What you DO has more effect than what you SAY

I get aggravated whenever I drive through a construction zone, plastered with signs telling me that if I don't drive at a snails pace I will get speeding fines that will require a mortgage to pay off, and I can't find any evidence of construction – no moving vehicle or human being working whatsoever. Construction teams usually cover or remove the slow-down signs when they are done work for the day, but every once in a while I come across the zone where it seems laziness has prevailed when it came time to go home for the day. If I can get a fine for speeding through a construction zone, can the construction company get a fine for not removing the signs when they are done construction?

This may sound like a petty pet peeve, but double standards have negative consequences for construction zones and for organizations of any kind. Drivers who encounter construction-less zones are more inclined to speed at the next one. "Why should I slow down – there is usually no one working or on site anyway?" This thinking puts lives in danger – after all this is the reason for slower speed limits in the first place.

Individuals in organizations who frequently encounter leaders that live by the motto "do what I say – not what I do", are in fact inclined to do what they [fickle leaders] do - or work outside of the rules - in addition to holding very little respect for them.

Leaders must do the right thing 100% of the time without deviation, without wavering. Leaders can never afford to cut corners, break the rules – even if it is just this once to save time, or because they may think that no one is watching. This is called integrity. Even if no one is watching, compromising your integrity has implications inwardly. It makes it easier to do it next time. It softens your conscience – hardens your heart.

Parents realize by the time their kids reach teenage years, behaviors, beliefs and ideals have been developed more from the examples they have set – from what they have modeled - than from what they have attempted to teach them.

It is exactly the same in your organization with your people. Always do the right thing, even if it is hard and takes more time.

What you DO has more effect than what you SAY

What is your organization’s “purpose” for existence?

Recently, I was engaged in a conversation with an employee and an assistant manager of a well-known Canadian retail company. Since I am well acquainted with all of them (employee, assistant manager and company), I decided to ask them a question, partly for the sport / part to prove a point.

Me: "What is your company's mission or purpose?"

Employee: "uhmmm, to sell stuff."

Me: "Ok, but what kind of stuff and to whom and for what purpose?"

Employee: "Oh I know" … she then quotes, word for word, a five-year-old redundant mission statement.

I explain the fact that this is no longer the mission statement and then ask again. She has no idea – which is not actually surprising because there really isn't one – or at least one that means anything.

I ask one more question: "What do you think that the customer believes this organizations mission statement to be?"

She then quotes, word for word, the company mission statement / slogan from over 15 years past – one long forgotten by the organization – but strangely still printed prominently on the front of many of the stores (only because of a lack of will to have the signage removed).

Confusing? You bet.

I love posing this question, especially to managers and executives. In companies that do not have a clarified and well communicated vision, mission or purpose, this question will often push the "yes people" into a state of anxiety and mortification when through that questioning, they come to a realization that they are operating without any purpose or direction. It is interesting that so many can carry out "busy-work" every day, with no understanding of purpose or vision for the future, and yet, seem to find fulfillment in the myriad of those often directionless projects and activities. That is the "sport" part – waking people up from this level of bureaucratic unconsciousness.

The assistant manager in this example simply watched with interest as he had already read my book and had this same conversation with his boss (the store manager) the previous day. Between the two of them, they could not come up with the answer. Some people would actually think it odd that the top two executives in a multi-million dollar business have no idea what they are really there to do.

Unfortunately, this company is not alone in this ambiguity of purpose, and not surprisingly this absence of a clearly communicated "purpose" correlates to diminishing profitability.

Your organization's stated mission should be simple and clear – easy to understand and embrace by anyone in the organization – including the front line employee. It should provide guidance and direction for your company; where it should go and perhaps more importantly – where it should not.

Everyone is responsible for it and to it. Senior leadership: to ensure that it is right, clear, concise – well communicated and well understood by everyone. Everyone else: to ensure that you understand it, can articulate both it and how it applies to what you do everyday.

If you do not know or understand your organization's mission statement, I suggest that you find out – today.

I have written much more on the subject of mission statements in the chapter "Focus and Clarity" of my book – "Consequence of Leadership."

What is your organization’s “purpose” for existence?

