John J Forrer

Winter 2014 - The Public Manager

Public managers can choose from four types of cross-sector collaboration. Here's a look into the tradeoffs of each type.

Managing Cross-Sector Collaboration

“Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.”—Albert Schweitzer The insightful author, Ken Blanchard, states the key to successful leadership is influence, not authority. This certainly is wisdom. It is our actions and attitudes that influence those around us. If we see others as valued teammates, if we work with our people and not above them, then our example can inspire others to greatness. Unfortunately, this kind of positive influence is not the norm. Surveys show that more than 70 percent of people working today do not feel fully engaged, and more than 50 percent do not feel they have a productive working relationship with their manager. In fact, 33 percent do not get along with their manager, and the same percentage is actively looking for a new job. Clearly, morale in business is low. This is bad news for productivity and retention. Research finds that happy workers do great work; unhappy workers, less so! Unfortunately, too many managers do not take time to develop relationships with the people they work with. How Leaders Build Influence Often using a command and control style, many leaders fail to seek advice, ideas, input, and feedback. In short, they do not encourage or empower their people. Too many senior managers believe, “People will follow me because of my authority here in my corner office or my title.” That is just not so, at least not for long. People who are led by self-absorbed and insecure managers will not last long in that environment, as statistics have shown. And they certainly will not sustain any enthusiasm and passion for their work and the company. The best leaders turn their focus away from themselves, and make the growth and success of their team members a top priority. These leaders derive satisfaction and sustain success from the satisfaction and success of their team members. Let’s remember the adage that to be a truly great leader, we must stand with our people, not above them. Indeed, the goal is to win the hearts and minds of our people. That does not mean befriending them, it means taking even a few minutes for conversations with them, listening and being encouraging and helpful. Note the words with them. It is very important to our people that their managers genuinely care about them and their ideas. People who feel appreciated and actively supported in their career will reward their company with their very best work. And the very best leaders will earn the respect of their people by thinking about them, treating them as teammates—not staff. The best leaders embody positive energy and visibly recognize and celebrate the good work and success of others. That is what excites our people. That is the kind of leader who has the strongest influence. Kind words motivate people! Influencers in my Career There are numerous leaders who have greatly influenced me. Three I’d like to mention are: Lewis Perry, my high school professorBill Dunn, to whom I reported early in my Johnson & Higgins careerChristine LaSala, my partner at J&H. Each had the humility and a quiet confidence to focus on others. Each was a compelling example for others. Each was encouraging and very helpful—I knew they were rooting for me. Consequently, I worked very hard and wanted to succeed. Each of these leaders helped to bring out the best in me, and I have overflowing respect for them. This is influence, and this is leadership. Cathy Becker, director of human resources for AISC and formerly with J&H, says that leadership is how we help people feel about themselves. That certainly captures the essence of effective leadership, and illustrates how important it is for us to connect with and positively influence our people. And this cannot be done effectively with a “tell” style, nor can it be done with emails. We have to make the time to be with our people and mentor and coach them. Spending that focused time with them lets them know we are genuine about helping them, and that we care. This is an investment in the quality of your culture—the quality of the work and service of your company. Ultimately, it’s an investment in your financial results! Moving Forward Let’s all take a closer look at articles and books that describe servant leadership, emotional intelligence, empathy, and the golden rules of relationships. We can all gain helpful knowledge, principles, and tips about connecting with our people and earning their trust and respect. I also encourage leaders to regularly seek advice and feedback. Remember, the higher up we are, the less honest feedback we receive. We must assure those with whom we work that we want their honest feedback, and that we will be receptive, not defensive. We want to assure them that one of our top priorities is to continue to learn and grow. This is how to inspire winning culture. And all of us can be leaders, whatever our position. We can be a flame of optimism and inspiration, influencing our company, our division, our team, and even a team member to do great work. In fact, “the more we give of ourselves to help our team and team members, the more we give them our trust, the greater our influence!”

Using Our Influence to Lead

A few weeks ago, inspired by a friend, I wrote a short paper about grace in the work place. We were talking about the fact that in his company some people speak negatively about others behind their backs. My friend said that he would not do that, as he believes there is a place for grace in business. What a wonderful principle! As I often mention in my writings, business is about relationships. Well, isn’t all of life about relationships. Relationships developed and maintained through genuine care, honesty and trust, with no hidden agenda—these are what sustain us in business and in life. This is grace in action. The dictionary definition of grace is elegance, and yet to me, in business, it is a combination of many qualities, including valuing people, being gracious and respectful, having gratitude and quiet confidence. Grace certainly means showing respect, treating others with dignity, being encouraging and helpful, and being a source of positive energy that lifts the spirits of our co-workers, our team members, all of them. I think grace is helping others to feel good about themselves. What a difference that makes! A positive attitude is everything I think of two former colleagues who had that serenity and embraced grace. I consider Bill Dunn, a very senior leader at Johnson & Higgins, to be my mentor, as he was for many. Bill was always composed, and he was always ready to quietly help others succeed, always witha soft smile. He was also a doer. Outside of J&H, he was mayor of his village, a member of the vestry of his church, and actively helped numerous charitable organizations. We had a happy and proud team at J&H, thanks to Bill’s servant leadership. Another role model, Colette Kleitz, my colleague at the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, where I worked after J&H, very ably headed development for the foundation. Colette was an ideal teammate: responsible, dependable, quietly cheerful, and uick to celebrate the good work of others. Colette radiated positive energy at all times. She raised our spirits with her grace. I have discussed grace with Sarah Hay, a key professional in Georgetown’s Career Services. She is very involved in Georgetown’s award winning webinar series, widely considered best in field. I admire Sarah as she serves alums throughout the country and world with a genuine desire to help them, and she works with a smile and enthusiasm and competence. Isn’t that grace! In Sarah’s case, her colleagues, Bridget Homes and Bill Reynolds very definitely also possess these same qualities. A leader with grace engages everyone on a team with a flow of positive energy. I love the story of JFK visiting Cape Canaveral Space Center in the early 60s. He was touring the facility, and while in the basement, he stopped to speak with a janitor. He introduced himself and asked the janitor to tell him about his work. The man thought for a moment, and then said that his job was helping to put a man on the moon. This simple story says so much. Moving forward While it may be a challenge in our hyper busy world to embody grace in business, we can learn to do this by being mindful, by valuing others and listening patiently. Grace is humility coupled with quiet confidence, knowing and acknowledging to others that you know you can improve certain skills, and asking them for feedback. Allowing ourselves to be vulnerable with others opens doors to trust and solid relationships. I have always believed in hiring good people and under-managing, letting them do great work without bureaucratic control. When leaders show appreciation and value, their people work hard to live up to their expectations. They strive to do their very best because they feel appreciated, valued and heard, a true team. This is the result of grace in business. I love this phrase: “Grace in business.” I will continue to think about it, and ask that you, as you read and reflect on it, please email me, john@johnkeysercoach.com, to pass along your thoughts. What does grace in business mean to you? I hope to write a follow up post to keep this important subject visible.

John J Forrer

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