Successful outcomes are the only thing that really matters in business, of course, but there are a lot of different ways to get there. My recent experience successfully placing a new CIO at Panda Restaurant Group gave me a glimpse into an opportunity that many companies may not recognize.
The need for technical excellence, educational pedigree, and an achiever’s drive are almost always a prerequisite for any key addition to a team. In the case of a senior leader joining Panda, there was a critically important added dimension that made the fit a unique and exciting challenge.
You see, at Panda, the culture and values of the organization are uniquely important. However, I would argue that the unique importance of this is a tool that could be much more effectively utilized by so many more organizations.
The makeup of the person is a consistently clear focus for Panda. They expect people who join their team to possess a unique set of characteristics that ensure they will fit into the culture of this extremely successful and rapidly growing company. Think about the following dualities that every person that joins Panda is measured against. People are expected to be:
Disciplined and Embraces Change
Results Oriented and Caring
Confident and Humble
Competitive and Team Oriented
Student and Teacher
There is much to learn from this, and not necessarily from the specifics of this set of cultural norms. A powerful message for me, and I believe a key strength of Panda, is that they really care about what’s important in their company.
I’ve come to believe that companies need to stop and ask themselves what is really important to them – call it values, culture, mission, whatever – the key question is just plain “what’s important?”. For some companies like Panda, the nature of the people is key; for other companies there may be a completely different set of critical criteria.
For instance, on the Wall Street trading floor, what’s critical is surely thinking fast and making quick (and wise) decisions. In a doctor’s office, care for patients and their well-being may be most important. In heavy manufacturing, safety may matter most. None of these scenarios is better or worse than any other; however, the power is in clarity – knowing what matters.
Through my search consultancy I’ve come to believe there is a central factor that can serve as the SUPER-GLUE FOR GREAT TALENT in companies – it’s the FIT between what really matters to the company and the true makeup of its people. I believe that vision alone (where the company is going) does not naturally engender loyalty, but I believe a true fit between the values of an employee and “what’s important” to the company can supercharge loyalty.
The power of fit can be achieved on Wall Street, at the Doctor, or on the factory floor, but fit must start with the company taking seriously a commitment to what it considers really important – what it truly values. Ask yourself if your company knows what is really important. If so, then be consistent and leverage it. If not, it may be time to look under the hood.
My recent experience with the passion for values fit at Panda has inspired me to communicate about this subject; I want to help more companies understand their potential opportunity to create a stronger bond with their talent. In addition to this story I am beginning to speak to leadership groups on this subject – please let me know if you know of groups that might want to hear about this topic.
Thanks for sharing time with me; as always, I welcome your feedback and please feel free to pass this message along to others who may find value.
Sincerely,
Jeff Black
Managing Principal Consultant, McDermott & Bull Executive Search
Cell: (714) 356-1949 Office: (949) 753-1700 ext. 310
2 Venture, Suite 100 Irvine, CA 92618
black@mbsearch.net www.mbsearch.net http://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffblackmcdermottbull http://www.jeffblackmcdermottbull.blogspot.com/
Saturday, December 19, 2009
A Relationship Story - Completely-Baked Secrets to Success
What are those elusive secrets to success? Let me tell two very different stories, one fictional and one real, as they offer some good answers.
Ben Braddock (the title character in 1967’s The Graduate) walks into his parents’ kitchen and confidently announces to them: “I’m going to marry Elaine Robinson”. Following the classic squeals of his delighted Mother, they ask for details – the date, how he asked her … but he explains that she doesn’t know it yet – in fact, she doesn’t currently even like him.
Ben’s incredulous Father then says, “…well Ben, this all seems rather half-baked”, but Ben declares, “no, it’s completely baked, and I’m leaving right now to see her”. No, he didn’t have all the details in place (well, actually none of them), but what he did have was the first secret to success - a world of faith and resolve - he was certain it would happen.
Now, to reality - a few weeks ago I went on my annual major-league ballpark tour with my fellow baseball fanatic buddies – 5 games, 5 cities, 5 days. Late in the game with the Phillies under the shadow of the Gateway Arch, Cardinals Centerfielder Rick Ankiel raced back and stretched for a would-be triple as he crashed headlong into the wall and crumpled to the ground.
