Wally Bock over at Three Star Leadership tells a great story about Lufthansa Air Line’s culture, a culture that just assumes that nothing is impossible.
But how do you make that happen?
Whether it’s a team, a department or a company, there are two basics to do at the start that are absolutely necessary
You must understand your own MAP (mindset, attitude, philosophy™), because there’s no way that you can implement, enable or live with a culture that your MAP doesn’t support.
Hire people whose MAP is synergistic to the culture you envision; have the courage to walk away when the MAP is wrong no matter how right the skills are.
The first step is important, but it’s the second that leads to a true performance culture a la Lufthansa and sustains it for the long-term.
In the previous post our friend Jim Easterbrook, Director of Internet Security at Midwest Regional Bank, had just received his first marketing email from your company – Super Security, Inc.
Your first email passed Jim’s six intuitive spam tests, so he did not delete it immediately. Instead, he put it into his “To Read Later” folder. Congratulations to you and your marketing team.
Of course, Jim did not find time to read that email, so it got deleted a few weeks later when he cleaned out the folder. But it did its job. It created a little name recognition for Super Security, and made the initial introduction for a longer term relationship.
As VP of Marketing for Super Security, you continue your email marketing campaign, approximately one per month, for the next year.
Jim continues to file the next few emails in his “To Read Later” folder. He likes the titles, he’s beginning to trust you and Super Security, and he has even opened one or two of them, but he has many urgent tasks and the services of Super Security are not critical at this point.
Then something happens to Jim and Midwest Regional. It could be a merger, a promotion for Jim, an internet attack on the company, or one of his vendors let him down. You may never know the trigger event, but suddenly Jim has a business need for internet security services.
Now he is alert and tuned to any information about internet security. When he gets your next email, he opens it and reads it thoroughly. The case study you reference in the email sounds interesting, so Jim clicks the link to read that study on your website.
Now Jim is ready for your team to engage with him, based on the relationship you have built through your email communications.
The chart below summarizes the email relationship building process.
As the chart shows, your sales team calls Jim only when he expresses interest by opening the email or clicking a link in the email. Jim’s interest level drives the intensity of the interchange. When an external event creates a business need, you will know by Jim’s actions.
These simple guidelines will lead you to effective email communications and easy sales when the time is right.
What does it take to create and support a good culture below you when the over all culture above and around you is hostile to it?
Sheer guts, a deep belief that what you’re doing is right and lots of oil in your feathers so you can shrug off the ribbing and harassment you’ll take from those on the other side of the cultural fence.
Actually doing it starts with a conscious decision that you’re in a place you want to stay in spite of its culture as opposed to indulging a martyr complex, since that alone won’t sustain the effort.
Next is an accurate assessment of where the hostile forces lie, what their likely offensive would be and whether you can/want to deal with it.
Finally, you must be willing to be your group’s umbrella, shielding it from whatever garbage is thrown and tempering the bad-to-Draconian policies that are outside your control.
What are the rewards for doing it?
High productivity, better innovation, low turnover, easier hiring, more fun, promotions, raises and a better night’s sleep.
Can it really be done?
Yes. I was privileged to become friends with Ray (not his real name) just before his first promotion to management and watched over nearly a decade during which he rose from first level supervisor to fourth level director. And he did it in the Silicon Valley division of a Fortune 500 with an atrocious corporate culture; a company known for employee treatment that bordered on psychological abuse.
People fought to join when an opening in Ray’s group was listed internally and even external candidates lined up to work for him, although they would rarely consider positions in other parts of the company.
Ray once told me that he never set out to create a separate culture, but that when he was first promoted he just managed his team in a way that felt right.
Dan McCarthy writes a great blog over at Great Leadership; we don’t always agree, but I always learn something from reading him.
He recently wrote one with which I disagree, but I see the same topic over and over, so I thought I’d offer up my two cents on the it.
The post lists “styles of leadership” and the types of people on whom they work best; generally these lists refer to how managers, i.e., bosses, handle their people.
In short, there are four styles of situational leadership
Directing Leaders define the roles and tasks of the ‘follower’, and supervise them closely.
Coaching Leaders still define roles and tasks, but seeks ideas and suggestions from the follower.
Supporting Leaders pass day-to-day decisions, such as task allocation and processes, to the follower.
Delegating Leaders are still involved in decisions and problem-solving, but control is with the follower.
and six styles categorized by emotional intelligence competencies
Coercive: This “Do what I say” style demands immediate compliance.
Authoritative: This style mobilizes people toward a vision.
