Are you a ‘Cvangelist’?

Rank has its privileges. One of them is that CEOs, and others at the C level, are privy to information that others can’t access. And it’s that exclusivity, or the illusion of it, that makes their status all the more tantalizing. The most important information, I’m beginning to think, isn’t the trade secret or the true state of the finances. I think it’s what we like and do and buy.

Analysts want to know where you’re having dinner, the color of the leather in your next ride (even better if that ride is on water or air), and what your future acquisitions will be. Most of them are satisfied with just knowing the “who* and *what*; the really inquisitive ones are interested in the *why*, and how that differs from what others – non-C’s – do.

I think the difference is that we’re used to thinking in terms of ‘business benefits’ and ‘long term valuation’ rather than the satisfaction of an ephemeral desire. And that’s what makes Cvangelists so important to emerging growth companies. We need more than buyers – we need evangelists. And when they’re at the C-level–Cvangelists–we know that they are buying and telling other people because they are focused on benefits and value.

I’m a Cvangelist for Virgin Atlantic. Please don’t ask me to go to London on any other airline. And I’m a Cvangelist for Whole Foods Market (I know they’re expensive — but the business benefits are my time saved and the long term value is my health). Mark. our EVP and former tech CEO, is a Cevangelist for MAC. (He’s got me convinced. This blog will be getting done on a MAC very soon.)

So why would you want to become a Cvangelist? Simple. The benefits are many.

1. You get to feel very cool, like the people who bought Microsoft stock (the stock – not the software) soon after the IPO.
2. You always have something *different* to say at CEO cocktail parties.
3. You have the satisfaction of knowing that you’ve promoted something that not only has immediate business benefits but also long term value.

How do you start? Well, if you want to join the very cool, always witty, highly satisfied Cvangelists for TGI Role-Based Assessment, just call me at 215-825-2500. Or email me at DrJanice (at) thegabrielinstitute.com!

Do you trust your executive team? Should you?

According to a recent Korn-Ferry survey I read about today, 47% of executives are dissatisfied with their jobs and 31% say they don’t trust their boss.

To put that another way, 47% of executives are not worth what you are paying them.  They aren’t satisfied and maybe that’s because they aren’t capable of feeling the pleasure of a job well done.

The 31% who don’t trust aren’t worth any more than the ones who aren’t satisfied.  People who don’t trust often can’t trust.  They get distracted by the wrong things and don’t keep their minds on the right things.

Can you afford to have people you can’t trust to do the jobs you need done?

You can’t afford not to assess them and figure it out.

Post-Labor Day post (postponed)

I was going to write something on Labor Day but entrepreneurial CEOs work 24/7 so there wasn’t time.  Not even much time to think about how many labor/management problems would disappear with better job-fit.  And management-fit.

Instead I dug out the tombstone from my late father-in-law’s 1960 IPO and brought it to my office, where it now stands as a reminder of the history of a company – and lives – destroyed by equal amounts of greed and entitlement on the parts of both an investment banker and a union leader.

Fast forward almost 50 years and I’m not sure much has changed.

When is Entrepreneurs Day?

Are you in ‘meddle’ management?

Not a typo.  I mean it.  Meddle management is on the rise, if what I overhear on the street is any indication.

It isn’t common behavior among CEOs – I mean, really, who has the time to micromanage people into creative oblivion?  But it’s rampant in the layers below, if I can believe what I heard in line at ye olde caffeine shoppe.

Young man #1 to Young man #2: My manager told me not to use staples but my paper clips are wearing out.  Is there some secret way to fix them?

Young man #2: Are you kidding?

Young man #1: No.  I hate working.

What’s wrong with this picture?  Is it YM#1 who has two problems (unusable paper clips and confusing pleasureable productivity with micromanagement)?  Or YM#2, who doesn’t seem very sympathetic?

Answer: The manager, of course.  Clearly a PWOC.  (Person Without a Clue).

CEOs read this book: The PWAC Manifesto.  And don’t add to the meddle management.

