Lee Ellis's Blog, page 159

The Behavior-Focused Leadership Culture: How a Strong Team Propels Success

Think of the organizations that have strong connections with you—more than great service or products, you have a strong, emotional connection with them. To achieve this level of engagement, they’ve likely worked very hard to create an internal culture that reflects their external culture.

Current Culture Examples

I realized how popular the NASCAR brand had become a few years ago while facilitating a group of PricewaterhouseCoopers consultants, most of whom were only a few years out of college. During a break in the action, two of the young ladies carried on a long, informed discussion about the Bristol Race, which had occurred the previous weekend. I was amazed to see how NASCAR had transcended its provincial beginnings and gained loyal fans in sophisticated business circles.

Zappos Shoes is another compelling example of building culture and employee engagement with its staff and customers. They’re so committed to creating a culture of passionate, engaged employees that they now offer $5000 to anyone that would like to leave the company at the end of their training period. If a one-time bonus exceeds one’s commitment to the Zappos brand, then they want to know at the beginning of the relationship.

There are many other examples of companies making their mark in their respective industries—Starbucks, Chick-Fil-A, and Duke Energy just to name a few.

“Culture development is more than a tactical plan—it’s a deeper layer that taps into the emotions and deep desires of human nature.” [Tweet This]

Building Culture in the POW Camps

Even in challenging times in the POW camps of Vietnam, our senior leaders instinctively created a winning culture to fuel passion and commitment with me and my comrades. Here’s how they did it.

As the senior ranking officer in the camps in the early years, Lt Col Robbie Risner wasted no time in issuing simple and direct guidance: “I’m in charge, and here’s what I want you to do. Be a good American. Live by the Code of Conduct. Resist up to the point of permanent physical or mental damage and then no more. Give as little as possible and then bounce back to resist again. Pray every day. Go home proud.”

Risner’s policies passed quickly through the camps via covert communications, clarifying our mission, vision, and values for what would turn out to be a long war. Risner made the military Code of Conduct the cornerstone of POW culture. The Defense Department had adopted this code after the Korean War as a tool to help POWs resist Communist exploitation. Virtually every warrior in the U.S. military had memorized it during training, and Risner made it clear that he expected everyone to follow it to the best of his ability. During our darkest moments, knowing we were united by common values and shared commitment to mission and vision made a difference in our mental and physical survival.

The Honor of Building a Winning Culture

“Organizational cultures are shaped by the values and beliefs established by leaders and shared by the people and groups in the organization.” [Tweet This]

Positive cultures increase motivation, teamwork, and commitment. With a clear understanding about core values, operating styles, and standards of behavior, people can focus their talents and energies toward common goals. A common mindset also enables people to operate independently, while remaining aligned with the values and policies of senior leaders.

Establishing a culture requires clarity, commitment, and creativity:

Clarity about vision, mission, core values, and operational policies. Over-communication is a key to clarity—sharing it multiple times, multiple ways.
Commitment to the organization’s mission and defined values. An over-arching principle in the military is a “Be responsible, No excuses” attitude, for example. Creating an attitude of ownership and healthy accountability with your team also cranks up the commitment level.
Creativity to make the cultural story unique and compelling. What are some ways that you can make the culture-building process more fun or emotional? Think beyond a set of rules and descriptors.

Once the culture is defined, it must be communicated fervently and frequently, until it is caught and bought in every corner and on every level of the organization. Understanding the individual, unique behaviors of each team member with tools like Leadership Behavior DNA is essential, too.

The Big Payoff

What’s the payoff for creating strong employee engagement and a positive culture?

In a Gallup article, organizations that engage their employees grow their earnings more than 2.5 times faster than organizations that do not. In addition, “optimized” teams within an organization — those that are in the top 50% of teams on both employee and customer engagement — generate a 240% boost in financial performance compared with teams that fail to engage their employees and their customers.

In summary:

Engaged, behaviorally-smart employees yield engaged customers.
Engaged customers yield happy, committed customers.
Happy, committed customers enthusiastically use and enjoy your products and services as part of their lives.

It’s an emotional process that yields positive strategic and tactical outcomes. What has been your experience and tactical steps to creating a winning culture? Please share your comments.

LE

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Coming January 7, 2020! Pre-Order Your Copy

[image error] While the book does not officially launch until January 7, we’ve gotten a peek at the website for it and wanted to share the excitement with you.

“Leadership Behavior DNA: Discovering Natural Talents and Managing Differences” was co-authored by DNA Behavior’s Hugh Massie and Lee Ellis. No matter your leadership style, this book is for you. Learning to recognize and better manage #differences is the key to building a winning culture and improved productivity.

Instead of another leadership or #management tome, Hugh and Lee’s book is grounded in statistical research + data from millions of clients and more than 45 years of workplace experience.

