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                                                            A Business of Values

While traveling to Rwanda in June of 2009, Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks, visited with the farmers and families partly responsible for producing some of their world famous Arabica beans.  Celebrating Schultz’s visit and his commitment to their continued collaboration, thousands of jubilant Rwandans stood shoulder-to-shoulder hanging on his every word.  In his book Onward, he writes, “Never before had the human side of the equation that guided Starbucks—a commitment to balancing people and profits—been so palpable.  Less than 50 feet away from me were thousands of lives that Starbucks had the power to help—or to hinder” (p. 290).

And the people cheered.

After the deregulation of the energy markets in 1998, Ken Lay and Jeffrey Skilling of Enron employed nearly 22,000 people and were voted America’s Most Innovative Company for six consecutive years from 1996 to 2001 (Yukl, 2010, p. 433).  However, all was not what it appeared.  With the help of accountants and attorneys, top executives created subsidiaries that looked like partnerships and made it possible to sell assets and create false earnings.  Under Lay and Skilling, unethical practices ran rampant.  When the gig was finally up, Enron sunk and thousands of individual hopes and futures went down with it.  It would become the biggest and most complex bankruptcy case in U.S. history (Yukl, 2010, p. 434).  

And the people cried.

Schultz (2011) said, “How leaders embody the values they espouse sets a tone, an expectation, that guides their employees future behaviors” (p. 294).  Ken Lay, shortly after his arrest by the FBI, said he took responsibility for Enron’s collapse but denied that he did anything wrong.  “I continue to grieve, as does my family, over the loss of the company and my failure to save it,” said Lay, speaking forcefully. “But failure does not equate to a crime” (Crawford, 2004).

Peel back the layers of most leadership failures and you’ll find a thin veneer of values.  Behind the fancy suits and corner office are many men and women driven by greed, power, and control.  Incompetence and ignorance, while disappointing and frustrating, can be forgiven.  Malicious dealings and unethical practices done solely for profits cannot.

Hemingway & Maclagan (2004), in their article Managers’ Personal Values as Drivers of Corporate Social Responsibility said, “Individual managers’ organizational decisions are driven by a variety of personal values and interests, in addition to the official corporate objectives” (p. 36).

Organizational values start with leadership.  Period.  No excuses.  What leaders say and do flow down to their people.  The ethical value of an organization is a reflection of its top-tiered leadership team.  In the competitive world of corporate business, churches, sports, or retail services, the values of its leaders—at all levels—ultimately influences the depth of its decision making.  Understanding ones personal values and the values of the organization is the starting point for aligning and synergizing those values.

Stephen Denning (2011) identifies four different types of values:

1. Robber barons – firms whose only value is to crush the competition by whatever means.
2. Hardball strategist – these firms avoid illegality, but in all other respects they pursue a single-minded focus on winning.
3. Pragmatist – these firms pursue instrumental values, that is, values that are a central part of the organizations business strategy.
4. Genuine ethical values – firms that identify values as a principle motivating force; values that go beyond what is necessary for the business strategy and that possess a genuine moral basis.

Rather than discover six months or a year into a job, individuals should have a rich understanding of their values and principles.  Highlighting workplace values such as, work/family life balance, truth and honesty, environmental consciousness, stability, and clear advancement tracks can steer potential employees toward a fulfilling position with a pragmatist and genuine ethical organization.

Employees who value competition, strong financial rewards, power, and adventure may find themselves more confortable in an organization led by robber barons or hardball strategist.

Mother Teresa would never work for Steve Jobs.  Billy Graham would never work for Donald Trump. Compatible values between employer and employee are instrumental factors toward an employee’s job satisfaction and an employer’s ability to motivate their workers to increase profits.  Identifying the corporate atmosphere is key to revealing its value set.

Denning (2011) identifies three components of an ethical community and atmosphere.  The first is trust: general expectation among members that their fellows will behave ethically toward them. The second is loyalty: acceptance of the obligation to refrain from breaching one another’s trust and to fulfill the duties entailed by accepting that trust.  And lastly, solidarity: caring for other people’s interest and being ready to take action on behalf of other, even if it conflict with personal interests (p. 132-133).