Adjusting the level of communication

I have heard the following advice given to protect your hearing for life:

When listening to any type of audio – music, television, etc. – do the following to ensure that the volume is at a level that is sufficient for you to hear but not loud enough to cause hearing damage. Turn the volume level down until it is completely muted, then slowly turn the volume back up until it is at a comfortable level.

Try this the next time you are listening to the radio while driving in your car – it really does work. I find that I end up with a volume level that is much lower than when I started every time that I do this. I offer this up as an analogy for what an organization needs to do on a regular basis to ensure that the level of communication and complication has not become higher than what the recipients can receive without hearing damage – or damage to their ability to perform. Examine all "how-to", direction and instruction that your company is providing. Do this by asking those for whom it is intended. However, be careful of "yes people". You need to ask the right people – those that will give you honest answers. You will ultimately get true feedback if you first inform those that you are asking the reasons for your inquiry – that you are interested in curtailing excessive communication – that you desire to create an organization of creativity and good thinking. Challenge your organization to make the communication as tight as possible – the shorter and to the point – the better. Create "stop communicating" lists. In other words; lists of subjects, topics, formats and vehicles that you will stop communicating on due to their lack of any real value.

Sometimes it is beneficial to completely throw out a method of communication or instruction and start again from scratch. If you re-create what you had before, it may be a sign that what you had was good, (be careful it could also be a sign of a lack of good thinking.) Chances are that the newly created communication method or vehicle will have changed to some degree – from a small amount to a completely different concept. Your new method would likely include changes in time, technology, and be adjusted according to the "learnings" acquired using the old method. Sometimes it is best to wipe the slate clean and start over – turn the volume off completely and then re-adjust it slowly upwards until it is just at the comfortable level.

You might be saying, "Everyone in my organization wants more communication – not less." I have heard the same throughout my career. However, I have also found that it is not more communication that they are seeking, but better communication. More is not necessarily better. They are looking for concise, to the point, relevant and useful communication.

The other problem that you may come across is those people who actually desire detailed communication. If your organization has been subjected to over-communication for a long period of time, it may have created those individuals who want and must have detailed and explicit communication. These people have been conformed to the status of "doers". People will turn off their thinking capabilities if encouraged long enough. The good news is that they can also turn it back on. You will need to create a vacuum in the instruction and "how-to" for a period of time. Just as it took time for them to stop thinking, it will take time for them to start thinking again.

Copyright 2009: Excerpt from "Consequence of Leadership" by Craig Mostat published by Lulu.com

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Adjusting the level of communication

Pet Bureaucracies

After over a year of cat-lessness, I finally succumbed to the whining of the women (wife and 2 daughters) around me, and agreed to get another cat. We decided to rescue our new kitty from the highly bureaucratic SPCA – Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (our local animal shelter), and realize in hindsight that it would have probably been easier to adopt a child. After filling out the mountain of paperwork, and waiting several hours for the highly complicated series of checks, authorizations, procedures and form review, we were able to take our new hyper-kitty home to begin the process of house destruction. I did warn my wife ahead of time about the irresistibly tantalizing lure of her beautiful curtain thingies that hang on the side of each of the windows, to a cat on speed.

The goal or purpose of animal shelters, humane societies – or whatever they call it where you live – is to rescue animals and provide them with new loving homes. If they cannot provide a new home, the animals are "put down" (euthanized) and many people have a problem with that. So, you would think that these organizations would find a way to avoid this. Well, where I live – you would be wrong to think that.

It was a Saturday – busy day for the local animal shelter. The building was chalk full of animals of all types and sizes - looking their cutest - waiting to be rescued. The building was also full of people – mostly families with children that were just dying to adopt a pet. From a business perspective, this is a win-win combination. On the wall is a large digital counter with the title above "Number of pets adopted today" (I suppose to make everyone feel good about the work they are doing). It took us a total of 4 hours to adopt a cat! We were there until they closed. Total animals adopted that day, 45. My guess on how many families left without adopting because they grew tired of waiting – well over 100.

