“Be careful what you say and do; they’re always watching you and judging you.”
The final leadership strategy described by Lee Cockerell in his book “Creating Magic” is titled ‘Develop Character’. As Lee points out, the word ‘character’ has many meanings. When we say someone has character, we usually mean that he or she has moral and ethical strength. Great leaders not only have the skills, attitudes, and behavioural traits we discussed so far but also shine with character.
- What do you stand for?
- What are your core values?
- Where do you draw lines in the sand?
If you want to be a great leader, you not only need to know the answers to those questions but also communicate them to the people you lead and reinforce them in every word you speak and every action you take.
Anticipate ethical dilemmas – Lee proposes that one way of defining what your own ethical standards are used to ask yourself what would you do in a number of delicate situations:
- What would you do if you have the chance to take a little money, or some product, from your organisation without anyone finding out and you knew the others were doing it as well?
- What would you do if your boss told you to inflate the inventory to make your profit margin higher?
- What would you do if a co-worker asks you to do a favour for a friend or family member that was against company policy?
- What would you do if you knew that a co-worker had a drug problem?
- What would you do if you knew that co-workers were abusing their discount privileges or using company resources to send personal packages for free?
Anticipating moral and ethical dilemmas and knowing how you’d respond, will prepare you to do the right thing if it situation like that does indeed arise.
Live with your values – Lee explains that at Walt Disney World the Cast Members are expected to follow 7 core values:
- Honesty: we deal with one another in a straightforward manner
- Integrity: we act in a manner consistent with our words and beliefs
- Respect: we treat others with care consideration
- Courage: we pursue our beliefs with strength and perseverance
- Openness: we share information freely
- Diversity: we seek, value, and respect differences among our fellow Cast Members
- Balance: We strive for stability and vitality in our lives
These seven Disney values have paid huge dividends in service excellence, cast member loyalty, and bottomline results. But Lee is adamant that there should be one more added to the list because he thinks it should be one of every organisation’s values – Have Fun!
Train for character, not just skill – it is imperative that, first and foremost, as the leader you solidify your own character and identify where you stand for. Your next task is to help everyone on your team to do the same.
Teach your values – committing your values to writing and teaching these to your employees is important but nothing beats communicating them through your example and the everyday interactions you have with people. However you do it, make sure everyone in your organisation knows what you stand for and is guided by the same set of principles.
As Albert Einstein once said, “Setting an example is not the main means of influencing another, it is the only means“. Don’t just talk your values; walk them, visibly and consistently, day in and day out.
“Leadership is a matter of how to be, not how to do” Frances Hesselbein
When reflecting on this strategy (and the previous nine) it’s clear that Lee sees leadership as a whole lot more than a role or job title; it’s a serious responsibility. And that responsibility has never been greater than it is today. The world we living in, the same world in which your business operates, is more complex, unpredictable, and interconnected than ever before.
What’s more, demands of leadership different now than they were in the past. People who work for you are better educated, better travelled, and far more plugged into global information networks. They are also much more diverse, consisting of as many women as men, representing a vast array of races, religions, nationalities, and ethnic groups.
Lee quotes surveys that show that nearly 30% of the workforce will take a lower salary to work for companies which value their creative input, and 20% are willing to move to a different place to work for such companies. People like that (and there are more and more of them every day) don’t make employment decisions based solely on income opportunities. They base their decisions on their interests, values, and, most importantly, the way they are treated in the workplace.
The Bottom line is simple: companies whose leaders know how to attract, develop, and keep their people smart, energetic, creative and recognised will be the winners of the future – and the future is coming fast!
Keep in mind, however, that organisational cultures do not change overnight. You can take time to create a completely people centred, respectful environment. As a leader, you not only need a great vision and skilled implementation but also patience, persistence, and a strong will.
The fact that change takes time is no excuse to put off getting started. When making tough decisions, always consider the impact on each leg of what Disney calls of the three-legged stool: guests (customers), cast members (employees), and business results.
Above all, never make the mistake that far too many leaders make: underestimating their impact on others. Everything you say and do matters, perhaps more than we realise. Remember the wise words of Lee’s wife, Priscilla: “Be careful what you say and do; that always watching you and judging you”.
People will not be committed to your leadership unless they can trust you as a competent professional and respect you as a person of good character. When they trust and respect you, Lee is convinced that you too can create magic in your organisation, in your career, and in your personal life as well.