As an employee of Lockheed Martin, I have experienced each of these components in various forms.  For instance, in my supervisor’s absence, he asked me to fill his position as team lead.  When there have been disagreements about aircraft performance or logistical challenges, each member of our team has been able to communicate and disagree without being disrespectful. 

Lockheed core values identified as “do the right thing, perform with excellence, and respect others” complement my personal values very well.  Dr. Randall Hansen’s values assessment led me to identify my top five workplace values as (1) integrity and truth, (2) opportunities for influence, (3) friendship and warm working relationships, (4) stability and security, and (5) work/life balance. 

Lockheed Martin policies and directives support and enhance my top five values.  In times of tight budgets and leaner organizations, job security can be a factor.  However, Lockheed has shown in the event positions are eliminated, they diligently work to place employees in other positions.  If they cannot come to an agreement with the employee on a job, they offer strong severance packages and transitional assistance.

Denning (2011) said, “Shared values in an organization create trust.  People have confidence that others will do what they say” (p. 149).  With nearly 120,000 people employed at Lockheed Martin, it would seem difficult to ensure their core values persist through every division.  I believe they have been successful because they recognize and reward employees who do the right thing and perform with excellence.  Like any company, there are individuals that test the limits of values, in these instances; the company response reaffirms its commitment to ensuring their values are in tact.

In Built to Last, Jim Collins (1994) debunked the myth that most successful companies exist first and foremost to maximize profits.  He said, “Contrary to business school doctrine, maximizing shareholder wealth or profit maximization has not been the dominant driving force or primary objective of visionary companies.” “Yes,” he added, “they seek profits but they’re equally guided by a core ideology—core values and a sense of purpose beyond just making money” (p. 8)

On April 26, 2013, Marillyn Hewson, CEO of Lockheed Martin sent an email to all Lockheed employees that read; “One of the qualities that distinguish Lockheed Martin is our constant focus on the future. We never stop thinking about what’s ahead and how we can make tomorrow’s world better than today’s. Our progress on that front will be measured not just by our balance sheet, it will be measured by the value we create for everyone who’s counting on us, including our customers, our communities, our partners and our shareholders, and you, our employees.”

From what I’ve seen, she means it.

Legacy values.

Steve

References:

Collins, J. (1994). Built to Last. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

Crawford, K. (2004). Lay Surrenders to Authorities. Retrieved from

http://money.cnn.com/2004/07/08/news/newsmakers/lay/

Denning, S. (2011). The Leader’s Guide to Storytelling. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons,

            Inc.

Hansen, R. (n.d.). Workplace Values Assessment. Retrieved from

http://www.quintcareers.com/workplace_values.html

Hemingway, C.A. & Maclagan, P.W. (2004). Managers’ Personal Values as Drivers of

            Corporate Social Responsibility. Journal of Business Ethics, 50(1), 33-44.

Schultz, H. (2011). Onward. New York, NY: Rodale.

Yukl, G. (2010). Leadership in Organizations. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

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                                              Hope Springs and Hidden Agendas

Two nights ago, my wife and I watched the movie Hope Springs with Tommy Lee Jones and Meryl Streep.  The film is based around a middle-aged couple, Arnold (played by Jones) and Kay (played by Streep), recently celebrating thirty-one years of marriage.  Stuck in routine and resignation, they undergo five days of intensive marriage counseling in Hope Springs, Maine.  Sitting before their marriage counselor (brilliantly played by Steve Carell), Arnold and Kay unpack fears and unmet expectations.  Advertised as a comedy, this movie delivers an insightful look at the consequences of poor marital communication. 

McKay, Davis, & Fanning (2009), in their book Messages, stated, “You can’t ‘not communicate’ with others. Without saying a word, you reveal your feelings and attitudes” (p. 59).  Watching this movie and reading chapters 4-6 of Messages, I felt as if I were a counselor in the office with Arnold and Kay.  The combination of the movie and the book has opened my eyes and motivated me to enrich the communication with my wife, friends, and coworkers.

