What’s Most Important?
Debbie began the new week by working on the questions Jeff had given her. She knew she had not done a good job of Seeing the Future. The only future she was pursuing was keeping up with the sales folks and the client needs. While she knew these were important concerns, she recognized that the SERVE model Jeff had described represented a higher level of thinking and a higher level of leadership.
Numerous leaders who were able to See the Future and provide direction came to Debbie’s mind. Many were historical figures: John F. Kennedy and his desire to put a man on the moon; Martin Luther King Jr. and his dream of harmony among people of all racial backgrounds; Mother Teresa and her vision of comfort for the suffering people of India.
As she thought about creating a compelling vision, Debbie remembered one of Jeff’s first presentations after he arrived at the company. In that talk, he stated his belief that their business was not about selling—it was about serving the customers and meeting their needs. Serving? He talks about serving all the time. And now, he’s teaching me that great leaders SERVE. I get the sense he’s sincere about this concept of serving.
She wanted to answer all the questions Jeff had given her. She was not very far along in this process when Jennifer, one of her team members, showed up at her door with a problem.
Debbie’s first reaction was to deal with it immediately. But she stopped and thought for a moment. Does this really require my involvement? Can Jennifer solve this on her own? She knew that if she got involved, she would once again be prevented from thinking about the future. She realized that part of her leadership problem was that she was so consumed with the Heads Down issues of today that she had little, if any, time for Heads Up work on tomorrow. All of these thoughts flashed through her mind in an instant.
“What do you think we should do?” Debbie asked.
Jennifer was caught off guard. “Well . . . I don’t know. You usually decide these things.”
“Do you think you have all the information you need to make a recommendation?”
“I think so.”
“Come back after lunch and let me know what you think we should do. If you need additional information from me, we can talk then.”
Jennifer left, looking somewhat shocked.
Debbie returned to her desk with a sense that she had just made a significant step on her leadership journey. She once again turned her attention to the questions about the future.
Where do I want my team to be in five years? As she considered the question, she was reminded that she didn’t really have a team. She had abandoned the team concept. What she had now was a group of individuals working independently. There were no opportunities for synergy, shared learning, encouragement, team accountability, or any of the other benefits of working together. She had never taken the time to think about that before now.
Debbie’s first action item was to reinstate the team. Together they could not only answer Jeff’s questions but also chart their own course to accomplish whatever they set their minds to do.
When the morning mail arrived, the annual report was in the stack. She could hardly wait to see what Jeff had written about the company’s values. She opened the report to the president’s letter.
How Do We Ensure Our Future Success?
How will we achieve outstanding financial return and long-standing, mutually beneficial relationships? I believe we will do this by incorporating and living by a number of core values. As you review the following, you will find very little new or different. During my short time in this organization, I have seen countless examples of men and women living these values. My intent in publishing them here is to highlight them and declare publicly: These are the beliefs that will guide our behavior and ensure our continuing success.
Customers are the reason each of us has a job. Our thoughts and actions should always be focused on answering the question “How will this decision or action impact the customer?” We will continue to put customers first in our priorities and our decision making.
Serve Others
We have enjoyed success in the past because of the willingness of our people to serve. As we serve others, we almost always reap the rewards. Not that our motive to serve is to get—that’s just how it tends to work out in the end. I believe that those who wish to become great must be willing to serve. We will continue to be an organization known for our “servant spirit.”
Practice Stewardship
A steward is someone who is enlisted by an owner and charged with the management of the owner’s possessions. I believe that all the things we have at our disposal are on loan. We can’t take them with us, but we can use them while we’re here on Earth. I also believe that we are accountable for all that has been entrusted to us—our time, talents, financial resources, and relationships. We will act accordingly. We will continue to be good stewards.
Cultivate Creativity
This has been—and will always be—a hallmark of our organization. We will value creativity, recognize it, recruit people who have it, and develop it in those where it is latent. The ability to think creatively is a gift we’ve all been given, and we are determined to utilize it to the fullest. We will never be satisfied with the status quo.
You’ll hear much more about these values in the months and years to come. To our employees—our team—thank you for living them every day. To our shareholders, thank you for your confidence in us. It is my privilege to serve you!
Jeff Brown
President & Chief Operating Officer
As Debbie finished reading the letter, she felt proud to be a part of her organization. She was thankful for the time she had spent with Jeff and could hardly wait for their next meeting.