Pre-order online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, other popular retailers

 

 

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On This Day in Leadership History, December 15th

On this day in leadership history in 1791 in the U.S., the first ten amendments to the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, went into effect following ratification by the state of Virginia.

What’s the leadership lesson? As an honorable leader, when is the right time to improve, modify, or clarify your original words, decisions, or processes (while holding true to original ideas)? Be open and aware.

Bill of Rights – Wikipedia

 

 

 

 

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Leading with Honor Wisdom for Today, December 13, 2019

“Do not go where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

 

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The Most Important Honor Code?

Hey Leaders! What’s the most honor code below to focus on during the holiday season? Post your answer below –

 

 

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Quick Advice on Building Team Unity

Some quick advice on building teamwork unity from Leading with Honor: There is an art and a science to leading teams –  

The art of leading others must consider the impact of individual differences such as our mindsets, habits, values, emotions, baggage and natural talents and behaviors. These are just a few of the many nooks and crannies of human personalities that can make relating to others a rough experience. All too often these differences cause a negative influence on others.

Reflect for a moment on the word influence, and you will realize it’s at the core of all good leadership and cohesive teamwork. We are always giving and receiving vibes that can swing our influence and relationships either way. This is the challenge of influencing others—how do you relate positively to each person individually.

The science of leading others involves understanding and predicting our natural “go to” behaviors. They can help us understand much of why people are different and why they act the way they do, and how we can relate to them most effectively. Natural behaviors come with our DNA, bringing a degree of order and structure into the swirling mishmash of human nature. We are all born with a unique bent. And here is the exciting part for leadership, teamwork, and all relationships—natural DNA behaviors can be easily identified and then scientifically measured and scored with a high degree of accuracy. Bringing this science to support the art of leadership and teamwork is at the heart of our mission for thirty years.

We all know that people are different. But accepting them and respecting and even celebrating their differences is a challenge and often a stumbling block for relations and influence.

Please add your comments and experience below. Also read and watch the entire coaching article and clip on this topic – “Managing the Art and Science of Teamwork”

 

[image error] While the book does not officially launch until January 7, we’ve gotten a peek at the website for it and wanted to share the excitement with you.

“Leadership Behavior DNA: Discovering Natural Talents and Managing Differences” was co-authored by DNA Behavior’s Hugh Massie and Lee Ellis. No matter your leadership style, this book is for you. Learning to recognize and better manage #differences is the key to building a winning culture and improved productivity.

Instead of another leadership or #management tome, Hugh and Lee’s book is grounded in statistical research + data from millions of clients and more than 45 years of workplace experience.

Pre-order online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, other popular retailers

 

 

 

The post Quick Advice on Building Team Unity appeared first on Leading With Honor®.

Lee Ellis Interview – Top Business Leaders

Do you have an idea for a book or message that you’d like to share? Recently, Lee was interviewed on the “Top Business Leaders” podcast on how he developed his award-winning book, Leading with Honor.

Great interview on tips to help the aspiring author or speaker—please listen on the Top Business Leaders website or click the link below.

 

 

 

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On This Day in Leadership History, December 8th

On this day in leadership history in 1765, Eli Whitney was born in Westboro, MA. Whitney invented the cotton gin and developed the concept of mass-production of interchangeable parts.

What’s the leadership lesson? How can honorable leaders create processes that ease or automate work for their teams and organizations? Process improvements benefit everyone—leader, team, and customers alike.

Eli Whitney – Wikipedia

 

 

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Happy 100th Birthday, Col Charles McGee

Today Dec 7, 2019, we join with so many to say Happy Birthday to a great American, and a very special hero, Col. Charles McGee. Congratulations Col McGee on your 100th birthday and a life well lived. For those who don’t know his story, I hope you will read his biography by his daughter.

He was a Tuskegee Airman, flying with the famous Red Tails of WWII and during his amazing career flew in three wars (WWII, Korea, and Vietnam), Col. McGee flew more than 100 missions in each of those wars and ultimately 409 combat missions, more than any other airman. I was privileged to hear him and his long-time teammate Lt. Col. George Hardy speak at the Oshkosh EAA Fly-In 2018 and saw him there again last July. His life, stories, and wisdom are inspiring. He is a great role model for the young and old.

Read this profile about at RedTail.org

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Leading with Honor Wisdom for Today, December 6, 2019

“The path of sound credence is through the thick forest of skepticism.” – George J. Nathan

 

 

 

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Managing the Art and Science of Teamwork

Leadership and Teamwork success are highly correlated to good relationships. Have you logically considered what that really means? If so, you realize that science will not be enough to succeed. Whenever you introduce relationships into the arena you have to deal with the many variables of human nature, many of which do not seem logical at all. 

