Today,
perpetual optimism is the force multiplier, now more than ever (Colin Powell, My
American Journey). These are perhaps the most turbulent days of our
lifetime, rampant uncertainty about the global economy, our jobs, our friends
and families’ livelihoods, health care, education, global warming and to make
things worse a weakening US dollar. These are the times that bring out the best
and the worst in leaders. Leaders that have built their house on a rock of
integrity, trust, and customer loyalty will weather the continuing storm. Those
that rely on illusions, gimmicks and fear mongering and have already lost sight
of their customers will sink deeply and quickly into the abyss. If you have
ever witnessed a ship sinking the rats are the last to swim away from the vortex.
This week’s reading is HBR’s, Drucker Centennial, What Would Peter Do?
Is the title and as you all know, I am a huge Drucker fan.
Over the
course of my career I often thought that participating in a startup was an
adventure and it always reminded me of going on research cruises. Although
several weeks at sea might seem short, activities and events at sea are
accelerated at paces unimaginable, so it is actually a great metaphor. At the
beginning of a cruise there is always uncertainty and doubt about the weather, the
equipment, but most importantly the people. And unless you have personally
handpicked all of your crew/employees, you have no idea how people will adapt
and what leadership actions you will execute during your business voyage. There
is really no difference in a startup or small business today, in some cases you
need to act rapidly and effectively, in others time is your friend and using
your best gut judgment is king. The really big difference is there is no day to
day nausea of sea sickness to deal with in addition to lack of sleep, but that
may not be the case for many employees today.
How Employees Think & Act in Turbulent
Times
·
Employee
thinking revolves around leadership:
o
Do
I have confidence in the management’s decision making?
o
Do
I trust the company and leader’s value system and integrity?
o
Are
our leaders empathetic and understanding?
o
Is
there fairness in decision making across the organization?
o
Can
I trust the company’s business model?
o
Is
my job safe?
These are
all vitally important human issues today that seriously impact performance,
productivity, innovation, attrition and your ability to conduct business. Dealing
with them in an open, honest and fair environment will only deepen employee
loyalty over the long run.
I have
learned that there is no more powerful radical in the organizational equation than
the negative power employee. They must be identified, controlled and/or
expelled from organizational culture if necessary. This is the most important
task of the sea going scientist manager, and the same goes for startup
management. Negative power people will destroy the very basis of your
management foundation and have the potential destroy your relationships with
employees, customers and partners alike. On every ship I sailed on over a
course of ten years there was always at least one negative power person.
·
Some
employee actions in turbulent times revolve around:
o
Loyal
employees persevering and maintaining focus and culture.
o
Lack
of management trust results in a serious lack of morale.
o
The
negative power people and managers wreak havoc by poisoning your relationships
with employees, customers and partners.
o
New
siloed political groups emerge across the company.
o
The
best employees seek other opportunities, leaving behind a culture not favorable
to the high performers.
o
Fear
uncertainty and doubt creates apathy that drives down productivity and kills
innovation.
·
How
many of you have identified and dealt with the negative power people, I would
like you to comment and share your management tactics.
Net/Net
One day I saw a bumper sticker that
said, “There is no government like no government and then I thought to myself
well if that is the case what about, ‘there is no management like no
management.” There are many dysfunctional companies that creep and even some
the cruise along with weak and unsupportive management cultures, in the end
they almost always fail. One of the hallmarks of successful companies today is
great management culture with a clear voice and vision of the future. Those are
the companies that attract and keep the best because their managers are clearly
focused on establishing and managing people to their highest abilities.
Successful managers today need to be more sensitive to the human needs of
employees, they are part therapist, mentor, teacher, but most of all they are
fair and drive the best from the best. Being tough on employees that are challenged
with work and family issues in these times doesn’t work, have more frequent one
on one discussions with employees and most importantly preserve their trust.
They will be there for you when the going gets tougher.
would have thought there would be Orcas in the Sea of Cortex well here is proof, this picture was taken two weeks ago about 50 miles off Puerto Penasco, in Sonora Mexico. The Marine Mammal Protection act of the 1970’s has been one of the only regulations that have had significant impact on the marine mammals in the US. In the Sea of Cortez marine mammals are alive and well, during the course of our eleven hours at sea we encountered more than fifty whales in addition to huge pods of dolphins and a small pod of killer whales. These animals are at the top of the oceanic ecosystem and appear to thriving in North America, this is extremely good news for our oceans.
Marine
mammals, especially whales are like fishing boats that harvest nearly twenty
four hours a day, they herd schools of fish and at times blow large clouds of
bubbles underneath prey to concentrate them. They feed on plankton, bait fish
and sometimes in the case of the Killer Whale they will separate a baby whale
from the pod and feed upon it. Whales in general are some of the most unstudied
creatures on earth and many of their habits and migratory patterns are unknown,
especially their communications. I am sure that many of you who have
encountered a whale remember the almost human look that a whale eye casts upon
you when it looks up from the ocean. In these turbulent times, be understanding
when your employees cast a worried eye in your direction, be a leader with
compassion and great selling and marketing in Q4!
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