Tanner Montague came to town from Seattle having never owned his own music venue before. He’s a musician himself, so he has a pretty good sense of good music, but he also wandered into a crowded music scene filled with concert venues large and small.But the owner of Green Room thinks he found a void in the market. It’s lacking, he says, in places serving between 200 and 500 people, a sweet spot he thinks could be a draw for both some national acts not quite big enough yet for arena gigs and local acts looking for a launching pad.“I felt that size would do well in the city to offer more options,” he says. “My goal was to A, bring another option for national acts but then, B, have a great spot for local bands to start.”Right or wrong, something seems to be working, he says. He’s got a full calendar of concerts booked out several months. How did he, as a newcomer to the market in an industry filled with competition, get the attention of the local concertgoer?
How to foster ‘SISU’, and more management tips
In addition to this agility, they must also learn to recognize “accepted” business practices and beliefs that might, in fact, be sabotaging their efforts with inappropriate approaches or ones that have outlived their benefits.
Part one of this two-part article discussed three of the seven most common beliefs-what I call paradoxes-and examples of how small-business executives can question and transform them into wisdom they can use to lead their companies to success. (Read the article at dev.divistack.com; August/September 2010 issue.) Here are four more.
Paradox No. 4: Foster collective independence.
The strongest leaders are also the most interdependent. Think of a Redwood, Sequoia Sempervirens, which interlocks its tiny, shallow roots with others of its kind, forming a supportive network that’s kept some of them upright for thousands of years. Each tree stands alone, but is supported by the collective roots of other trees.
Let’s translate this example of the power of collective independence into a business environment. Leaders who encourage those around them at all levels to share their opinions and observations forge an interlocking network that strengthens their organization. Action steps:
1. Schedule regular staff listening events. Reverse the flow of information from the top of the tree to the bottom.
2. Train, train, train. Make training, professional development and ongoing improvement initiatives a non-negotiable part of your process and culture.
3. Realize that the more you think you know, the less you probably do know.
Having grown a business to a run rate of $20 million in 10 years and established a successful track record in the Fortune 100, I thought I knew a lot about what it takes to succeed in business. I’ve rubbed shoulders with a lot of leaders who’ve taught me how much I didn’t know. Those leaders who are open to learning from others strengthen their external network.
4. Raise your Emotional I.Q. Successful leaders are known for their trustworthiness, integrity and creativity. In turn, they foster employees with high emotional intelligence who are happier, more capable and more committed to their teams’ goals.
Paradox No. 5: Inspire servant leadership.
Leadership is measured in terms of service. That’s why we often speak of great political and military leaders who serve their countries well and star athletes who serve their teams well. We also talk about topnotch business leaders who serve their firms and their clients well.
Leaders who do not serve do not lead successfully. Those who serve actually serve a higher purpose than their own selfish ends and they do it zealously. Action steps:
1. Introduce your staff to the people they serve. At the heart of it, business is about people. Put a face on the people your staff serves by providing opportunities for them to interact in real-world settings, whether it’s an open house, or reading case studies about how your company’s products/services impacted customers.
2. Help your staff see that service lies at the center of their personal and professional goals. Whatever your employees dream of achieving, the definition of those dreams is not complete until it includes others.
3. Set an example. A CEO or owner who rolls up his or her sleeves and serves with a smile inspires managers and employees to do likewise.
4. Appeal to selfishness. During my first year with Xerox Corp., I attended a Zig Ziglar seminar in Bismarck, North Dakota. I’ll never forget one of his mantras: “You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want.” Embed this philosophy in your organization’s culture to encourage people to give in order to get what they want. Soon giving will become a reward in its own right because it makes us feel good.
Paradox No. 6: Nurture a focus-forward culture.
“Keep your eye on the ball.” While focus and perseverance are typically lauded, if used improperly or at the wrong time, they can destroy your business. Leaders who are too highly focused can create blinders that block out fresh ideas and new practices.
All leaders drive their organizations to meet current goals, but leaders with vision grow their organizations to new levels of success. They translate change into opportunity. Action steps:
1. First, think about your thinking (with outside help, if needed).
The trick here is to get out of your own head by getting as many perspectives as possible.
2. Put yourself in your competitors’ shoes. If you were your own competition, how would the future look to you? This perspective shift helps you clear the air and see your current situation in a more impartial, realistic way.
3. Ask better questions. Get to the heart of issues. Learn to recognize when you or others on your team are not taking personal responsibility for results.
4. Stay the course with virtues-based leadership. Virtues such as courage, self control and justice at the wheel provide business leaders the moral compass to guide their decisions.
Paradox No. 7: Capitalize on the energy of adversity.
Small businesses can learn a lot from Finland about grit. In the broadly cast shadow of Russia, it’s a minor miracle that Finland maintained its independent identity. Of course, the Finns themselves would attribute their unlikely existence to something they call “sisu.” Sisu is unapologetic perseverance under any circumstance and a preference for turning paralyzing anxiety into progress.
You’d be understandably nervous living next to a giant who could squash you. It’s a feeling not too far from feeling your business is in a precarious position.
But rather than use that fear as an excuse to roll over, take a cue from the Finns and transform fear into energy for a fight. Action steps:
1. Help employees learn to maximize their capabilities. Assessments will help your employees learn about their capabilities and their own unique mix of strengths and weaknesses.
2. Build management confidence and competence with strength assessments. A sisu-powered workforce needs leadership that understands its own strengths and weaknesses to adjust decision making appropriately.
3. Understand your key organizational strong points and prioritize your efforts. Learn how to direct your sisu where it will do the most good. An objective analysis of your company will yield areas that need your team’s sisu.
We’ve explored the most common paradoxes that when unchallenged can steer management and leadership off course. As you implement these pearls of paradoxical wisdom, be vigilant of other accepted truths that may have soured past their expiration date. Refresh them to help your organization achieve uncommon success.