Welcome back for this week’s double-shot of leadership motivation.  The gray and wet Midwestern weekend is giving way to a promising new week and it’s time to get going. 

I’m brewing a pot of New Mexico’s award winning Pinon Coffee, courtesy of my sister-in law as just the cure for too much exposure to Sunday morning news shows. 

Can I pour you a cup?

I’m taking my leadership cues this week from Michael Beers, a Harvard Professor with a forthcoming book: High Commitment, High Performance: How to Build a Resilient Organization for Sustained Advantage.

While I’m not certain that a Harvard Professor is the first one that I seek out to help me lead my way out of a crisis, I like what he has to say.  Mr. Beer’s focus is on building high performance teams and organizations on the back of what he describes as high commitment leaders.

His Thoughts and My Comments:

-Prof. Beer:

“CEOs of High Commitment, High Performance (HCHP) companies think very differently about their employees.  They see them as an asset and care about them as people.  Consequently, they manage the downturn very differently.”

-Art’s Comment:

This fits nicely with last week’s post on Goleman’s research into social neuroscience (Smile, Your Mirror Neurons are Firing Everyone Up.)  In essence: the most effective leaders care about and pay attention to their employees.

-Prof. Beer:

“We’ve realized that the leader can be a limiting factor in a journey to transform an organization into a HCHP organization.”

-Art’s Comment:

Didn’t need too much expensive research to figure this one out.  Your leadership style and effectiveness are the governors on your team’s performance.  It’s you, not them.  What are you doing this week to help not hinder?

-Prof. Beer:

“These CEO’s (HCHP) operate from deep beliefs and values.  Their purpose is to leave a legacy of a great firm.”

-Art’s Comment:

Even if you’re not working for such an enlightened CEO, nothing is stopping you from operating and leading with your own deep, core beliefs and values and making certain that these come through in your dealings with your team. 

-Prof Beer:

“The journey to HCHP is not a straight line up. At various stages of the journey the company will face a crisis in performance. How that crisis is dealt with will determine the organization’s future HCHP trajectory.

Will the company liquidate its investment in high commitment culture and the talented people it took years to develop and impregnate with the company’s DNA? Or will the HCHP organization be able to negotiate the crisis without liquidating its social and human capital? These moments of truth define the organization’s future much more powerfully than speeches, appeals for better teamwork, and mission or value statements.”

The Bottom-line:

You have and will continue to face “moments of truth”  in the days and weeks ahead.  Instead of reacting, seize the remarkable opportunities in this environment to turn yourself into a High Commitment, High Performance Leader.  The formula is simple, although executing on it is not.

  • Stay confident and upbeat, but skip the false enthusiasm.  No one will buy a Pollyannaish view of the world, but no one needs to see the boss sulking.
  • Stay in front of your team members with company news and issues.  Don’t hide from bad news.  If there is a round of layoffs, double your visibility and outreach.
  • Remember Beer’s advice that how you deal with the crisis now will determine your future trajectory.  Provide challenging opportunities for your top talent.  This is a target-rich environment for apprentice opportunities for your up and coming leaders.
  • Set goals focused on helping clients and companies and work relentlessly on achieving those goals.  Provide constant feedback on progress; celebrate victories and leverage mistakes to strengthen team and individual learning.
  • Work darn hard.  Get out of your comfortable desk chair and get out on the floor or into the market.  Better yet, get out and help your customers win.

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OK, pour yourself just one more cup, jot down some action items and then get to work.  You can’t fix anything by staring at the screen!

For additional reading:

Uncompromising Leadership in Tough Times by Michael Beer in the Harvard Business School Working Knowledge newsletter.