John Hersey Leadership Blog

Change, dreadful change!  It is amazing how hard we, human beings, reject change, and even more when it is forced on us.

So, don’t be surprised if, in the beginning, the people in your organization appear nervous and cynical about any changes you want to introduce, even if they clearly are for good.

In order for you to build endorsement towards the change to a contagious leadership culture, you must be receptive to the attitudes of others and put into practice a contagious leadership program that will encourage participation.

Take GE for example.  When this company launched its Work-Out program to give workers, managers, and leaders the opportunity to get together, share ideas, and get barriers out of the way, in the beginning it was a voluntary program.  It seemed (like) a town meeting, and many people showed up with healthy disbelief. 

Before anyone was willing to take an active part in it, they had to confirm it was a safe setting, a place where they could voice their opinion without taking the risk of being accused later, and they had to believe that the ideas they were presenting were being considered seriously; thus, Jack Welch and his team defined a strategy to create endorsement.

To begin with, they asked people to wear khakis and t-shirts so that no one would look superior to others, and the leaders were directed to address ideas right there in one of three ways: approve it, reject it, or request more information. 

Very soon, everyone noticed that they were serious about the program, and eventually, it was a requirement to attend.

Getting someone to get your back takes time and honest effort.  If you don’t walk the walk and talk the talk, you will kill any program you start.

These are some strategies to build endorsement, right from the files of the top leadership speaker on the topic of contagious leadership:

-      Define clear goals and ensure everyone on your team knows what you are planning, what you wish to achieve, and why.

-      Start a vibrant communication program, in other words, communicate early, regularly, and harmoniously; and make sure everyone is informed about:

-     What you are doing

-     Who is doing it

-     Why you are doing it

-     How well you are doing

-     Who is doing well

-     Ensure communication is internal and external.

-     Focus on successes, not on failures.

In the end, your goal should be that everyone in your organization gets your back… not for your sake and personal interest, but as every contagious leader believes, for a greater and general good.

A true leader thinks and feels as he says and does, or as a great leadership speaker once said: “Authenticity occurs when the head and the heart meet at the lips, true leadership takes place when what we think and what we feel is congruent with what we say and do.”

We’ve most certainly heard about it and sadly, many of us have seen it happen: a “leader” having a custom-made desk installed in his office the same week he is laying off employees, and he even has the nerve to ask the personnel that is left to accept more responsibility in view of the staff shortage and to save money.

Can you see the huge conflict this “leader’s” message expresses?  It is such poor behavior coming from the company’s top levels.  Obviously, this person was passionate about cutting back expenses that affected everyone but him.     

When something like this happens, when the messages from the organization’s “leaders” are so clearly opposite to their actions, the only possible outcome is a culture of distrust, one where fear rules and that chokes the employees’ “can do” attitude.

This kind of paradoxical leadership creates a spread of dreary behavior and resentfulness that disintegrates a company from the inside out.

Every company leader and CEO should wear a certified badge of authenticity with the legend: “I say what I mean and act as I say.”  And to be able to deserve this badge and kiss the corporate lack of authenticity goodbye, you, as a leader must:

-      Believe in truthfulness.  Does the annual report describe the company you run?  Is your company true to what is said about it in articles, internal communications, and description at company meetings and events?  If not, set the record straight and show your authenticity.

-      Have vision.  Do you communicate a vision that your employees don’t support? Do you reward behaviors that are in conflict with the culture you desire for the company?

-      Handle inconsistency.  Even more, when an inconsistency is identified, do you take action in a prompt, honest, and clear manner to correct the detrimental message that was set loose?

Leadership authenticity is about being authentic, trustworthy, and genuine.  Being authentic is about knowing and being true to who you are, not who you pretend to be.  Sadly, many “leaders” have been playing the role for so long that they have no idea who they really are.

If you are driven by percentages, maybe this will convince you: 40% of corporate leaders would change careers if they could keep their current income level.  Maybe they are tired of not being true to themselves or of being forced by a job or culture to be someone they’re not.   

The reality is that if you wish to be a winner in the long run, you must be authentic.  So, get real!