The bureaucracy was unbelievable. We filled out multi-page applications and questionnaires, asking questions like "what will you do if the cat scratches on the furniture," and "how much do you expect it will cost to care for and maintain a cat." I was mentally preparing for a polygraph test. I left with ten times more paperwork for a pet kitty than I received for the purchase of our home. Come to think of it; we left the hospital when our kids were born with no paperwork and you would think someone would provide some kind of manual for them.

All of this "over-complication" is the result of well meaning people trying to ensure that these animals get into a home where they will not be neglected or abused. However, now completely buried in the weeds of their own unnecessary rules, regulations, paperwork and formalities, these well meaning people have thwarted the goals and purposes of their organization. They are not alone – every organization has their own "pet bureaucracies" which are fed and nurtured.

Every process and system must be continually challenged for worthiness in an organization. "Stop doing lists" need to be just as important as "start doing lists." It is obvious that when focus moves off of the goal or purpose that your organization exists for and instead on to the "way things get done", results will diminish. Yet, like an addict on drugs, far too many organizations fall into this "addiction of process" and can't seem to shake it.

Leaders should constantly look at the processes, procedures and systems in their business and ask themselves these questions:

• What is the worst that would happen if we stopped doing this?
  
• If we stopped doing this, what purpose-focused endeavor could we direct that time and energy to?
  

It's time to euthanize the sacred cows in order to avoid "putting down" the results.

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Pet Bureaucracies

Profit is NOT your #1 priority

Why are some business decision makers so oblivious to some things that are so obvious to the customer? My wife and I Went out to see a movie the other night. At Galaxy (Cineplex / Canada) theaters, and probably like any theatre, the signing above the concession stand shows various "combos" (i.e.: lg popcorn & sm drink, 2 lg popcorn & 1 lg drink, etc). However, something was different. The signing did not show any of the usual abhorrently high prices, but only listed what I could save on the combo, save $1, $1.50 etc. Save $1… off … what, how much is it? I couldn't find the price on any combo – only how much I would save (and that's funny – save money on the purchase of popcorn at a movie theatre – that is oxymoronic). I ask people around me in the line – they don't know either.

They [business decision makers @ Galaxy] have removed the total combo price from the sign – most likely because customers have complained about the horrifically high prices. Now the customer does not find out how much they are going to pay until they have stood in line for 10 minutes and they likely won't leave without spending. In order to figure out how much you have to pay, you will have to add up the price of each individual item in the combo – which are listed somewhere else in near bottom-line-eye-chart-font. The prices are not nice round even numbers and I didn't bring a calculator. Yeah, I could have added them in my head, but I didn't come to the movies to think – I came to relax. Please keep that previous admission in mind as I explain the next point. It was during this mental exercise in theatre combo decoding that I realized: You don't have to buy a combo! You can actually just buy what you want. The combo signs had me convinced, for years, that there were only four choices and I had to pick one of them. I never wanted the candy item that typically comes with a combo, but my thinking (or lack of) was; it must be cheaper overall if I get the combo. It's not. It never occurred to me that I could just get a bag of popcorn, or a drink – separately. I ended up only getting what I wanted (not the extra bag on candy for $3.50 that I don't want) and spent less at the concession stand than I ever had.

I expect that this organization had received some heat from customers on their inflated and infinitely increasing prices. In response, they decide to try to deceive people with some ambiguous signing and trick them into continuing to pay those high prices. If this organization's focus was on providing customers with a premium movie going experience as their corporate strategy suggests, they may have made different choices.

Instead of driving the public to "wait until it comes out on DVD" with increasing prices, they could try a different strategy. Lower the prices as an understanding to the recessionary realization. Reduce the average time per sale at the concession by a minimum of 50% (really, how many buttons on that cash register have to be pushed to sell some popcorn – they are not launching the space shuttle, and couldn't there be one runner in the background fetching the popcorn). Finally, as a side note, why am I paying all that money to watch 20 minutes of advertising? Once the movie finally started, my wife whispers in jest, "I can't even remember what movie we came to see."

This is a typical case of a company forgetting their purpose; the reason that they exist. Hint for [business decision makers @ Galaxy]: It is not just to make money – read your website – the answer is there. If profit supersedes everything else in a business – it is the beginning of the end.

