, hard-working but not the smartest… you have to work hard to motivate those in the top of the B group, they could be future A’s
“Here’s what I like about what you’re doing, here’s what I think you can improve”- do it every 3 months, use the old review document to compare
C level people: Acidic (a real pain in the….eye… , low energy, negative energy, the wet blanket, we tried that, naysayers
Boss haters- aren’t always bad… sometimes it’s passionate candor that could have value…. it’s the cynic and whisperers you have to be worried about
You have to do everything you can to stop the meeting after the meeting (griping about what just happened)
You need to do everything and give everything you can to the top 20%
“If you can come up with a better answer to build a great team, go for it, but I haven’t found a better way.20/70/10) ” – Jack Welch
Working in a non-profit is a choice. The outcomes (and salaries) that come from those are a choice
“Sometimes non-profit means non-performance…you chose non-profit and you better deliver!”
He regrets moving too slowly (when most people said he was moving too fast)- keep building and encouraging people for good decisions so you don’t create gridlock- let them build confidence
Succession Planning started 8 years before he retired- the list they started with ended whiddling down to their 3 long shots…not the obvious choices…. You don’t really know how someone is going to behave at the next level…. get as many people involved in the process as you can…
Celebrations: Managers have trouble celebrating small victories, should be in your budget (slush),
Right foundation and values from day one and an environment of innovation
Created “task force teams” to address problems or collaborate on initiatives- cross group, cross skilled
It’s everyone’s job to make everyone else successful
“On demand hierarchy”: The person at the top of the organization is not necessarily the best person to drive a decision, sometimes the leader/driver can shift, it’s not a fixed structure- Get the right person to lead the decision process depending on the circumstances
Lattice organization- we’re connected by nodes, connected to each other- encourage everyone to connect to others in their network- immediately get the information they need
“We don’t tell people what to do and what projects to work on..”
The leaders focus on influencing, not directing- empowering people to figure out on what they need to do
Values: Everyone contributes, small teams, it takes all of us, take a long term view
Financial is not the primary motivation- the quality of workplace, the community give back matter as well
Innovation: How much passion does the person have? Are they able to get others excited about their ideas? Peer review to make sure the best ideas are coming to the top…
Associates are scored based on who is adding the most value to the organization (peer review) – motivates team to want to work well with their peers so they score more
People are rewarded financially based on the peer scoring and how they model the values of the organization
People confuse what makes the company more money vs. what they’re passionate about- they want people to work on what they’re passionate about
Think sponsor not leader. Everyone has a personal sponsor at WLG- their job is to help the associate grow and add value. Sponsors ask “What is it truly going to take to make this person successful?”
They try to keep their plants to 200-250 people… economy of scale would say to have one big plant- they intentionally invest in the added cost to keep community, collaboration, and a team spirit
The common values tie their multiple locations together
How do you protect culture? Hiring process critical- they spend a lot of time in behavioral interviewing – leaders are always watching to make sure team is aligned to values
Analogy of a boat and water line- give people freedom to innovate above the water line but don’t drill holes below the water line that could sink the ship
The leaders always know they “have not arrived”- they are continuing to model and gain that respect every day
“You can have written values but it’s up to the leaders of your organization to bring them to life.”
Her role is to spend a lot of time with their leaders, stay out of the way, and keep an eye on the changing landscape to make sure they’re on a great path
Myth: If you’re a great leader, you’ll be able to make your problems go away and relieve all tension
Great organizations always have problems and tension, but are able to leverage them to move their organization forward
Every day in our organization: Pressure & Tension
Every organization has problems that shouldn’t be solved and tensions that shouldn’t be resolved
You manage the tension of staying at work late or going home to be with the family, it’s a tension you can’t solve, you manage it (a third category)
What are the specifics in your industry that represent the tensions that should not be resolved? Profitability vs. Quality Service (example), Excellence vs. Sound Financial Principle
If you resolve a tension, you create a new tension. If you’re all about service you could create a tension in your financials
If you resolve any of those tensions, you create a barrier to progress
Progress does not depend on resolving tensions, it depends on managing the tension
Does this problem keep resurfacing? It’s a tension to manage not a problem to solve.
If there are mature advocates on both sides… chances are it’s a tension to manage and not a problem to solve
The tension of having a church for seekers or having a church for believers is a common one for a church
Are the two sides really interdependent? Work and family example… If I only work, I’ll have no family, If I only stay at home, I’ll have no job, if I have no job, I may have no family
The Role of Leadership is to manage the tension to the benefit of the organization:
#1 Identify the tensions in your organization- what are the tensions we need to quit trying to solve?