One of the easiest ways to promote a contagious leadership culture in your company is to be constantly aware of the obstacles that hinder it. 

Intelligent leaders work on eradicating the conducts and actions that discourage the behaviors of contagious leaders in order to make the good arise by itself.

Here are 4 wise and simple strategies to stop energizing the contained and to start turning your company’s ways into contagious leadership ones:

Stop praising erroneous behaviors. 

True contagious leaders are congruent; constantly, in every decision they make. 

Let’s say a director whose style emulates that of a tyrant, who cares only about the bottom line, who is three-times divorced because work is his religion and expects it to be everyone else’s, gets promoted to vice-president.  What do you think is being praised here?        

Make it right to be a contagious leader.

In order to develop contagious leaders you have to commit to doing it.  

Just decide that contagious leadership is the right way to go, decide that it is ok to be a leader instead of just a manager, and embody that decision every single day and in every single thing you do. 

Before you know it, your behavior will become… contagious. 

Get personally involved in the process. 

Developing a contagious leadership culture project cannot be delegated; you have to be deeply involved in the process if success is your goal, even though this may not be your only role. 

In order for such an initiative to work, you must be a contagious leader yourself, you have to honor and reward contagious leadership behaviors and examples, and you should teach others to become such powerful leaders.

This is basic, because the contagious leadership approach implies a big cultural change for the majority of companies, and it doesn’t work hands-off, as management does.

Select a CLO- Contagious Leadership Officer

Give a hand-picked someone¾as advised by in the lines of a leadership speaker and advisor¾ a meaningful title, a big office, a lot of money, and unlimited authority to put into action, measure, and honor success all the way through your organization.

Passion Counts, it sells, it inspires and people respond to passion. So, if you are not naturally passionate how does an aspiring leader get passionate. The 3 E’s of a Passionate Leader are:

• emotion,
• energy, and
• enjoyment.

Practice them and watch your passion rise.

Leaders know that to get what they want they need to take aim at the goal, passionately pursue it and every day set an intention to focus on it.

We have an epidemic of people beginning a conversation with “why they cannot” do or accomplish whatever it is they are being asked to do or accomplish. Contagious Leaders focus conversations on “How We Will” not :Why They Can’t”.  “Why We Can’t” is a deadly attitude that kills creativity, innovation and contribution from the best employees while driving the weakest for cover behind the noble claims “proving it (the task) is impossible is my job and it’s for the good of the company”.

As Leaders our most important job is to stamp our WWC wherever we find it and not allow the WWC conversation. Here are some tips for stamping out the deadly “Why We Can’t” conversation:

• When someone begins a conversation with “Well, why we can’t is ….” we must stop that conversation in its tracks. Tell your team “we are not going down that road. Today, we are going to focus our attention on “HOW WE WILL”, not “Why We Can’t.”

• Watch your own conversations and your tendency to focus on “Why We Can’t”

• Acknowledge that a particular project may be a challenge while encouraging your team to focus its energy on “How We Will”.

• Practice Involved Recognition — acknowledge those on your team who focus on “How We Will”, particularly when they are surrounded with “Why We Can’t.

• We have to believe in our How We Will focus. We worked with one company that so believed in this approach that they rose from a ranking of 22 of 28 regions in their company to #2 in 12 months, just by shifting their conversation from WWC to “How We Will”.

• As for our leaders they must also root out the proponents of WWC and mentor them. If they wont let go of the WWC conversation we must help them find a new home, someplace more suitable for a WWC attitude.

Nothing stops an organizations forward movement faster or more solidly than a “Why We Can’t” attitude. Allowing the conversation to take place is the same as agreeing with it– agreeing with it will ruin your company, your organization — even your town.

Be Well & Be Contagious,

John

Sometimes even the best contagious leaders find themselves waiting for inspiration even though we know that the best tactic is to just get on with getting it done. Read what our friend and mentor Steve Chandler says about waiting for inspiration– go to http://tinyurl.com/yf2bzg5

Twitter is a required course for journalism majors at Griffin University, see http://tinyurl.com/yfkbzj4