With DVD, high definition TVs and surround sound systems, the experience of watching a movie at home is very comparable to the theatre. Making going to the movies more affordable, reducing the time consumption and simplifying the experience would leave only one hurdle for theatres to overcome. How do you compete with the ability to pause the movie to go to the washroom?

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Profit is NOT your #1 priority

Character

A recent discussion on LinkedIn began with the question, "The one quality a successful leader should "NOT" possess, according to you would be... ." The following are a summary of some of the responses provided by various participants:

• Arrogance – Not to be confused with confidence
  
• Cowardice
  
• Inability to listen (to people with organization, customer, leader's, survey or even our own intuition)
  
• Taking all credit for success & blaming others for failure
  
• Fear
  
• Greed
  
• Too rigid
  
• Big ego
  
• Refusing to admit their mistakes
  

As I survey this list, the one word that comes to mind is "character". Leadership is about character. Good character = good leadership, bad character = bad leadership. How do you define character? The dictionary that I found on my desk (The Merriam Webster) reads; the complex of mental and ethical traits marking a person or group. The Encarta Dictionary reads; distinctive qualities; the set of qualities that make somebody or something distinctive, especially somebody's qualities of mind and feeling.

Character is who you are – it determines how you will react in any given situation. It is your conscience, habits, beliefs and attitudes. The shaping and forming of your character starts when you are very young and continues throughout your life. The modeling of your character depends upon how you deal with and react to the events and situations that come at you in life. It comes out of the choices that you have made in life.

The bittersweet part is; the greater the challenge in life – the greater the character building opportunity. Those that have faced the biggest trials in life have the most profound character. However, depending on the choices made in life – some people's character is overwhelmingly positive and some negative. This is the reason that when hiring for key leadership positions, wise organizations look for failure or crisis in the background of the applicants. They understand that those who have come through major challenges successfully will be much better leaders than those who have not.

I write both to share, and to learn. The writing of this article has helped me to answer a question that has plagued me for many years. I have always believed that leadership is not something that you were born with and that it cannot just be taught – it must be learned – it is a skill, but more than that. I have encountered many over the years that have had profound problems with leadership. In order to try to "fix" them, they were sent off to some kind of leadership school. They usually return with a new lease on life and profound revelation on leadership. While, there is usually some change, the old negative traits are still in them and eventually find their way to the surface. Based on this, I began to doubt that someone could change his or her ability to lead. Intuitively, I knew that they were not born with a certain style, but yet, I could not reconcile this issue.

My epiphany is character. I can study and learn about positive, influential leadership principles and become a leading expert on the subject. But, it is my character that allows or prevents me from using them [principles]. To change my leadership, I need to first change my character.

So, how does one change their character? Make better decisions in reaction to what life brings you. The problem is that one has to be willing to accept that their character is flawed in order to make the necessary changes. That takes humility.

So if all this is true, why is the price of admission to many organizations, letters beside your name signifying a business degree? How can we determine character? Ask those that have been exposed to it – not those that have seen an act or performance (superiors) – ask those that have seen the real (subordinates).

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Character

Just say “Thank you”

Many years ago while I was progressing up the corporate ladder - when I was much younger, cocky and thought I knew everything - I was taught a very important lesson.

I had received a compliment on some work that I had done from a senior level executive in the company. To this day I am not exactly sure what I said in response (have done my best to block this from memory), but it was somewhere along the lines of "yeah I know and let me show you all the fine details." While I did not realize it at the time (obviously because I was too focused on myself), my boss (mentor) who was also present during the conversation, was looking on with disgust at my display of arrogance. This mentor (my boss) was, is and will always be a great mentor to all those that he is in relationship with. He is an all around great guy (actually, his name is Guy). I imagine in that moment he must have been saying to himself "Argh, all that work and polishing – tarnished in a few seconds."

Despite this newfound revelation about his protégé, that - he could dress me up, but couldn't take me out, he was very gracious. Afterwards, with concern showing on his face (this look was to break through my haughtiness), he said, "In the future, when someone gives you a compliment – just say 'thank you'". It was a great lesson in humility, which I have never forgotten.

