| It’s an inescapable fact of business life: organizational cultures reflect the personalities of their leaders. The leader’s behavior — how he or she goes about their daily routine or reacts to a crisis — sets the tone for the workplace. Every day, in hundreds of ways, the leader demonstrates to others what is suitable — and unsuitable — in the organization.
When, for example, a CEO insists on micro-managing and making day-to-day operational decisions, the management team becomes frozen in place, unwilling or unable to challenge decisions. If a CEO shows an inclination to avoid conflict, that behavior will be played out in the organization as well.
“CEOs need to understand that the people around them interpret their behavior through what they do and do not stand for,” says Don Schmincke, management advisor, professor at Johns Hopkins University, and author of The Code of the Executive. “The leader’s actions profoundly shape the culture of the organization.”
The same principle applies to what Lee Thayer calls the most powerful force on earth — mediocrity. “An inclination towards the mean is present in any organization and can only be overcome by the leader’s personal fanaticism. Leaders face large numbers of people who tend toward mediocrity, and also have to consciously fight against it in themselves.”
As a result, the CEO must embody a distinctive, passionate style of leadership. “Nothing done conventionally by the CEO will offer any kind of competitive advantage,” Thayer says. “Conventional thinking always and everywhere leads to conventional outcomes.” Thayer has published 19 books, including Making Great Organizations: The Leader’s Role and The Leader’s Guidebook.
The secret to effective leadership lies in closing the distance between yourself and those you seek to lead.
“It’s easy for a CEO to stay inaccessible,” says Ben Gill. “There’s always a shortage of time, an abundance of commitments — reasons why you can’t be seen and heard by employees. But these reasons become secondary once you realize that getting closer to your constituents is truly an important goal.”
In 1972, Ben Gill founded what has become one of the most successful fund-raising organizations in the U.S. Since then, Resources Services, Inc. has undertaken fund-raising efforts for over 2,200 nonprofit organizations.
“A true leader is always learning,” adds Don Schmincke. “They seek out new information through formal and informal settings. They do not discourage constructive feedback and disagreement.”
Great leaders also make themselves visible on-site. They run into people in the cafeteria and talk to them about what is on their minds. They solicit and respond to employee e-mail. They get to know the people who work for them, they find out who does what well and who needs more attention. They learn first-hand what is happening on the front lines.
The leader’s visible presence serves to lessen employee anxiety, especially during times of transformation and change. Schmincke , Gill and Thayer suggest various techniques to infuse courage and trust in employees, both in personal encounters and through normal organizational channels.
Tell it like it is. The people who follow you deserve to know what is going on. They will do a better job with the facts at hand.
Get something done fast. Short-term victories can bolster employee resolve in the face of intimidating long-term change. Celebrate these wins and show people that you appreciate their efforts.
Make change exciting. Build on the short-term gains and guide employees through the next cycle of change. With a foundation of trust, they can distinguish between good ideas that didn’t pan out and those that were ill-conceived and deserved to fail.
Take risks on people. Leaders always persuade people to do more — and be more — than they ever thought possible. Encourage your employees to go beyond what they have done in the past.
(Editor’s Note: ©2006 Vistage International. Vistage is the world’s largest CEO membership organization with more than 13,000 members in 15 countries. Eight times each year, Vistage CEO Group members participate in workshops lead by expert resource speakers. Don Schmincke , Ben Gill and Lee Thayer are highly-rated Vistage speakers. Over the next few months, twelve to sixteen business owners, company presidents and CEOs will be invited to join the first Vistage group in Kitsap County. Interested members of the business community can learn more by contacting Ken Sethney at (206) 780-9145.). | 