Inspiring the Human Spirit

A number of years ago, I worked for a company whose owner was one of the leading global experts in his field when it came to understanding the direction his industry was headed.

This person was brilliant when it came to designing the future. At trade shows, I watched him mesmerize attendees with his knowledge. He could find a working solution for any problem someone had; then he would have his engineers design and build prototypes to take the development into the field.

Now you would think, with all that brilliance and recognition, this company would be leading the way in sales and profits. But that was not the case.

You see, technical skills are not enough. He had forgotten more technical information than the average person in the industry could recall. What was wrong? He lacked the leadership skills necessary to enlist the cooperation and teamwork needed to succeed.

• He would get totally frustrated—even verbally abusive—with staff members who “didn’t get it.”
• He would complain that he had been over the information at least 20 times.

That part was true. He HAD been over the same information 20 times but with 20 different people. His staff turnover rate was horrendous!

• Knowledge of the work
• Knowledge of the responsibilities
• Skill in instructing staff
• Skill in improving job methods

They tend to forget one key ingredient: Skill in leading.

Building strong relationships in the workplace is one of the most important aspects of any leader’s job. At the end of the day, results come through people and people need to be treated as individuals.

A good leader knows how to prevent problems from arising in the first place. The reality is that problems do occur; a good understanding of relationships in the workplace goes a long way to resolving those problems.

Certain basic principles, when applied day-to-day, will tend to keep relations smooth. By understanding how people prefer to interact

• with others,
• with time, and
• in situations,

the appropriate preventative action can be taken.

If a leader can anticipate a particular response from her staff when it comes to change—and the leader knows how to effectively switch her communication style to better relate to the individuals on her staff, she will go a long way to help implement the change.

While some people are better at building relationships than others, leadership is a skill that can be learned. It takes practice. The leader must understand she can get her job done only through the cooperation of the people whose work she directs.

Let me give you my definition of a good manager: Someone who gets the people in his department

• to do what he wants done,
• when it should be done, and
• the way he wants it done,
• because the staff members want to do it that way.

Zig Ziglar tells us, “You can have everything in life that you want if you just give enough other people what they want.”

That is great advice for leaders. One of the things people want most is to be understood by those around them and those who lead them.

Howard Schultz, Chair and CEO of Starbucks, states in his new book Onward that everything his company has tried to do is steeped in humanity.

• Respect and dignity
• Passion and laughter
• Compassion, community, and responsibility
• Authenticity

That list isn’t reserved only for their customers; it also applies to their employees—their partners. His desire always has been to “inspire his employees, exceed their high expectations, and establish and maintain their trust.”

In the Fall of 2010, Starbucks posted its best financial returns in almost 40 years of business.

As a leader you, too, can aspire to those types of results—if you understand what Schultz does and that his business is about inspiring the human spirit.

That requires intent, a process, and heart.

It begins by understanding yourself and those who work for you. It is about discovering the secrets to understanding yourself and those you lead.

CRG President Ken Keis has recently rewritten his company’s classic book, Why Aren’t You More Like Me? This outstanding Third Edition includes the following essential information . . .

• The factor you must have to help build lasting relationships
• The myth of “developing weaknesses”
• The design for life that plays to your strengths and your natural predisposition
• The ultimate explanation of why you prefer what you prefer
• The key to leading and inspiring others who are different than you are
• The condition that keeps you from sustaining your focus and your personal energy
• The holistic development model and strategies that can improve all aspects of your life
• Flaws in the traditional definition of introversion and extroversion
• Matching Personal Style to the nature of the job/work/role
• Making decisions in all areas of your life with confidence—every time!

The business owner I mentioned is still struggling. In our recent conversation, I discovered that his solution is to spend more time away from the office so he doesn’t rub his people the wrong way. He also had to borrow $1 million, which he has already burnt-through.

As a leader, I encourage you to hold yourself responsible for the problems you have created when it comes to your relationship development. Today, you have the opportunity to start to make the corrections needed.

As much as I love my Starbucks—and maybe you love yours, too—why not take the money for this week’s daily Grande Lattes and invest it in yourself by buying a copy of Why Aren’t You More Like Me?

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