Then again I know from conversations with my clients and their staff the importance and value of building ethical trustworthy relationships as a route to sustained business growth.  They’re not resting on their laurels here either and the results are speaking for themselves.

Last year I did a trust masterclass with Sue Swanborough HR Director for General Mills UK & Ireland.  The feedback was fantastic and this year we’re doing it again. However in this masterclass we’re notching it up a few gears.  Last year our masterclass was packed with the basics, this year we’re doing an advanced version.  Both Sue and I will be sharing our experience, key learnings, and the things that make the difference in the practical world of business.

On this tele conference call we’ll be discussing amongst other things:-

* Why trust is an inside job first and foremost

* Authenticity in leadership and it’s impact on trust

* Common behaviours that undermine trust and credibility, yet are often seen as acceptable in the workplace.

* Plus we’ll open the lines so you can ask your questions direct, as well as giving you the opportunity to send in your questions beforehand.

Remember high trust organisations out perform low trust ones by 278%.   Not only that customers aren’t making purchase decisions based on price alone, trust and credibility are primary influences and fundamental to building brand loyalty.

To get all the details and secure your place on this complimentary master class click here.

Quality, standards, ethics, values, trust are all key facets of business but to what extent do you pay them lip service rather than live by them?  How often to these aspects seem to be at odds with making a profit?

How often is there a decision to be made which if you follow your values will take you down one route but if you sell out on your values (yes that’s what you’re doing) will take you down another, often appearing more profitable?  It’s hard at times, and usually these times are at the beginning of practicing this habit.  It’s harder to stay with your values and keep looking for a solution that will deliver profitability to the business, than it is to go with the obvious profitable solution that asks you to ignore a value or two.  However as it becomes clear both to yourself and to others that compromising on values isn’t an option then finding profitable and ethical solutions becomes easier.

Organisations have values they claim to live by.  It’s the leaders that are then beholden to live by them.  It’s not that organisations are ethical, or unethical, it’s that the people within choose to act ethically or not.  Makes your bum cheeks squeak a bit when you think of it like that.  It takes the anonymity out of it and brings it back where it needs to be, personal.  As a leader you have to walk the talk – well OK you don’t have to, but then of course if you don’t you’ve said it doesn’t matter to the rest of your staff.

The tide is turning on tolerating unethical behaviour.  Yes we’re accountable to investors to make a good ROI, yet if we cut corners and compromise on quality, standards and ethics, we run the risk of being found out, and then been called to account.  We only need to look at the News of The World to get a timely reminder of where our daily actions and choices can lead us.

So is there anything today you’d hesitate to put your name to?  There is still time to change all that.

The answer doesn’t have to be formal training.  One often overlooked approach to developing your high potentials is mentoring.  Clearly it helps if you have a structured mentoring approach, but even the adhoc variety can get some results.   However mentoring allows for the transfer of knowledge and experience that is relevant right now.  As a leader you get the chance to see how some one is being about a problem or challenge just as much as finding out what they’d do about it.  Formal training programmes don’t usually allow for that distinction, plus the fact they’re often an intense burst of knowledge and the application and retention can be low.

If you decide to mentor and work on developing leadership qualities in some of your current staff, look for those that are naturally taking on the extra, perhaps leading their coworkers outside their standard daily duties. harnessing this self driven enthusiasm and helping them hone and develop their skills and traits is simpler and more rewarding for all involved.

And if people do find out, what’s the immediate and long term impact for us as an individual and the brand or company we lead?

Golf legend Tiger Wood’s much publicised fall from grace is an example of the catastrophic consequences a business can face when its brand is found to be inauthentic.  The recent stories about the private life of the world’s No.1 celebrity golfer expose a huge gap between the perceived values of the Tiger Woods brand and those of the man himself.

As a leader and as a business we are all judged on whether we live up to the values that are associated with our brand.

Values driven leadership is about ensuring you live up to your values and the values promised by your brand.  After all your customers and employees have bought in to your brand and what you stand for. Your behaviour and the behaviour of your employees then should also reflect the values of the brand.  Of course if the values are what you’d like, rather than what is real then this becomes a challenge to sustain.  So it is important to ensure your brand does not promise something you no longer believe in or cannot deliver.

If your values are aspirational then acting with integrity is going to be a serious challenge.

Every day we’re faced with choices, decision points, where we can uphold our values or not.  At work we can be asked to do something ‘for the good of the company’ and yet we know that it’s against the company’s or our values.  It’s a short term win and another nail in the coffin of that particular value that’s just been over-road.  We may wish to behave differently but go along with it to keep our job.

Consistently acting against our personal values undermines our self confidence and self esteem.  Keep this up and eventually we don’t feel good about ourself and neither does anyone else.    Being consistently asked to act against the corporate or brand values begs the question how real are they and what problems are being stored up for future.

Let’s go back to the challenge facing Tiger Woods, now he has to re-build his brand so he can move forward.  Some people I’ve talked to say it’s not possible.  I think there is hope.

After all, authentic leadership is about who you are being as much as what you’re doing.