McKay, Davis, & Fanning (2009) said, “The key to nonverbal communication is congruence.  Awareness of incongruence in your own nonverbal message can make you a much more effective communicator” (p. 60).  When my wife and I used to argue, the conversations normally consisted of me badgering her with “What’s wrong” and her replying with “Nothing.”  The metamessage tug-of-war could last for hours.  When my wife clearly and purposefully articulates a word ensuring every consonant and vowel is pronounced, it means things are not well.  The obvious incongruence between my wife’s body language and her verbal “nothing is wrong” would send me spiraling into an abyss of frustration.  As a result, my incongruent apology wasn’t much better.  My “I’m sorry” was more apt to be translated as “Whatever I’ve done, will you please just forget it so we can get past this?” 

If the lack of congruence wasn’t enough to identify the obvious disconnection, our social kinesics and proxemics were sure to set off warning sirens.  Crossing her arms tightly across her chest communicated defensiveness and an unwillingness to share her feelings (McKay, Davis, & Fanning, 2009, p. 63).   Wringing my hands and rubbing my forehead, communicated anger rather than understanding.  Normally, when our relationship is strong, we spend our time in an intimate (touching to 18”) and a personal (1 ½’ to 4’) zone.  When we are arguing, the distinct zone of choice is social (4’ to 12’) and sometimes even public (12’ to 20’).  If my wife were to say, “I’m not mad” but refuse to breach the personal or intimate zone, then incongruence would again be raised.  In other words, our personal distance is in direct correlation to our feelings.

In Hope Springs, Arnold and Kay begin their marital session on opposite sides of the couch.  As the sessions move forward and they share their feelings, the distance between them narrows and subconsciously, they are drawn to each other.  When they fall into attacking one another, they move further away from each other on the couch.  It is a perfect dramatization of what is happening both physically and emotionally.  Like the actors, as my wife and I work through our argument, the space between us narrows.  As we move further toward each other, the volume of our speech is brought to a lower level, the tempo slows down, and we resonate a desire to understand each other. 

After twenty-eight years of marriage, my wife and I have learned that our relationship is greater than either of us in particular.  By choosing the higher road of reconciliation and empathy, our desire is to understand each other rather than prove a point.  As a result, we’ve learned a great deal about human communication techniques.  By studying couples in counseling, reading vast amounts of literature, and recognizing our own shortcomings, we’re better equipped to help spouses navigate the rough waters of a difficult marriage.  In the process, we’ve come face to face with McKay, Davis, & Fanning’s eight hidden agendas.

As a refuge for hurting people, the church is a conglomeration of hidden agendas.  As my wife and I discussed the eight hidden agendas described in Messages, we were able to positively assign many names under each category—us included.  There are normally three-tiers of church involvement: Leadership, regular attendees, and uncommitted.  Each category operates with different levels of commitment and agenda.  Here are a few hidden agendas I’ve experienced within the church:

1.                    “I’m Good.” This is the most frequently used agenda within a church.  Leaders use it to avoid losing position, attendees use it to keep people at bay, and the uncommitted use it because there is a lack of trust.

2.                    “I’m Good (But You’re Not).”  This is the “holier than thou” individual who is judgmental and critical of everyone while ignoring his or her own shortcomings.

3.                    “You’re Good (But I’m Not).” This is the person who does not want to change.  Rather than take corrective action, they resign themselves to believing they are who they are.

4.                    “I’m Helpless, I Suffer.” This is normally the people getting the lion’s share of the attention.  These are the ones rarely seeking to help anyone else.  Their goal is to manipulate others to feel sorry for them.

5.                    “I’m Blameless.” This churchgoer is not too far removed from “I’m Good (But You’re’ Not)” agenda.  Either way, nothing is their fault.  I have personally experienced this agenda when offering assistance or advice to an individual.  If they implement my advice and it does not go as they hoped, it is my fault, not theirs.