#2 Create Terminology- “I guess that’s a tension we have to manage” Becomes part of our terminology…
If you allow two strong personalities on two sides of the issue, one has to win/lose… there is a “third” option… it’s a tension to manage
#3 Inform the Core: Make sure your team understands these principles
#4 Continually give value to both sides of the tension
#5 Don’t weigh in too heavily based on your personal biases- we have opinions, sometimes we’ll take tensions off the table when we should leave them open
Understand the upside of the opposite side of the tensions- Saving money vs. creating a great environment to work in…
Once we embrace the third option (calling something a tension that won’t go away)- we begin to appreciate the differences in opinions and bias
#6 Don’t allow strong personalities to win the day
I need passionate people that will push their side and you need mature people to say it’s a tension that won’t ever be resolved
#7 Don’t think in terms of balance, think in terms of rhythm- don’t think in terms of fair, think in terms of rhythm- there’s a time to weigh in heavily and there are times to back away
Leaders need to determine the difference between problems that need to be solved and the tensions that need to simply exist and be managed.
My simple job has been “to help my players become better” – applicable in any arena
“Stubborness is a virtue if you’re right” – Chuck Noll
“We are going to win, but you can’t make your organization your life… family, values, and life away from your organization is what matters.”
The locker room was open to the families of the team- he modeled what he valued
Let’s be efficient in our work so we don’t have to work crazy hours- don’t mistake hours with productivity
He chose a public service announcement over extra practice for the Super Bowl, they lost- but later he learned of a story of a child being adopted because of his message- What matters in life? A Super Bowl win or a child that now has a home?
Find a mentor- someone you respect…. (A 30-second conversation with a mentor can change your life)
The mentor needs to get to get to know you well enough and develop a relationship/trust so they can effectively speak into your life
The informal relationship with your mentor(s) can be more powerful than formal meetings
At times in your life, you’ll run into people that will frustrate your path, don’t let those people take away something you enjoy (or have a passion for) in your life
You never know the impact your one word or statement can make in someone’s life
Seeing people (players) develop was a greater win in life than the Super Bowl victory
Greatness is not merely a matter of circumstance, it’s a matter of conscious choice and discipline
How do The Mighty Fall?
If great companies can fall, it can happen to anyone… no business, no organization, no country, no person is immune to the possibility of the fall
Jim was engaged 4 days after his first date with his now wife…
Like a disease, an organization can look strong on the outside but could be dying internally
5 Stages of the Fall: Hubris of Success, Pursuit of More, Denial and Risk of Peril, Grasping for Salvation, Capitulation to Irrelevence or Death
“Organizational decline is more of what you do to yourselves rather than what happens to you.”
Stage 1: Hubris of Success - lack of humility
Different personalities can drive great organizations, introverts (Kimberly Clark), magnetic personalities (Xerox), or just not normal (Southwest Airlines)
Who has a deep sense of responsibility to save your organization and culture?
Great level 5 leaders: It’s not about them and they never give up
Humility is what separated the level 4 and level 5 leaders
Stage 2: Undisciplined Pursuit of More
If you allow growth to exceed the pace at which you can put great people in the leadership seats- that spells trouble… do we have all the key seats in our organization filled with fantastic people, if not, you need to resist the urge to grow
Stage 3: Denial and Risk of Peril
Are you a team on the way up or a team on the way down?
Stockdale Principle: Never stop the unwavering faith that with resolve, we will get beyond our current reality- but are also brutally honest about our current reality.
The optimists struggled the most, they made claims and that something would happen by a
Stage 4: Grasping for Salvation
Looking for the silver bullet, the great merger, or great leader that will save the day…
Greatness is never a single event or single breakthrough…. it’s a series of events… the flywheel principle of doing the right thing over and over and over…. disciplined, methodical…. There is no single push that makes it go…. It’s customer to customer, service to service…
It does not happen overnight
Organizations can still come back from Stage 4
Stage 5: Capitulation - It’s Over
Great companies stand because they had a reason to struggle
If you measure your success by money you always lose
What would be lost if your organization simply disappeared?
There is Purpose in their Core Values- Why Do you Exist, Who Cares?
“The signature of mediocrity is chronic inconsistency”
Preserve the Core, Stimulate Progress- 2 co-existing functions Core Values and BHAGS