The jam-packed ballpark was hushed for 10 minutes as Ankiel was carefully placed on a stretcher and taken away to help. Well, the good news was that he only had whiplash and would be ok, but it was really scary – and he even made the catch!
In Hollywood, this would have been the last out of the championship and Ankiel would be a legendary hero. But, in reality, it was just game #26 of 162 in the season. Also, it was the 8th inning with the Cards behind 6-1 – they would not recover – it was a loss, just another loss in a long season. No Hollywood ending by any means, however, there was nothing half-baked about Ankiel’s committed effort – another secret to success.
I was struck by this as an excellent example of what it really takes to be successful in our business world full of challenges, competition, and changing circumstances.
First, just like Ben Braddock, we truly have to believe that things will turn out great – the ultimate test of our faith and resolve. But also, like Rick Ankiel’s heroic catch, half-baked efforts will never get us to the Promised Land. We have to dive for would-be triples every time, even when we’re losing, and even early in a long season.
Success in our business world, just like Major League Baseball, requires that we hold nothing back – nothing but our best and most creative efforts will get the job done. And especially during the strange times we have all been through recently, it becomes increasingly apparent to us all … it’s a long season. I wish you your best season ever.
Thanks for sharing time with me; as always, I welcome your feedback and please feel free to pass this message along to others who may find value.
Sincerely,
Jeff Black
Managing Principal Consultant, McDermott & Bull Executive Search
Cell: (714) 356-1949 Office: (949) 753-1700 ext. 310
2 Venture, Suite 100 Irvine, CA 92618
black@mbsearch.net www.mbsearch.net http://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffblackmcdermottbull http://www.jeffblackmcdermottbull.blogspot.com/
Ben Braddock (the title character in 1967’s The Graduate) walks into his parents’ kitchen and confidently announces to them: “I’m going to marry Elaine Robinson”. Following the classic squeals of his delighted Mother, they ask for details – the date, how he asked her … but he explains that she doesn’t know it yet – in fact, she doesn’t currently even like him.
Ben’s incredulous Father then says, “…well Ben, this all seems rather half-baked”, but Ben declares, “no, it’s completely baked, and I’m leaving right now to see her”. No, he didn’t have all the details in place (well, actually none of them), but what he did have was the first secret to success - a world of faith and resolve - he was certain it would happen.
Now, to reality - a few weeks ago I went on my annual major-league ballpark tour with my fellow baseball fanatic buddies – 5 games, 5 cities, 5 days. Late in the game with the Phillies under the shadow of the Gateway Arch, Cardinals Centerfielder Rick Ankiel raced back and stretched for a would-be triple as he crashed headlong into the wall and crumpled to the ground.
The jam-packed ballpark was hushed for 10 minutes as Ankiel was carefully placed on a stretcher and taken away to help. Well, the good news was that he only had whiplash and would be ok, but it was really scary – and he even made the catch!
In Hollywood, this would have been the last out of the championship and Ankiel would be a legendary hero. But, in reality, it was just game #26 of 162 in the season. Also, it was the 8th inning with the Cards behind 6-1 – they would not recover – it was a loss, just another loss in a long season. No Hollywood ending by any means, however, there was nothing half-baked about Ankiel’s committed effort – another secret to success.
I was struck by this as an excellent example of what it really takes to be successful in our business world full of challenges, competition, and changing circumstances.
First, just like Ben Braddock, we truly have to believe that things will turn out great – the ultimate test of our faith and resolve. But also, like Rick Ankiel’s heroic catch, half-baked efforts will never get us to the Promised Land. We have to dive for would-be triples every time, even when we’re losing, and even early in a long season.
Success in our business world, just like Major League Baseball, requires that we hold nothing back – nothing but our best and most creative efforts will get the job done. And especially during the strange times we have all been through recently, it becomes increasingly apparent to us all … it’s a long season. I wish you your best season ever.
Thanks for sharing time with me; as always, I welcome your feedback and please feel free to pass this message along to others who may find value.