6.                    “I’m Fragile.”  As I mentioned earlier, church is a refuge for the hurting.  Fragile people come looking for help all the time.  However, the “I’m Fragile” agenda keeps people operating with a victim mentality.  When this agenda is exposed, people either change and incorporate a new mindset or they skip from church to church seeking sympathy.

7.                    “I’m Tough.”  Working in men’s ministry for over twelve years has introduced me to many of these agendas.  Intimidation and busyness cover a host of insecurities and self-esteem problems.

8.                    “I Know It All.”  Every church in every town has at least one of these people.  This is the Bible scholar, the one who has a Scripture verse for every situation, and the person with all the answers.  They hide behind their academics, resumes, and memory verses.

The key to breaking free from hidden agendas is to incorporate the rewards of self-disclosure as described by McKay, Davis, & Fanning.  An increased self-knowledge, closer intimate relationships, and improved communication would help many people suffering from perfection, misaligned perspectives, and legalistic viewpoints.  By overcoming guilt and sharing your feelings with others, there is less guilt and more energy.  Maintaining hidden agendas requires a lot of work and ends in overwhelming loneliness. 

One of my favorite lines in Hope Springs occurs when Arnold and Kay are at dinner.  Much has already been shared between them and some of the walls are down; agendas have been put aside for the night and for the first time in a long time, they feel close.  As the conversation traces back to when they first met, Arnold (in a moment of vulnerability) said to Kay, “You could have had your pick.  I didn’t think you’d ever want me.” In which Kay responds, “I never wanted anything more.”  By breaking through agendas and learning to communicate honestly and authentically, life and relationships are reconciled.

Legacy Never Hides.

Steve

References:

McKay, M., Davis, M., & Fanning, P. (2009). Messages. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, Inc.

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                                        Looking Back to Look Forward

Growing up in a home as the youngest of three boys left little margin for error.  With my brothers, it was best to be “not seen” and “not heard.”  For when you were seen, if it didn’t measure up, you were quickly ridiculed as weak and incapable.  Moreover, if you were seen and they were drinking, things got much worse.  As a result, I decided to hide.  At home, invisible was safe.  One of the ways I hid was by staying away.  The majority of my time was spent outside the home with a group of friends.  In those relationships I found acceptance; and, ironically, leadership.  I became the one who made the plans, set the agenda, and gave advice. 

As a sixteen-year old boy in a western Pennsylvania steel town, you needed to know how to defend yourself.  Unfortunately, I was skinny.  My brothers seemed to mature much quicker than I and though only a few years separated us, it felt like decades.  Their influence on my life is far greater than the scope of this blog but for brevity’s sake, they mastered the art of manipulation and intimidation.  My oldest brother was as smooth as silk.  Silver-tongued and smart, he could work his way in and out of any situation.  Regardless of the trouble that surrounded him, he always seemed to escape unscathed.  My other brother, while intelligent, was all force.  He carried an air of intimidation.  If one brother couldn’t talk me into doing what he wanted, the other would threaten me to do it.  As a result of a divorce, my oldest brother lived in New York while we moved to Pennsylvania.  My other brother lived with me and had much greater influence.  

In the fall of 1982, my brother came home from Marine boot camp.  One night, he drove my girlfriend, another friend, too much whiskey, and me to a back road in the middle of the night.  Standing on a dark, deserted road, he offered me a deal.  With a handful of money and a blood-alcohol level off the charts, he offered me $100 to run and hide in the woods.  If he couldn’t find me within an hour, the cash would be mine.  But if he found me…well, who knows.  I turned down the offer.  When he made the same offer to my girlfriend, I stepped in and tried to end the game.  In an instant, I found myself lying on my back unaware of what had happened.  Apparently, he disliked my suggestion and leveled me on a dark road in the middle of nowhere.  I’m not sure he even remembers the incident while I’ve never forgotten it.  Neither has my girlfriend now aka my wife.