Just say ‘no’ to ‘yes’

There’s a long tradition of having ‘yes-men’ around to do your bidding.  Had two conversations this week from which I’ve learned that (a) ‘yes-men’ are still alive and well and working in huge, successful (at the moment) companies, and (b) CEOs are realizing that, in the long run, they stifle innovation.

Conversation 1 was saddening, though enlightening.  A clearly, painfully diffuse person reporting to a CEO with a definite tendency to be rigid was praised as ‘the best person I ever hired.’  Well, okay, rigid people like diffuse people – they are the original ‘yes-men.’  But you’d think he’d want to use hard data.  Actually, even if he did, I’d be suspicious.  I bet he does enough work to cover Mr. Yes’s backside.  Well, you can’t help everyone.

Conversation 2 was uplifting and enlightening.  A head of state (not in the US) was speaking to the CEO of a vendor and bemoaning his inability to find the right people for key positions.  He wanted integrity, productivity, and obedience.  I laughed with delight as the CEO related this.  These are the words of a Founder/Vision Mover.  This head of state is totally coherent and wants obedience yes – to his Vision, not his whims!  That’s just the basic respect due him.  But they hire by resume so they are probably attracting diffuse ‘yes-men’ who’ve never produced on their own.  Here’s one that can be helped.

Conclusion: ‘Yes-men’ may flatter your ego, but they will obscure your Vision.  Better a nice loud “no” every so often rather than being blind to the promises of the future!

Measuring the Value of a Workforce

A pair of White Papers on valuation of the human infrastructure of organizations are scheduled for publication by SHRM in the coming weeks and as word gets around my C level colleagues are asking me for the quick description of CHI Indicators.  Herewith is the executive summary:

Certain derivatives of an organization or team’s Role-Based Assessments are processed and the result is a set of indicators that measure the coherency  of the human infrastructure and some key ratios that provide for the fuller picture. This is analogous to the CFO’s balance sheet or the PE’s evaluation of a building’s (or city’s) infrastructure. It allows for the immediate identification of the causes of problems – bottlenecks, unwarranted high-risk behaviors, serious operational failures – and it provides the roadmap to fixing them.

Nothing like this has ever existed before.  It will change the way we lead, we manage, we plan, and we work.

The Leadership Lacks Test

Enough of this myth that leaders have to be super-human people who can do it all!  In protest, I hereby present the Leadership Lacks Test. Just count the ones you agree with.  No scales, just a simple yes or no.

1. I can fix almost anything and make it work if I try hard enough.
2. I am usually friendly with people, so most of them like me.
3. I can remember how to do things that I learned a long time ago.
4. Give me your wish list and I’ll find at least one or two items on it that I can help you with.
5. I can turn almost any bad situation around if I am at least given a chance.

How did you score?  I’m proud to say I got a big fat zero.

If you’re focused too much on fixing things, you’re not focused on the big broad spectrum of possibilities.

If you focus too much on people liking you, you may do things that inadvertently give up your power.

If you’re accessing the past this well, you may miss tuning in on the future.

If you go off in search of treasure too often, you won’t be there when it comes to you.

And if you’re really good at turning bad situations around, you might not walk away from one when you should.

Most importantly, if you’re doing all these jobs, there’s no room for other people on your team to do them. So revel in your lacks, love yourself for what you are not, and just enjoy being a perfectly imperfect leader.

You got game?

Not game theory.  Not game pieces.  Not video games.  I mean pure unadulterated game.

If you didn’t play with other kids when you were young, I don’t know how you learn this.  I don’t mean organized sports, either.  I mean when you have a street full of kids and school is out and there’s nothing but the collective imagination.  Someone comes up with a huge idea that seems impossible, so someone else riffs on that with rapid-fire thoughts, and another one shapes up the best of those ideas, then a couple more kids get it going.  One runs to get the stuff you need for the game and when you don’t have the right stuff, someone else figures out how to make it work.  Another kid makes sure everyone knows what the game is about, someone else fixes the little annoying stuff that doesn’t work and, if you’re lucky, you have the one kid who can remember how it all worked out and how much fun you had.

That’s how my game’s playing!