Sincerely,
Jeff Black
Managing Principal Consultant, McDermott & Bull Executive Search
Cell: (714) 356-1949 Office: (949) 753-1700 ext. 310
2 Venture, Suite 100 Irvine, CA 92618
black@mbsearch.net www.mbsearch.net http://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffblackmcdermottbull http://www.jeffblackmcdermottbull.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
A Relationship Story - Attitude Altitude
March 2009
Having a tough day? Week? Month? Year? Well, congratulations, you are alive and human in 2009.
So what are you going to do about it?
I didn’t ask what the Government, the economy, the stock market, the media, your clients, your suppliers, or your dry cleaner is going to do about it - I asked what YOU are going to do about it!
It’s up to us, and we should want it that way. Here are two reasons our attitudes belong at the highest possible altitude:
First, we can make a difference. We can be a source of inspiration for others, and for ourselves in the process.
The “altitude” imagery is inspired by watching our firm’s co-founder and Managing Director Rod McDermott demonstrate yet another extraordinary talent - flying his own airplane and thereby helping our firm be even more nimble in navigating around the Southwest. While it takes a ridiculous amount of mental agility to fly a plane, and Rod has it, I think it is also a way that Rod keeps the “altitude” imagery active in his life and our business.
I’m equally inspired by watching Rod and co-founder Chris Bull guide our firm through these admittedly strange times with inspiring and “high altitude” creativity and positivity.
I believe that I have a responsibility in the business community to help raise the confidence and spirits of everyone I encounter – really, we all share this responsibility, and each of us can make a difference.
The second reason I believe our spirits should naturally soar is simple human nature. Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert, a recent book with inspired clear thinking much like The Tipping Point (Malcolm Gladwell) and Freakonomics (Stephen Dubner and Steven Levitt), captures this idea brilliantly:
“So if the question is ‘why should we want to control our futures?’ then the surprisingly right answer is that it feels good to do so – period. Impact is rewarding. Mattering makes us happy. The act of steering one’s boat down the river of time is a source of pleasure, regardless of one’s port of call.”
It just makes sense … we feel better when we have control over our future.
But, you may say, we don’t have control over everything that is affecting us. What, then, do we control? Well, each of us is entirely in control of our own attitude. We can be victims and feel miserable, but who wants that? Among the people I admire every day for pressing on and continuing to build the future, I find that most are sick and tired of feeling uncertain and worried - thoroughly sick and tired.
Each of us has an opportunity to be THE CRITICAL INSPIRATION for the next person we meet, and we never know when it will matter, so why not assume it always matters? The altitude of our attitude is the greatest gift we have to give right now. Let’s give it with all our hearts.
Thanks for sharing time with me; as always, I welcome your feedback and please feel free to pass this message along to others who may find value.
Requested Feedback: Please email me back with a saying or thought that keeps the altitude of your attitude flying high. I will compile them and send the responses back as an inspiration to each of us. Thanks for your involvement.
Sincerely,
Jeff Black
Managing Principal Consultant, McDermott & Bull Executive Search
Cell: (714) 356-1949 Office: (949) 753-1700 ext. 310
2 Venture, Suite 100 Irvine, CA 92618
black@mbsearch.net www.mbsearch.net http://www.jeffblackmcdermottbull.blogspot.com/
Having a tough day? Week? Month? Year? Well, congratulations, you are alive and human in 2009.
So what are you going to do about it?
I didn’t ask what the Government, the economy, the stock market, the media, your clients, your suppliers, or your dry cleaner is going to do about it - I asked what YOU are going to do about it!
It’s up to us, and we should want it that way. Here are two reasons our attitudes belong at the highest possible altitude:
First, we can make a difference. We can be a source of inspiration for others, and for ourselves in the process.
The “altitude” imagery is inspired by watching our firm’s co-founder and Managing Director Rod McDermott demonstrate yet another extraordinary talent - flying his own airplane and thereby helping our firm be even more nimble in navigating around the Southwest. While it takes a ridiculous amount of mental agility to fly a plane, and Rod has it, I think it is also a way that Rod keeps the “altitude” imagery active in his life and our business.
I’m equally inspired by watching Rod and co-founder Chris Bull guide our firm through these admittedly strange times with inspiring and “high altitude” creativity and positivity.
I believe that I have a responsibility in the business community to help raise the confidence and spirits of everyone I encounter – really, we all share this responsibility, and each of us can make a difference.