Later that night, unbeknown to everyone there, I made an internal agreement.  I promised myself that I would never be humiliated and knocked down again.  After years of intimidation, I had had enough.  As a result, I significantly increased my weightlifting.  I needed to gain size and muscle.  Fast.  Paradoxically, as I worked out and began to grow, I continued to see myself as skinny.  Within two years I had gained nearly twenty pounds.  It wasn’t enough.  No matter how much my strength improved and my weight increased, I was never big enough.  Consequently, I began taking steroids.  I had read of the side effects and knew the dangers.   Neither could sway my decision.  I was never going to be pushed around again.

After years of lifting weights and abusing steroids, I was looking for an opportunity to demonstrate my increased strength on my brothers.  Short of a few cross words, it never came; and, I thank God for that.  I’m very disappointed in the decisions I made as a young man.  Rather than take a higher road of forgiveness and understanding, I allowed revenge and regret to dominate my thoughts.  Struggling with an identity and masking unprecedented insecurity, I made years of poor decisions in a shallow attempt to rediscover a lost masculinity.

Today, things are much different.  The years have brought healing and maturation.  On this side of forgiveness, I recognize the influence bullying has on people’s security, identity, and peace of mind.  As a team member and an employee, I help promote a zero-tolerance policy toward bullying in the workplace.  Too often, society relegates bullying to middle school and high school playgrounds.  Unfortunately, it takes place in professional workplaces as well.  Today, I am the first to step-in and stand-up for someone being intimidated.  I have learned to gently address someone who is using a loud voice, an extra hard handshake, or other intimidating behaviors to achieve their goals.  In short, because of what I’ve learned, I help to ensure a certain organizational justice exists within the workforce.

On a lighter note of influence, in 1992 my family and I received military orders to Germany.  My supervisor was a Master Sergeant who had been in Germany for nearly three years and was an “old hand” at living and working overseas.  On my first day, I was excited about getting to work, meeting new people, and integrating into my new assignment.  At a little after 8:00 am my supervisor arrived to pick me up for work.  The first thing I noticed when I walked outside was his uniform.  It was a wrinkled, sloppy mess.   Being a senior non-commissioned officer working in a foreign country, I expected much more.  Climbing into his car, things got much worse.  The ashtray was overflowing with half-smoked cigarettes and ashes.  Old, empty Styrofoam cups that once held black coffee were strewn throughout his car.  Just when I didn’t think things could get worse, we arrived to his office.

Folders, lunch bags, stacks of papers, and unmarked cardboard boxes littered his office.  As he relocated stacks of debris from one of the chairs, I found a seat and he began briefing me on my responsibilities and expectations.  “Expectations!”  I thought, “Are you serious!”  He and I worked together for less than three months as his tour of duty had ended and he headed back to the states to finish his career.  The initial meeting with my supervisor locked an important element of professionalism deep in my mind:  The power of a first impression. 

The United States military has an unequaled history of courage and honor.  Present day active-duty men and women are expected to embrace the tradition and carry on the respect and professionalism of those before them.  In the Air Force, as in the other branches of service, the senior non-commissioned officer is a vital link in the success and leadership of its people.  Proper wear and representation of the uniform is paramount to respecting the core values of the Air Force.  While I accepted that fact when it was told to me as a young airman, it became a deep part of my character immediately upon meeting my supervisor in Germany.  

Today, ensuring a proper and professional first impression is a key characteristic of my behavior.  As a liaison representing Lockheed Martin to the Air Force, it is my responsibility to display confidence, preparation, organization, and orderliness.  I meet a number of new people each week.  By offering respect, showing competence, and being organized they leave our meeting confident of my abilities to follow through on their concerns.  Everyone knows “you get one chance to make a first impression.”  Because of the unkempt appearance and disorganized presentation of my supervisor, I have learned to look through the eyes of those meeting me and ask, “What is the first thing that comes to mind when they meet me?”  It helps me ensure I am representing the company with the highest standard and taking pride in my own professionalism.         

Legacy leaves an impression.