“The performance of Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures of 2009, in terms of three-year compounded annual revenue growth, has significantly outpaced the S&P/ TSX by an average of over 300% –or three times,” says Marty Parker, managing director of Waterstone Human Capital, a Toronto-based executive search and human capital consulting firm that has been running the program since 2005. The TSX/S&P compound annual growth rate from December 2005 to December 2008 was 3.8%; for the same period, the CAGR for Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures of 2009 was 12%.

“This proves that an outstanding corporate culture has a significant impact on performance, and that culture is an incredibly valuable asset,” says Mr. Parker.

A wide range of organizations made this year’s list, including: Telus Corp.; Fairmont Hotels and Resorts; industrial supplier Acklands-Grainger Inc.; human resource solutions provider Ceridian Canada;  and coffee retailer Starbucks Coffee Canada.

“This year’s data reflects the market correction of 2008,” says Mr. Parker. “What this tells us is that if an organization’s culture is strong, even with a major downturn, it outperforms “Our Canada’s 10 reflects these findings,” says Mr. Parker. “The reason these organizations are outperforming is because of phenomenal leadership and because of the commitment — from the top — to aligning corporate culture. These leaders are focused on behaviour. And behaviour drives results.”

Results of the 2009 Canadian Corporate Culture Study show that 88% of respondents believe their current leadership has led to the evolution of their organization’s corporate culture. In addition, 82% of respondents said that “leading by example” is a key strategy used to align culture. Furthermore, when it comes to hiring, 75% of executives surveyed said that cultural fit is more important than necessary skills.

People are seeking to work for a business where they can experience fulfilment and authenticity.  Organizations which treat their employees well have experienced a better retention rate, increased productivity, increased innovation and lower sickness and absenteeism.

That said developing your organizational culture can be a big challenge for the leaders as well as its employees.   Here are few suggestions of things you can do:-

• Analyze your corporation’s existing culture and compare it with employees, suppliers and customers’ expectations and perceptions.  There are even tools that can measure this very accurately now and give valuable business insight that helps with performance and growth.

• Discuss the existing culture in your department.  What aspects of the culture are great, what’s good and what needs to change?  Then agree what you’d like the culture to be and how everyone can support and make it happen.

• Induction.  This isn’t just about training new recruits in their job, it’s about making them aware of the culture you’re growing and how they can play their part.  Even though you’ve made the culture clear in the interview process, so you’ve not recruited a misfit, it’s not enough to think that’ll do.  There are of course still companies that spend all their focus on skills and fail to explain the culture and check for alignment – which of course is expensive as they can find themselves losing the new recruit within the next 6 months and having to start all over again.

• Communication.  And I’m not talking a quick 2 line email saying our culture / values are this,  it’s important and can you just send a quick reminder to all your staff.  Yes those emails are still too common, ouch.  I’m talking about a 2 way conversation where you bring awareness that this isn’t a band-aid or quick fix approach.  Rather an ongoing, strategic process to build a more attractive culture that fits the needs of the organization and that can improve its business growth.

• Have Champions.  This is a journey so it’s important to have people who whole heartedly support the creation of this desired culture.  Plus it’s important that the champions / key culture group realise that not everyone is going to jump onboard right away.  There’s going to be scepticism, even from those who would like the desired culture.

• Momentum and Measurement.  Developing the culture to being a sustainable, profitable and healthy one for both the business and staff takes time.  Look for low hanging fruit, celebrate what works, don’t re-enforce what doesn’t.  Lastly measure.  Not incessantly but say every 12 months assess your progress against the desired end point.

If you want to do more, if you’d like to measure your culture, if you’d like to discuss how you can not only manage your culture but generate wealth from it, then give us a call.

What I really like is the bit where they say… ‘we realised what you make people feel is as important as the thing you make’ or words to that effect. I even spoke back to the TV, saying how true that statement was – and it is rare I am moved to talk back to the tele.

Now of course comes the challenge of getting that feeling of Joy into their dealerships.   Yes the cars when you drive them bring a feeling of Joy (I’ve had one and did enjoy driving it).   The dealership staff though never left me even close to Joy; unless you count when they handed me my keys back and I found that this time they hadn’t damaged the car.  Fortunately the fourth dealership and a commute later and I found one that didn’t think damaging your car was a normal side effect of a car service.

Having been this clear about their corporate statement then it has to be felt at every touch point.  Let’s hope they’re working on this so that something this powerful doesn’t just become a gimmick.

As a leader can you articulate your brand ethos so succinctly, your purpose, do you know how people feel when they’re with you and when you’ve just walked out of the room?

In a nutshell…Who you are, what you stand for and how you make people feel, are as important as the ‘thing’ you sell.

Every year, season and day is an opportunity full of new beginnings, potential and promise; or doom and gloom depending on what you choose to pay attention to.

Right now it is sad that companies are going into receivership, even sadder for the people who are facing uncertainty or job loss.  Yet for the leadership of each and every one of these companies, the state of their business can’t have been a complete surprise.  I think it is fair to say we’re in times of extremes, for every company that goes under there’s one that’s having its best year yet.  I truly hope you’re going to be in the latter category.