The second reason I believe our spirits should naturally soar is simple human nature. Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert, a recent book with inspired clear thinking much like The Tipping Point (Malcolm Gladwell) and Freakonomics (Stephen Dubner and Steven Levitt), captures this idea brilliantly:
“So if the question is ‘why should we want to control our futures?’ then the surprisingly right answer is that it feels good to do so – period. Impact is rewarding. Mattering makes us happy. The act of steering one’s boat down the river of time is a source of pleasure, regardless of one’s port of call.”
It just makes sense … we feel better when we have control over our future.
But, you may say, we don’t have control over everything that is affecting us. What, then, do we control? Well, each of us is entirely in control of our own attitude. We can be victims and feel miserable, but who wants that? Among the people I admire every day for pressing on and continuing to build the future, I find that most are sick and tired of feeling uncertain and worried - thoroughly sick and tired.
Each of us has an opportunity to be THE CRITICAL INSPIRATION for the next person we meet, and we never know when it will matter, so why not assume it always matters? The altitude of our attitude is the greatest gift we have to give right now. Let’s give it with all our hearts.
Thanks for sharing time with me; as always, I welcome your feedback and please feel free to pass this message along to others who may find value.
Requested Feedback: Please email me back with a saying or thought that keeps the altitude of your attitude flying high. I will compile them and send the responses back as an inspiration to each of us. Thanks for your involvement.
Sincerely,
Jeff Black
Managing Principal Consultant, McDermott & Bull Executive Search
Cell: (714) 356-1949 Office: (949) 753-1700 ext. 310
2 Venture, Suite 100 Irvine, CA 92618
black@mbsearch.net www.mbsearch.net http://www.jeffblackmcdermottbull.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Relationship Story - It’s the Accountability, Leaders
February 2009
I recently wrote about the opportunity for leaders to encourage and enable leadership from members of their teams – Leadership from Any Chair – added leverage for these unique times.
Accountability, of course, is another way to motivate achievement; driving it can be tricky. I’ve had two recent experiences to help me understand a powerful way to drive accountability – and to transcend top-down metrics and measurement in the process.
I was recently in a family theater production of The Music Man (in the wacky Barbershop Quartet ¬– The River City School Board). You might think a play is just a collection of individual performances; it’s actually the ultimate group project – each line must be executed to set up the next line and create a seamless and convincing scene. One person not coming through can create a total train wreck.
Of course, Community Theater does offer conventional metrics for success - there is an audience to satisfy and the kids involved need a good developmental experience. However, you can be sure that being the one that drops a line or misses a cue is a brutal feeling – the fear of letting down the other performers is a most powerful motivator.
This experience reminds me of another team and my “role” in membership development for the Forum for Corporate Directors (FCD), a premier group of Orange County business leaders. It may be odd to compare a committee like this with a theater production, but the team experience is really very similar.
Each FCD membership team member shares a common goal: attracting and retaining great people and companies to enhance the strength of the organization. Every individual has monthly action items to execute, and each person consistently comes through in a timely fashion. Yes, each person is committed to organizational growth, but another major motivator is not being the flake on the team that fails to pull his or her weight.
Our own businesses might benefit by creating more team experiences like a play and an FCD committee. To start with, think about whether top-down company objectives are effective motivators for your people. How do they translate into behavioral expectations for individuals?
And we all know that people generally enjoy working on teams. Along with the job satisfaction and loyalty that teaming generates, maybe we could create a culture where team members are the primary accountability motivator for each other? Maybe company objectives could be effectively broken down into team goals, and the teams can be empowered to manage their own accountability?
I personally find it a lot easier to flake out on myself than to let others down – I’m sure you know what I mean. Like you, I have a lot of responsibility, and when pushed for time, I know I try to prioritize commitments to others over my own projects. It seems that we respond better to challenges when we’re being counted on.
You never know, an approach like this might just put us out of the micromanagement business! From my own recent experiences, I see how it can work awfully well. I wish all of you as leaders the best toward more fulfilled and productive teams.
Thanks for sharing time with me. As always, I welcome your feedback and observations, and feel free to forward this along to others who you believe may benefit.
