The Yin & Yang of Leadership - Building a Legacy in the Process…

Last week, I presented to the 8^th Emiratization Congress, the impact of leadership in the retention of people.  A presentation that would highlight the role that leadership plays in the retention, motivation, promotion of innovative ideas, change management, and a healthy productive work environment. 

Isn’t that what business is all about, growth and people?  Isn’t also true that the more the organization grows, the more opportunities flourish for high potentials and accordingly growth becomes part of the organizational learning? 

Haven’t we all heard of that good people leave organizations because of bad managers?  Why the old saying didn’t say bad leaders by the way?!!  Or are they the same? 

Warren Bennis, an American Business Guru, states the difference between managers and leaders is the difference between those who do things right, and those who do the right thing.  So, why do few companies fail to see the difference and rather than shifting the paradigm and changing vertical thinking (silo thinking) to lateral, they keep on promoting those people who do things right to the top of the pyramid?!! Guess what? Those are the basic reason why successful organizations tumble, and before the organization is aware, people are out of the door looking for opportunities elsewhere. 

So, is it your product that makes you superior or is it your people?!! Think about it if you want to move to the next level in competition.  Otherwise, you will be left all alone in a world of your own. 

Herb Kelleher, Southwest Airlines, the best budget airline in the world, was quoted when he was asked, what his leadership style was, he said that his style was “believing in his people, and his people believe in their customers, and their customers simply just grow”.  Now, how difficult is this formula? 

The difficulty lies in choosing the right people who would lead rather than would manage.  There are people who better left at their work, perfecting what they know best, rather than jumping them up the ladder to leadership roles.  That is why successful organizations build different professional growth ladders to capitalize on the strength of people. 

Many companies are now history due to their emphasis on product(s) rather than on people.  Who has not heard of Kleenex and Xerox?  In fact, there are people who still use the name of those companies as verbs.  Believe that!!  Where have big names such as Philips electronics, Atari, Pan Am, TWA, Maxwell recording media, etc. gone?  They surely had superior products, but with poor leadership and the results were…bye bye amigos. 

Recent studies, 2011, show that the top 5 worst companies to work for are:

1. DHL Express (USA)
2. United Airlines
3. Reynolds and Reynolds
4. Farmers Group
5. Gibson Guitar

Now, can you measure how much would such announcements publicly hurt the reputation of those companies, and respectively, their sales and profits?

Ultimately leadership is all about the three P’s.  People, Purpose and Passion.  If you can integrate the three, then you have solved the formula of “Engagement”. 

The cycle continues and few will fail to see that it is people and not products that make up successful, thriving and winning organizations.  It is what I call success with an attitude!!