Now each year as I decide my goals, yes decision is an important factor in making them happen, I also make notes which will provide support or inspiration as I undertake the growth required to hit the goal.  Let me share with you a few notes I’ve re-written in my journal.  No they’re not new to me, in fact I share them frequently with my clients, but they’re so powerful and fundamental to success that on those days when everything seems to be going pear shaped, this is a very fast way of me getting back on track.

1) Your thoughts will determine your actions.

2) Your actions repeated become your habits.

3) Your habits determine your results.

4) If you don’t want to get the same results you’re going to have to change your habits.

Now the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results.  So if I keep all the same habits I’m going to get the same results, if I don’t like these results then it’s logical to suppose insanity is the next step.

So when I want to get back on track quickly I pay attention to my thoughts.

What are you paying attention to, who’s voice are you listening to, who’s opinions are you mulling over?

All of this gives rise to thoughts, although in some cases we’re so busy we forget to think and just blindly accept, especially if the source is one of authority.

As a leader you set the tone.  Are the conversations the same you’ve been having for a while, has a habit of moaning, complaining, or expecting the worst set in amongst staff?

If things are really bad, if cash flow is poor, if customer retention is down, it’s a statement of the current position, which has arisen through previous thoughts, actions and habits.  It isn’t a guaranteed statement of the future, unless of course you keep everything the same.

Lastly may I wish you a dose of Good Luck

Here’s the recipe:-

1) Create and notice opportunities

2) Make decisions based on your intuition

3) Create self fulfilling prophesies through positive expectation

4) Have a resilient attitude

There is still time to have a phenomenal year.

The notorious Barings Bank had individual traders on bonuses in the millions yet in the long term these motivated individuals were not fulfilling the company’s objectives.  Then of course there are the reward system’s based on appropriate performance indicators, resulting in the organisation’s success and yet problems arise from the large differential between salaries of senior people and those of middle management.

Wise organisations are therefore trying to reward and motivate all staff so that staff act energetically to further the corporation’s interests both short and long term and feel they have been treated fairly. However there must clearly be in place the link between the items on which they are being rewarded and the actions they are able to take to influence the desired outcome.

A wise organisation accepts that:

• It is reasonable for the individual manager to act in his or her own interests.

• Managers work for people not organisations and want to please the superiors closest to them, or failing that, their peer group.

• Managers want to achieve and will be attracted to those tasks at which they know they can succeed, usually favouring the short term at the expense of the long term.
The clear implication is that an organisation should be aware of the culture at play before relying on a remuneration structure to change performance and behaviour. In other words the management and organisation’s values must be in balance with the remuneration system.
There are 5 major pre-conditions to the installation of an effective reward structure.

1. Measurement: “If you don’t measure it you won’t get it”. There are various measurement systems of which Balanced Scorecard, which sets multiple objectives and is used by Tesco, is perhaps the best known.

2. Monitoring: If the performance measures are not monitored properly or only monitored in a review at the year end, it can give the manager signals that they don’t really matter or, worse still, that failure is acceptable providing all the managers fail together.

3. Control of the tools for the job: The organisation must ensure that the individual is not over dependent on factors outside his control to achieve the performance measures set out (this is the ‘how’ part of the equation).

4. Consistency: Ensuring that short term organisational factors don’t over-influence managers or drive them from their real objective. The organisation must also ensure that its own design (be it bureaucratic or loose) is appropriate to what is being asked of managers.

5. Reward and strategy in line: An organisation’s achieving a clear strategy is not an event that will take place in the future; it is a journey. A remuneration system can be put into an organisation even when it has a relatively muddled strategy providing that organisational and management disputes are resolved by reference to strategy and the “balanced score card”. Only then will there be pressure on the organisation to refine its strategy, structure and remuneration systems.

Based on these 5 pre conditions, there is a checklist of 10 factors that the effective remuneration and reward structure must achieve:

1. Support the business strategy

2. Encourage the desired behaviour

3. Reward relevant performance

4. Be fair

5. Be substantial

6. Be tax efficient

7. Be timely   (The reward must take place close to the achievement)

8. Incorporate non financial rewards (Recognition can be as important as cash)

9. Be firm   (A bonus lost through missing target should not be recoverable whereas a salary increase should only be delayed until target is reached)

10. Be crystal clear

It works – I used to live in Yorkshire, where there are sheep on the loose, snow drifts to contend with, aside from other cars on the road.  And so far I’ve always managed to find a space the size of my car to ‘park’ in.

Now in the conversations I have with my clients there is one that looks a bit like this..

Client “This is what I don’t want to happen…. and I’ve been thinking about how I make sure it doesn’t happen….”

Me “Do you know what you do want to happen and how you can make that happen?”

Client “Yes, but I’m concerned because I really don’t want blah to a happen…”

When you know what you want or where you want to be – then focus on that.  You’ll be significantly more productive.

Right now that holds true when we’re bombarded with stuff on the credit crunch.  I’m not suggesting ostrich maneuvers here.  However if you obsess about your business not making any money, guess what.  Then again if you ask yourself a different question, like how can I make more money? Then you’ll find over time more and more ideas or opportunities coming to you around that subject.