Differences often undermine teamwork

Consider the impact of differences such as our mindsets, habits, values, emotions, baggage and natural talents and behaviors. These are just a few of the many nooks and crannies of human personalities that can make relating to others a rough experience. All too often these differences cause a negative influence on others.

Reflect for a moment on the word influence, and you will realize it’s at the core of all good leadership and cohesive teamwork. Our response to others has an immediate impact on relationships and typically it’s either positive or negative. So, we are always giving and receiving vibes that can swing our influence and relationships either way. When there are differences, all too often, our nature receives them as a negative when it’s just the other person being themselves. Obviously, there is no way to predict what is going on within the mind and heart of another human being.

“This is the challenge of influencing others—how do you relate positively to each person individually.” [Tweet This]

I explain it more in-depth in this month’s Leading with Honor Coaching below–please watch and interact with others on this clip:

Saying Hello to the Art Side

For some this “art” side of leadership is a challenge that motivates them. For others it may be more of a downer, but for everyone this ability is crucial to having good relationships. Much of human nature is difficult to comprehend, but there is a big chunk of these subtle differences that we can understand and predict—our natural “go to” behaviors. They can help us understand much of why people are different and why they act the way they do, and how we can relate to them most effectively.

Ironically, natural behaviors also have a scientific side; they come with our DNA, bringing a degree of order and structure into the swirling mishmash of human nature. We are all born with a unique bent. And here is the exciting part for leadership, teamwork, and all relationships—natural DNA behaviors can be easily identified and then scientifically measured and scored with a high degree of accuracy. Bringing this science to support the art of leadership and teamwork is at the heart of our mission for thirty years.

“We all know that people are different. But accepting them and respecting and even celebrating their differences is a challenge and often a stumbling block for relations and influence.” [Tweet This]

Let’s unpack this concept and discover a gift that keeps on giving every day of the year.

Two People Needing to Get Along

Let’s take the example of two very different people Tom and Jen. They have very different roles, but they are teammates who must work collaboratively to be successful. Shown below are their scores on our Leadership Behavior DNA assessment. Here you will see that we have brought science to the rescue—to help them understand and value each other and build a positive relationship. Let’s look deeper.

Examine the DNA Behavior Comparison Report graph shown below, and you’ll see that their differences are stark. At a quick glance, the closer together they are, the more alike they are; the farther apart, the more different they are.

We use T-Scores and a ten-point difference in a Factor is one standard deviation, meaning there is something different in their behaviors. A spread of 20 points difference in a Factor score is a very significant difference (probably opposite) and 30 points is an extreme difference.

You can graphically see the significant differences in the natural behaviors of these two people. In Factor 2 People and 4 Structure, they are almost three standard deviations (SD) apart, and in three Factors, they are separated by roughly two SD. In Factor 3 Patience, they are on the same side but will operate somewhat differently as they diverge by 1 SD. Factor 5 Trust is the only one where they are close.

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On the positive side, between these two people, they have strengths (talents) in six of the eight Traits. With the exception of Patient and Trusting, each has strengths that can cover for the other’s struggles. They look like the perfect match—but because opposite-Trait struggles are the most irritating, it’s most likely the perfect storm, unless they apply the Platinum Rule.

Seeing the Differences

This is where scientific evidence, graphics, and numbers are a big help. These two people can visually and objectively see that their DNA Behaviors are opposite. They can know that they can’t change the other person, but they can value their strengths and see how they have great potential for contributing to each other’s success. It won’t be easy, but if by having appropriate expectations for the other and applying the Platinum Rule (which says “Do unto others as they would like to be done unto”.) they can work together like a pitcher and catcher in baseball. Very different talents, but an amazing team.

Now you see how science can help us understand and adapt in the moment to others in a positive way that helps them feel valued and important. With these kinds of insights, you can be an artist too.

And you can increase your skills in both the science and art of leadership by better understanding yourself and how others are different as well as powerful coaching on how to work with differences in our new book, Leadership Behavior DNA: Discovering Natural Talents and Managing Differences. It’s in pre-order now and will ship the first week of January.   

LE

[Tweet This Article]

[image error] While the book does not officially launch until January 7, we’ve gotten a peek at the website for it and wanted to share the excitement with you.

“Leadership Behavior DNA: Discovering Natural Talents and Managing Differences” was co-authored by DNA Behavior’s Hugh Massie and Lee Ellis. No matter your leadership style, this book is for you. Learning to recognize and better manage #differences is the key to building a winning culture and improved productivity.

Instead of another leadership or #management tome, Hugh and Lee’s book is grounded in statistical research + data from millions of clients and more than 45 years of workplace experience.

Pre-order online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, other popular retailers

 

 

 

 

The post Managing the Art and Science of Teamwork appeared first on Leading With Honor®.