ALL IN - How The Best Finance Leaders Develop a Culture of Infectious Belief and Deliver Real Actionable Results
with Chester Elton - NY Times and Wall-Street Journal Best Selling Author and Leadership and Culture Expert
What You will Learn
1. Discover the infectious culture in high performing finance teams that leads to astonishing results and continuous improvements.
2. Get crystal clear on the 7 Step powerful roadmap you can implement immediately to retain your top performers and reach need heights in productivity. Leave the session with How-To strategies from some of the most innovative and thriving companies to implement in your department right away.
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Summary
You as the manager are the core influencer of the kind of culture at play in your team, division, or whole company.
In one company, managers of “green/high performing” departments were put in charge of “red/low performing” ones, and vice versa. Within six months, the “former reds” had improved immensely, and the “former greens” were now reds. Yes, the manager is the core influencer.
While most managers by now understand that their most reliable competitive advantage comes from their people, few of them actually know how to get people “all in” — convincing employees to truly buy into their ideas and the strategy they’ve put forward, to give that extra push that leads to outstanding results. It’s not for lack of effort.”
The Green Managers did things that ...
• Engaged: A willingness to give extra effort(discretionary);
• Enabled: Help that supported productivity and performance (At a successful American Express call center, 75% of a manager’s time is to be spent coaching and walking the floor to ensure workers can navigate their jobs effectively; another part is openness, which is access to information that prompts innovative thinking);
• Energized: A high sense of well-being and drive.
The Problem:
Leaders tend to see their “followers” from a distance, making assumptions about commitment by dint of employment, supposed persuasiveness, the loftiness of values. You have “fans,” but not really committed followers. Actually, they’re watching from a distance, too.
Why? Because you are the key to their financial security. One mis-step by you can mean trouble for them, so they are wary. They are “withholding belief,” leading to diminished commitment/energy.
• This doesn’t mean they don’t want to commit. It means that you haven’t done what’s necessary to over-ride the uncertainty. People want to commit to a “cause.” That’s what provides meaning and energy in their lives. But that’s just one factor here.
• A fundamental reason for not following “what clearly is right” (your perception) is that “we cling to our beliefs, right or wrong. Instead of seeking an impartial preponderance of evidence, we filter out that which does not support our belief, and filter in that which does... further supporting it. This is called ‘motivated reasoning.’” You will see its effects in all the ways that people don’t support your mission ... “counter-arguing,” “attitude bolstering,” “selective exposure,” and/or “disputing rationality.” Usually, it’s behind your back.
• Why do they (and we) do this? Because it’s comfortable! It’s disruptive to have to change your mind and all the implications of that new reasoning.
The SOLUTION:
FIRST: MAKE PEOPLE FEEL VALUED ... AND VALUABLE!
• Respect their ideas and inputs, even while sharing your way forward. It’s a balancing act.
• Regularly, ask: “What do I have to do right now to help my people do their best? And:“What should I NOT do right now to help my people do their best?”
WHAT the best leaders do, the short version ...
Define your burning platform. Employees typically don‘t buy into a way of doing business without clear and compelling reasons, and yet most leaders provide little or no justification as they introduce their ideas and strategies and ask their people for improved results.
Create a laser-like customer focus. Ultimately, this provides direction for employees in making the right decisions and taking initiative on their own (discretionary!).
Develop agility. This is new to the top tier of needed behaviors, demanded by both employees and customers because of the rapidly changing marketplace. See into the future as best you can, and act!
Share everything. EVERYTHING! Including ALWAYS the hard truths, with rough edges and all. This builds TRUST, and a larger culture of open-ness and quick reaction to problems. “Great cultures share information daily, even hourly.”
Partner with your talent. Great managers believe their success is a direct result of their people’s unique ingenuity and talent, not their own brilliance. They treat people like true partners, creating for everyone opportunities to grow and develop. They answer the question: WIIFM?
Root for each other. It starts being modeled at the top! Establish clear accountability. Great managers turn this “negative” into a positive, focusing on what needs to be done, not what wasn’t done. Employees WANT to be held accountable for hitting their goals, IF they’re given the responsibility and tools and support to do so.
Most of this doesn’t seem new. What’s NEW is that most of us as leaders don’t do it ALL
How can we help? Please let us know how we can support you or your business?
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