Steve

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                                                One Story Tunnel Vision

Conant and Norgaard (2011) in their book Touchpoints said, “To make genuine connections with other people, you need to bring more than information and experience to the interaction—you need to bring yourself” (p. 77).  One of the best ways to bring yourself into a conversation or presentation is by telling a compelling story.  In The Leader’s Guide to Storytelling, Denning (2011) said, “Storytelling is essential to leadership” (p. 63).  PowerPoint slides and statistics will not capture the heart, let alone the imagination.  Rote memorization cannot inspire change.  Instead, when people are vulnerable enough to share their life by way of a story, it provides a mental landscape for other people’s hopes and dreams.  Chimamanda Adichie inspires, motivates, and brings awareness to the issue of stereotypes and narrow-mindedness by using her personal story in the TED Talk, The Danger of a Single Story.

Stephen Denning (2011) describes a springboard story as “a story that can inspire people to change” (p. 63).  Among a number of characteristics, Denning identified the first step in crafting a springboard story as “getting clear on the change idea you are trying to get across” (p. 64).  In her presentation, Adichie was crystal clear on her objective.  She discussed the problems that arise when people read or hear one story concerning a group of people or a place and consider it the definitive description of that culture.  She explained how single story narratives create stereotypes by painting a negative picture from one person’s perspective.

Consider what a child in Ethiopia would think of America if the only book she ever read was Alex Haley’s Roots?  What if the only story about America was an eighteenth or nineteenth century war-torn country teeming with death and destruction between Caucasians, Native Americans, African Americans, or the north and the south during the Civil War?  Fortunately, there are thousands of novels and an endless array of historical stories telling of freedom, struggle, perseverance, and patriotism.  Unfortunately, in the past, other countries have not been so lucky.  Many were absent the necessary tools to produce a volume of stories to dispense worldwide; that was, until now.   

Ms. Adichie transported her listeners through story; each member was taken on a true African safari.  In the process, she exposed the insidiousness of prejudice.  By explaining the imprint and power of a single story, she dispelled false beliefs about African societies by shattering long-standing perceptions of ignorance, savagery, and disorder.  As she recounted her life as a young girl and a college student, she provided just enough detail for her listeners to imagine her experiences growing up in Nigeria and walking onto an American campus as a young freshman.  Her interaction with roommates, students, and professors revealed biases in my own heart.  Like others, I have had preconceived notions of African families though I’ve never placed one foot on the continent. 

One of the key moments in Adichie’s presentation was sharing her earlier biases toward Mexicans.  Visiting Mexico after listening to news media and political speeches scripted a story of Mexicans as illegal immigrants fleecing American health care and sneaking across the border.  While walking the streets of Guadalajara, she quickly realized she had fell prey to the same trap as those she was addressing: believing one way about a group of people by listening to just one story.  Adichie said, “To solidify a stereotype, show a group of people as one thing and only one thing over and over and eventually, that is what they become.”  Rather than merely recognize her own failure and change her thinking, she has taken her message to the world. 

Denning (2011) said, “Stories are trapdoors, escape hatches, portals through which we can expand our lives and learn about other worlds. They offer guideposts to what is important in life. They generate meaning” (p. xi).  Adichie recognizes the power of a story.  As a rising discipline in academia and business, stories can be a powerful tool in the hands of a leader.  The challenge is to ensure a story tells the entire truth about a person and a place rather than shave elements of the narrative to meet your needs. 

Lastly, as stated above, the key to a springboard story is to inspire action, to leave the audience with new hope and possibilities.  Adichie challenged her listeners by prefacing her phrases with, “What if…we knew the whole story of the Native Americans?” and “Just imagine…the potential of children all over the world reading books from all over the world.” And even, “Just think…what life would be like if we looked at both the negative and the positive aspects of a certain culture.”  Maybe, just maybe, we could begin to change the world one perception at a time.  Conant and Norgaard (2011) also said, “The key is to tell a story that is so interesting that people could remember it and pass it on to others” (p. 117).  After listening to Adichie and before writing this blog, I sent an email to a coworker that simply said, “Listen to this talk on the danger of a single story.  It’ll change the way you look at people.” 

Steve

References:

Adichie, C. (2009). The Danger of a Single Story. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9Ihs241zeg

Conant, D.R., & Norgaard, M. (2011). Touchpoints. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Denning, S. (2011). The Leader’s Guide to Storytelling. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.