“Money is not the whole picture but it’s the straw that stirs the drink”
What helps drive sustainable organizations?
This is a quote I read today from Wilbur Cave who was involved in the revitalization of some of the poor towns and districts in the Deep South of the US.
In organizational culture, it goes so wrong when the driving motive is all about money. Yes, it’s important – without the profit motive we don’t have sustainability, but it’s not everything. Taking the drinking analogy further, the spirit of an organization is in its values and those of its people and the mixer is the behaviours and practices that take place. When you mix those together, financial success often ensues.
We always focus on driving the right values and behaviours with all of our training and development. It’s what helps drive sustainable organizations.
Evolving with COVID times
In the Army, they say, “no plan survives contact with the enemy”.
A year and a half in with COVID as our enemy, how are your plans surviving? Working through COVID has presented familiar challenges but the impact on our plans of mishandling them is now much greater. This is why as a leader we need to evolve with the current conditions.
More than ever we need to maximise all aspects of the effectiveness of our sales and be more proactive and strategic in our approach. When did your sales team last sit down and review their evolving strategy?
What defines great leadership?
Empower your staff to be their true authentic selves
Be authentic and allow your team to be authentic too.
We shouldn’t have to put on a pretence when we come to work. We were hired for who we are so we should stay that way – and encourage others to do the same. I’d rather be known for who I really am than have a fake persona I have to keep up. I don’t have the time or energy for that!
We get the best out of people when they are being true to themselves and their values. Herb Kelleher the co-founder of Southwest Airlines said of his staff: