As I think about what September 11th now means to our country due to the horrific events of that day in 2001, I take pause and pray for those whose lives changed abruptly by either being personally involved, injured,fatally wounded, or had loved ones who were involved. This event changed so much in this country about how we operate and deal with the rest of the world. However, the vision of America is still clear to most Americans. To form a more perfect union, provide individual freedoms and the pursuit of happiness. I am thankful for that. The vision is the rallying point and must be recast and replayed, especially in times such as 9/11.

That being said, organizations can go through patches of trauma and challenges. Or they can go through times when they are just stuck!

It is in these times that it is imperative to recast the vision to make sure that everyone stays focused on where we are going in the long run, in spite of short term obstacles and roadblocks. Here are a few trick for recasting and reminding the team of the vision:

1. Recognize the situation for what it is. If there are some steep climbs to make or large obstacles in the way of progress, acknowledge them. Address what needs to be done to overcome them in the light of the vision. In other words, don’t ignore them but address them.
2. Recognize the achievements of individuals and the team as a whole in working towards the vision. Encourage the team to keep getting those wins and strides towards the ultimate vision.
3. Use the vision to eliminate activities that are not taking the organization closer to the vision. Ask the question “Does this action bring us closure to our vision or not?” If not, then redirect.
4. Re-imagine how it will be when the team reaches the vision. Describe the emotions that will be connected with that arrival. Define what it will mean to all of the different stakeholders specifically and how lives will be changed to the better because of this achievement.

Recasting the vision is simply making sure you and your team are still on track and heading towards the vision.

Happy Recasting!

If we want improvements in our lives there is a simple formula (see below). Don’t worry, there will be no math quizzes in this session.

If we want improved results, we have to have a behavior change. The behavior change needs to be aligned with our goals. So we need to set clear goals (more on this later). Then, we need to ask ourselves if we have the skills and knowledge to complete those goals. What things do we need to know in order to achieve the tasks of completing our goals? What skills might we need to obtain in order to get those things accomplished? And finally, we have to ask ourselves “why?” Do we want to attain this goal? What is our attitude or belief around this goal and thing we are trying to accomplish? If the “why” is big enough, we will figure out “how”. 

What are the results you are seeking?

What behaviors must you change to get those results?

Are your goals clear and specific?

What new things do you need to learn or how to do?

What is your attitude about your goals?

Test the Success Formula for yourself!

Continuing the subject of values, let’s talk about how they drive an organization.

Your values are the beliefs and attitudes about life that help guide you and define your organization’s culture. We base our decision-making process on these values, which in turn direct many facets of your organization.

They serve as guideposts for handling the challenges facing our organization and in setting expectations for:

• Our employees
• Our clients
• Our vendors
• Even ourselves

Values in Business

Organizations without values are organizations without value.

Values are indispensable in setting up the hiring process and evaluating current employees.

When we interview for a position, these values focus our questions to explore how well this individual is aligned with our culture. When probing a potential hire, we may:

• Ask them to explain what a value means to them.
• Ask about the importance of a particular value
• Ask how they have demonstrated these values in a work setting
• Ask how they demonstrate these values in their daily life.

These same values continue past the hiring process and serve as a measurement of the performance of your employees.

Conflicts and Resolutions

Conflict is inevitable. Catastrophe is not.

Colleagues who share a culture and agree on fundamental values will be more willing to sacrifice and compromise for the organization’s vision. This system of shared values will:

• Enhance teamwork and collaboration
• Encourage productive problem-solving
• Inspire perseverance
• Foster mutual goodwill

Without a shared system of values, we will be inclined to put off challenges or attempt a ‘brute force’ resolution that often has cascading consequences.

Careful cultivation of values and culture provides us a clear path towards constructive resolutions and effective conflict management.

Innovation and Change

Shift your foundation and watch the whole building collapse.

As we’ve covered, our values govern every major decision in building and maintaining our organization.

With so much resting upon them, only a fool would contemplate change without them in mind.

Our values set the stage for how we adapt to challenges and make changes in our organization. They serve as a beacon to inspire innovation as well as a guardrail to guide us away from disastrous decisions.

Remember:

No solution that compromises your values is ever worthwhile.

Every compromise damages your colleague’s faith in your organization and its culture.

Upholding your organization’s values is the paramount consideration of adapting any new approach.

More than a Memo

Passion ignites passion.

Your organization’s commitment to its values will reflect your own.

If you demonstrate these values in your interactions and decisions, your colleagues will follow suit.

Remember, a leader is a flame.

→Either they ignite those around them,

Inspiring commitment, passion, and purpose.

→Or they fade.

They touch nothing.

They light nothing.

They leave only darkness

You are responsible for bringing these values alive inside your organization. No leader can delegate this task to someone else.

You can never demand more commitment than you demonstrate.

 Complete this Exercise:

1. How are you using your core values to drive the culture in your organization? (List at least 3)
2. What could you put in place right now that would increase the level of awareness of the core values in your organization?
3. Write an action statement that shows an example of how your core values are being carried out on a day-to-day basis in your organization.

Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG)

In order to successfully pursue our purpose we need to create what we call a big hairy audacious goal (BHAG). This goal needs to be so big that it makes us do things we wouldn’t do normally or on a daily basis in our current state. This goal will culminate in reaching our vision and our purpose.

In his book, “Good To Great” author Jim Collins outlines what a BHAG or Big Hairy Audacious Goal should consist of.  First, the big hairy audacious goal should include our purpose and our value statement. In other words, what’s the most important thing for us to achieve in our lifetime or in the next foreseeable future.The other thing that Collins points out, is that we need to determine what we can be the best in the world at or at least the best for our capabilities and our skill set that match are Passions. This will get us focused on activities that hone those skills and capabilities. If we’re an organization. We need to look at what our economic drivers are. How is it we create more value in our community with our customers, our vendors and our employees. When all  these things are aligned we can pursue our big hairy audacious goal.

The big hairy audacious goal concept is akin to the 10x thinking. This thinking requires us to do things that don’t just incrementally improve or increase our capabilities. They transform us to think differently and engage in partnerships to increase our ability. So, the idea is to get us to think outside of our normal way of doing things on a daily basis. One example of a BHAG was Henry Ford. His big hairy audacious goal was to make the automobile affordable to the common man. In order to do this he had to change the whole way that automobiles were manufactured. This led to many other Innovations and successes for not only Ford Motor Company but many manufacturing companies in the world.

Think of what you’re doing now in your life and your business. What would ultimately intersect your passions and your abilities in the future.? If you could attain that, how great would that be? Who would you have to get on your team to make sure that you can accomplish that? What skills and knowledge would you have to gain in order to achieve that big hairy audacious goal.? So, the quest for a big, hairy audacious goal, is challenging enough. but really stretch yourself to see what it would really transform your life. Keep in mind, this will be life changing for you to achieve this big hairy audacious goal. Are you up for the challenge?

Exercise

1. What are you passionate about including your value system?
2. What is one thing you could be the best at in your Market Community or even the world?
3. How will you add value to the community or your organization, accomplishing your big hairy audacious goal?

I look forward to hearing about your BHAG’s.

PS: Ask me about “Positive Intelligence”
 

Last week I brought up the subject of active-listening. By definition it is the way of listening and responding to another person that improves mutual understanding.If you practice active listening you will begin to see improved results in your relationships, productivity, team work, collaboration and community. But here is the thing, it is a learned habit. The good news is you can learn and practice it. The bad news is that few people use active listening, so it is hard to go against the flow and create a new habit. Here are some tips to get started:

Attitude (Why)

• Think of the relationships you have right now and what would make them better.
• What outcomes will come about by improved relationships and understandings?
• How will you feel when you connect better with those around you?
  
  During Conversations (How)
• Paraphrase what is being said.
• Ask open-ended questions to get a deeper meaning.
• Ask specific probing questions to get the details.
• Use short verbal affirmations to connect with the person.
• Display empathy during the conversation.
• Share similar experiences to show you understand but don’t take over the conversation.
• Recall previously shared information from past conversations.
• Nod, smile, avoid distracting movements and maintain eye contact.
• 
  After Conversations (Evaluate)
• Do an internal debrief after the conversation and rate yourself on how you performed.
• Follow up on previous conversations as appropriate,
• Keep any commitments you may have made in the conversation.
• Journalize any important facts you may need in the future to continue building the relationship.

In summary, if you have not been practicing active listening, try it. Know that it is a skill that must be developed with practice. The next time you have an opportunity for a meaningful conversation, try some of the tips above and observe the change in what comes out of the conversations you are having and ultimately the results of the relationships. 


 Did you hear me?