Affiliative: This “people-first” style engenders the creation of emotional bonds and team harmony.
Democratic: This style builds consensus through participation.
Pacesetting: This style expects excellence and self-direction.
Coaching: This style focuses on personal development.
I’m sure you’ve seen this discussed before. Wayne Liew’s question sums up the problem I have with the whole idea of “leadership styles.”
He asked, “In your opinion, is it possible for someone to have all the leadership styles that you have listed above? I know it’s hard but if it is possible, would you recommend someone to focus more on perfecting one of the styles or to branch out?”
As Shakespeare said, “There’s the rub.”
It’s not just that different people require different approaches, but that what Joe needs changes not only based on the situation and subject, but also on where Joe’s head is at that moment.
And the ability to assess all that is what separates those who do from those who try.
Whether you call them leaders, managers, leadagers or something else, the real brilliance isn’t in what their style is it’s in the instant, unconscious ability to evaluate each of their people and proceed in the way that works best at that moment.
My final problem with these labels is that the only time they can be applied is after the fact.
At least I’ve never met a manager who thinks along the lines of “I need to talk to Joe about the widget in his design and I think that my best approach would be affiliative, with a hint of authoritative and a fall back position of democratic, but leaning towards coaching.”
In the long run, I find that people use the styles that are most synergistic with their MAP (mindset, attitude, philosophy™). Of course it’s possible stretch to styles that aren’t comfortable, but to do so requires stretching/changing your MAP or else you risk sounding like a fake.
What about you? What’s your take on leadership styles?
In a speech in 1962 then-President John F. Kennedy said
“The American people will find it hard to accept a situation in which a tiny handful of steel executives whose pursuit of private power and profit exceeds their sense of public responsibility can show such utter contempt for the interests of 185 million Americans.”
Sad to say, 47 years later it’s just as true, all you need to do is change ‘steel’ to ‘bank’.
Do you think the ‘American people’ will ever learn?
I adore Bette Midler. I like her singing and acting, but mostly I love her chutzpah, humor, and all around sense of life; she’s feisty and independent—all traits that I respect enormously and do my best to emulate.
Now, without more ado, I present a few choice Midlerisms.
On Personal Development:
“Cherish forever what makes you unique, ‘cuz you’re really a yawn if it goes.” (Yup. There’s only one of me—past, present and future.)
“I made a pact with myself a long time ago: Never watch anything stupider than you. It’s helped me a lot.” (That sure eliminates a lot.)
On Sex and Politics
“If sex is such a natural phenomenon, how come there are so many books on how to?” (Isn’t sex part of life coaching?)
“I haven’t left my house in days. I watch the news channels incessantly. All the news stories are about the election; all the commercials are for Viagra and Cialis. Election, erection, election, erection — either way we’re getting screwed!” (Amen!)
On Responsibility
“Self-esteem is something you have to earn! The only way to achieve self-esteem is to work hard.” (You mean it’s not the result of singing “I am special…” in kindergarten?)
“People have an obligation to live up to their potential.” (Check. More hard work.)
Judy Estrin is amazing. She co-founded seven companies, including Bridge Communications in 1981. Back then I was living in San Francisco, had several friends who worked at Bridge and was fortunate enough to meet her and hear her speak. Like I said, amazing.
But you may not know who Judy is, in spite of her being named one of the 50 most powerful women in American business by Fortune magazine three times.
So here’s your chance. In addition to the Google author’s interview below, there are other several other videos, and an interview by McKinsey here (may require free registration).
Enjoy getting to know Judy, she’s great fun and really smart.
Entrepreneurs face difficulties that are hard for most people to imagine, let alone understand. You can find anonymous help and connections that do understand at 7 cups of tea.
Crises never end.
$10 really does make a difference and you’ll never miss it,
Wally Bock over at Three Star Leadership tells a great story about Lufthansa Air Line’s culture, a culture that just assumes that nothing is impossible.
In the 
What does it take to create and support a good culture below you when the over all culture above and around you is hostile to it?
Dan McCarthy writes a great blog over at Great Leadership; we don’t always agree, but I always learn something from reading him.
“The American people will find it hard to accept a situation in which a tiny handful of steel executives whose pursuit of private power and profit exceeds their sense of public responsibility can show such utter contempt for the interests of 185 million Americans.”
I adore Bette Midler. I like her singing and acting, but mostly I love her chutzpah, humor, and all around sense of life; she’s feisty and independent—all traits that I respect enormously and do my best to emulate.