Links:
Stagelight Family Productions: http://www.stagelightproductions.com/
Forum for Corporate Directors (FCD), Orange County - http://www.fcdoc.org/
Sincerely,
Jeff Black
Managing Principal Consultant, McDermott & Bull Executive Search
Cell: (714) 356-1949 Office: (949) 753-1700 ext. 310
2 Venture, Suite 100 Irvine, CA 92618
I recently wrote about the opportunity for leaders to encourage and enable leadership from members of their teams – Leadership from Any Chair – added leverage for these unique times.
Accountability, of course, is another way to motivate achievement; driving it can be tricky. I’ve had two recent experiences to help me understand a powerful way to drive accountability – and to transcend top-down metrics and measurement in the process.
I was recently in a family theater production of The Music Man (in the wacky Barbershop Quartet ¬– The River City School Board). You might think a play is just a collection of individual performances; it’s actually the ultimate group project – each line must be executed to set up the next line and create a seamless and convincing scene. One person not coming through can create a total train wreck.
Of course, Community Theater does offer conventional metrics for success - there is an audience to satisfy and the kids involved need a good developmental experience. However, you can be sure that being the one that drops a line or misses a cue is a brutal feeling – the fear of letting down the other performers is a most powerful motivator.
This experience reminds me of another team and my “role” in membership development for the Forum for Corporate Directors (FCD), a premier group of Orange County business leaders. It may be odd to compare a committee like this with a theater production, but the team experience is really very similar.
Each FCD membership team member shares a common goal: attracting and retaining great people and companies to enhance the strength of the organization. Every individual has monthly action items to execute, and each person consistently comes through in a timely fashion. Yes, each person is committed to organizational growth, but another major motivator is not being the flake on the team that fails to pull his or her weight.
Our own businesses might benefit by creating more team experiences like a play and an FCD committee. To start with, think about whether top-down company objectives are effective motivators for your people. How do they translate into behavioral expectations for individuals?
And we all know that people generally enjoy working on teams. Along with the job satisfaction and loyalty that teaming generates, maybe we could create a culture where team members are the primary accountability motivator for each other? Maybe company objectives could be effectively broken down into team goals, and the teams can be empowered to manage their own accountability?
I personally find it a lot easier to flake out on myself than to let others down – I’m sure you know what I mean. Like you, I have a lot of responsibility, and when pushed for time, I know I try to prioritize commitments to others over my own projects. It seems that we respond better to challenges when we’re being counted on.
You never know, an approach like this might just put us out of the micromanagement business! From my own recent experiences, I see how it can work awfully well. I wish all of you as leaders the best toward more fulfilled and productive teams.
Thanks for sharing time with me. As always, I welcome your feedback and observations, and feel free to forward this along to others who you believe may benefit.
Links:
Stagelight Family Productions: http://www.stagelightproductions.com/
Forum for Corporate Directors (FCD), Orange County - http://www.fcdoc.org/
Sincerely,
Jeff Black
Managing Principal Consultant, McDermott & Bull Executive Search
Cell: (714) 356-1949 Office: (949) 753-1700 ext. 310
2 Venture, Suite 100 Irvine, CA 92618
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
A Relationship Story - Leadership from Any Chair, Especially Now
December 2008
I’ve written about leadership a few times before, and it is clear that this subject receives the largest and most passionate responses from you. It seems that everyone relates.
While many people are currently gripped with uncertainty and fear, as we are obviously in a unique state of “now”, I believe we all are presented with a great opportunity to prosper in tough times through creativity, positive energy, and good relationships. As leaders, these times present us all with an especially important responsibility – to elicit effective “leadership” behavior from everyone on our respective teams.
The origin of this idea for me was when, a couple of years after I had left my own corporate life and the position power associated with being a VP/GM, the concept of “leading from any chair” was pointed out to me by leadership coach Vance Caesar as described in the The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander.
Vance was trying to help me see that I continue to be a “leader” in a variety of ways after leaving my traditional line-leadership executive role; I try to remind myself of my responsibility to lead by sharing ideas and connecting people in every facet of my life, not only in my professional role providing consultative support to my clients by helping them build their teams.
This expanded definition of leadership, especially in consideration of our current economic climate, offers a new perspective on how companies and organizations can be more effective.