In my view, there are three possible responses to a compliment – and believe me - I have done all three (not necessarily all the comments, but the attitude):

1. Arrogance: "Yeah I know." "It's about time you recognized my talent and abilities." "Let me show you what else I can do." "Ok, so what promotion / reward do you have for me?" "Just show me the money." Can you add to the list …?
   
2. False Humility: "You're to kind, but I know that it could be better." "Ahh shucks, I just got lucky – my work is not usually this good." "I didn't do anything – it was everyone else." "I appreciate your comments – but I know that I can do better." How about this list, anything to add …?
   
3. "Thank you!"
   

Just say “Thank you”

It’s time to take the thumb out of your mouth

WARNING: The following will likely cause the "politically correct" to get offended – read at your own risk

People and groups getting offended or insulted; it is happening with increasing frequency, especially in the public arenas of life. A politician, public figure or celebrity speaks their mind (God forbid) and says something that is not quite politically correct … or in some cases extremely un-politically correct. Then come the voices - the whining - the cries for justice because … sob, sob … what they said offended me. I want an apology. I demand an apology.

I expect that the following must have happened to some of us as kids – not me – so I will have to use what I see in movies and on TV. Little Johnny does something rude or physically assaults his brother or sister. Little Johnny's brother / sister goes to Mom (why is it always Mom?) and tattles. Mom demands that little Johnny apologizes to little sister / brother. Little Johnny reluctantly says that he is sorry and life goes back to normal.

Did anyone really believe that little Johnny was sorry? No. Not little Johnny's brother / sister; not Mom or the viewer watching this play out on TV (or in real life is this happened to you). Why does it play out like this?

• Mom orchestrates this in order to resolve the situation and reinstate peace – it is much quicker than an inquiry, coaching and performance management.
  
• Little brother / sister tattled to gain the upper hand; to take control; a power play; this is how they get little Johnny to submit.
  

The problem is that little Johnny's brother and sister have not outgrown this infantile drama play, and now as adults, continue to solve their problems (hurt feelings) in the same manner. The script plays out almost exactly the same but with different characters. The boss, like-minded groups of people, or the media play Mom. Little Johnny's brother / sister are the overgrown babies. The only difference in the script (other than I am not talking about physical assault with adults) is that little Johnny (now big Johnny) is not always guilty. Sometimes he is, but more often than not, he is a victim of simply saying what he really thinks and feels. Shouldn't be a crime (offense), and in most situations it is not. However, if I can make you apologize; agree with me that you didn't really mean what you said - even though you did, I win – you look bad – I look good at your expense.

Please understand that I am not talking about slanderous comments or racial bigotry. I am talking about differences of opinions. I would site examples, but for reasons mentioned in this blog post, I am afraid of opening a can of worms and offending certain people or groups.

It is this kind of preschool drama that creates and continues to fuel the political correctness that we see in society today. People are becoming afraid to say what they really feel and think because someone might get offended. Government politics has become an art in anticipating and judging what to say or not to say in order to get re-elected. In many organizations, depending on the culture, the way that you say things is more important that what you say and a difference of opinion could be career ending. Politics, or political correctness is one of the most problematic diseases that business, organizations, governments and society face today.

I am certainly not advocating that people should be allowed to spout off with no consequences whatsoever. But, a few seconds of rational thought would make one realize that when you force someone to apologize, you are not changing what they really feel but are instead forcing their true feelings underground. Why don't we let society take care of those that say harmful things? The most effective way to take care of a loudmouth is to let them sink themselves with their own words. If society and right minded thinking individuals do not shut them down, and their voice continues to be heard, I suggest that it was probably worth hearing – even if some felt insulted by it. If we cut everyone off that has ever said something unpopular, our world would be much worse off. I believe that Martin Luther King Jr. said some things that were considered unpopular in his time. I wonder if he would be allowed to say the things he said if all the circumstances of that story played out today. Of course he was silenced in a much different manner.

The truth is, that the choice to be offended, or not – is yours. Regardless of what you hear – what someone says or does to you or your cause - you can choose to let it run off you like water off a duck. Or you can decide to whine and pout and demand an apology. Your choice.

End note: I apologize ahead of time if the words written above have offended anyone.

It’s time to take the thumb out of your mouth