It's all about the people. This seemingly simple statement cannot be overemphasized. Many companies get things in the wrong order. As soon as the values are clearly defined and put in place, as we discussed in Chapter Five, leaders often move immediately into setting the direction for the organization. The thinking goes that once they have the values determined and the strategic direction set, then they can attract the right people to join the team. This approach is backwards.
Once the values are in place, before leaders do anything else, they need to focus on the people. Picking the right people must come before setting the direction. If it's done the other way around, there is a risk that instead of choosing the right people who can help set the strategy and implement it, the leader will select team members on the basis of the strategic direction that he has already determined. This pitfall occurs most frequently when leaders think and act as if they are solely responsible for deciding what needs to get done and how best to do it. If they're not the ones in charge, they feel they cannot really call themselves leaders. So they set the direction and then find people who follow it. As leaders, they become like that old saying, “a master with a thousand helpers.”
Those “helpers,” however, are often people who match the leader's own thinking so well that they are capable only of executing the direction chosen by the leader. These helpers are not self-reflective and balanced enough to speak up with true self-confidence and question whether a particular approach is really the optimal course to follow. They are often incapable of generating an alternative route to achieving the goal. As for the leader, he may not appreciate the significant input that is available from others. It could be an ego thing. Or maybe the leader is worried that someone could look better or more competent than he is. Whatever the reason, this leader needs to be right and in control.
A values-based leader, however, looks at things differently. By being self-reflective, she knows what the company needs and what her team requires to create a balance of perspectives and to generate valuable input that will help her make the right decisions after considering a variety of opinions. With balance, a values-based leader purposefully looks to develop a team that is diverse in background and in thought, as opposed to looking for people who think and act alike. The values-based leader chooses people who complement her strengths. With true self-confidence and genuine humility, the values-based leader does not have to be right, and she encourages others to challenge her. This leader knows that she may not be the only one to come up with the answers; rather, she often determines the best course of action from the input provided by her team.
Most of all, the values-based leader is looking for people who exhibit the values that are most important to her: self-reflection, balance, true self-confidence, and genuine humility. These are the people who can be developed to their full potential for the good of themselves, the team, and the entire organization.
Whether you are leading a small team or you are the CEO of a company with tens of thousands of team members, you are looking for people who are wired in a way that is consistent with the values of the organization. You are looking to identify and develop a phenomenal group of people who are going to help set the direction and move the organization forward. As we'll discuss in this chapter, these people may include your current team members, people from other areas of the company, and some outside hires. As a values-based leader, you are committed to building a team in which everyone is pulling together to reach the organization's goals.
This can be accomplished only with a focus on talent management and leadership development at every level. Rather than being perfunctory or bureaucratic—with forms to fill out and so-called development goals that no one looks at after the performance review is completed—this process is integral to the values-based organization.