For leaders of organizations or groups, times like these make it increasingly important that we empower our teams to serve as an extension of the mission and values of the enterprise. With people being asked to do more with less, it’s increasingly important that everyone think of themselves as a leader and act on that responsibility, as opposed to just feeling and acting like a cog in the wheel.
However, this kind of empowerment can be a tough challenge for some leaders. It means we must be like the “Level 5 Leader” described in Good to Great by Jim Collins. Collins suggested that great companies (those that significantly outperform the competition in their respective markets) are led by unique leaders who, while highly ambitious and driven, are not in it for their own glory but are truly in it for the collective success of the enterprise. Through their ability to keep their ego subordinated, Level 5 leaders create the kind of empowerment that enables people to contribute to the utmost.
I believe that most of us, including all those great people on your teams, have a desire to make a difference in generating outcomes and in improving the lives of others. Ask yourself what you are doing to ensure that your organization and your customers are getting the most powerful leadership contributions your people have to offer. If they naturally want to do greater things … it is up to their leaders to enable them to do so.
While so many around us are bemoaning their sad fate as victims of the times, the time is right for the creative and positive among us to strike. However, now more than ever, we must involve everyone on our teams to bring forward the best we collectively have to offer. Now is the time to truly lead, to encourage leadership from any chair throughout our teams.
Thanks for sharing time with me, and as always, please let me know if there is any way I can be of service to you.
Sincerely,
Jeff Black
Managing Principal Consultant, McDermott & Bull Executive Search
Cell: (714) 356-1949 Office: (949) 753-1700 ext. 310
2 Venture, Suite 100 Irvine, CA 92618
I’ve written about leadership a few times before, and it is clear that this subject receives the largest and most passionate responses from you. It seems that everyone relates.
While many people are currently gripped with uncertainty and fear, as we are obviously in a unique state of “now”, I believe we all are presented with a great opportunity to prosper in tough times through creativity, positive energy, and good relationships. As leaders, these times present us all with an especially important responsibility – to elicit effective “leadership” behavior from everyone on our respective teams.
The origin of this idea for me was when, a couple of years after I had left my own corporate life and the position power associated with being a VP/GM, the concept of “leading from any chair” was pointed out to me by leadership coach Vance Caesar as described in the The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander.
Vance was trying to help me see that I continue to be a “leader” in a variety of ways after leaving my traditional line-leadership executive role; I try to remind myself of my responsibility to lead by sharing ideas and connecting people in every facet of my life, not only in my professional role providing consultative support to my clients by helping them build their teams.
This expanded definition of leadership, especially in consideration of our current economic climate, offers a new perspective on how companies and organizations can be more effective.
For leaders of organizations or groups, times like these make it increasingly important that we empower our teams to serve as an extension of the mission and values of the enterprise. With people being asked to do more with less, it’s increasingly important that everyone think of themselves as a leader and act on that responsibility, as opposed to just feeling and acting like a cog in the wheel.
However, this kind of empowerment can be a tough challenge for some leaders. It means we must be like the “Level 5 Leader” described in Good to Great by Jim Collins. Collins suggested that great companies (those that significantly outperform the competition in their respective markets) are led by unique leaders who, while highly ambitious and driven, are not in it for their own glory but are truly in it for the collective success of the enterprise. Through their ability to keep their ego subordinated, Level 5 leaders create the kind of empowerment that enables people to contribute to the utmost.
I believe that most of us, including all those great people on your teams, have a desire to make a difference in generating outcomes and in improving the lives of others. Ask yourself what you are doing to ensure that your organization and your customers are getting the most powerful leadership contributions your people have to offer. If they naturally want to do greater things … it is up to their leaders to enable them to do so.
While so many around us are bemoaning their sad fate as victims of the times, the time is right for the creative and positive among us to strike. However, now more than ever, we must involve everyone on our teams to bring forward the best we collectively have to offer. Now is the time to truly lead, to encourage leadership from any chair throughout our teams.
Thanks for sharing time with me, and as always, please let me know if there is any way I can be of service to you.
Sincerely,
Jeff Black
Managing Principal Consultant, McDermott & Bull Executive Search
Cell: (714) 356-1949 Office: (949) 753-1700 ext. 310
2 Venture, Suite 100 Irvine, CA 92618
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