I think it starts with a simple premise. The phone is ringing, so I answer it.“Thank you for calling CBI Group, Chris Burkhard speaking, I can help you!” However, everyday someone – a vendor, an applicant, a customer – seems so surprised when I answer the phone. 

To be specific, this is when the phone rings into my company. We want to get the caller picked up in three, ideally two, or even one ring.  We get busy like any other company and this job is bigger than anyone person who is primarily picking up the phone. We always have someone who does this most of their day. So where does the leadership thing show up in all of this?  One of the hardest things for a leader to do is to show a balance of leading, directing, and doing.  Trust is built when leaders do as they preach. Even if your company (mine) would prefer I stayed off the phones because I am not quite as good at it as some…

I have chosen a leadership model and organizational culture that is one of servant leadership while the business is organized in a flat, matrixed fashion. My goal is to squeeze the middle, empower my customer-facing staff, and force my leaders to work for them. Let that soak in. Empower the front line staff. Leaders work for them. So why should it come as a surprise when everyone in the company answers the phone? Habits. Experiences. Other places we work. All of these gained insights make it so much harder to buy-in.

However, how can an environment of equality exist unless the leaders do their best to be equal? Yes, roles are designed differently. Yes, some roles are critical to business success and very important to the success of a business.  This does NOT mean that there is not a place for a team mentality.

Some environments are siloed – don’t dare talk to someone in another department without having department heads do the talking! Some environments promote hierarchy and fear. Leaders do this by being ominous and scary or by forcing conformity to a practiced culture that all dare not bend or break from tradition.

My tradition and hierarchy are such that people are people and they perform best when they feel valued and they can be themselves – and where teamwork is sacred.  Teamwork is not an “opt-in” or “when and if I want to” kind of behavior. You’re either committed to the team or your not.  NOT just on your favorite tasks or to help your office friend out. So leaders step in and out of what needs to be done for the team.

Stepping in and out can be hard. Do I roll up my sleeves everyday? When will I plan? When will I work on business problems and opportunities?  How do I give feedback and do my leadership job? The answer lies within. But I can assure you if you never step in and help. Or worse yet, if you always dive in and help, you have a real opportunity to improve your leadership persona and have more impact!

So as ridiculous it is for you to think of someone’s President answering the phone because of their corporate culture, as a leader in an Outside-In company, not answering the phone is even more absurd to me!

Today’s companies operate differently than a decade or two ago. Globalization, technology, cultural and social change, demographic trends and shifts have all impacted the way business is conducted. This structural shift has impacted the worker too. Today’s worker must be focused on knowledge building and embracing change skills to maximize themselves.

However, I think this structural shift has impacted the way leaders need to lead. One of my personal pet peeves is when leaders don’t take the time to admit fault. There is this funny thing called “leadership pride” that keeps our lips shut.  We may act like we did something wrong, we may make amends or attempt to fix a mistake, however, we don’t often vocally admit mistakes enough. When we don’t admit our mistakes, we damage trust on our teams and in our company. Trust is a funny thing. Easy to lose. Hard to get back.  Must be built through your actions and of course, your words.  They better be close to one and the same.

By not admitting mistakes we look fake and disingenuous. Today’s worker must do their job on the edge of their seat and take risks in their job to create some wow (or do something Nth degree in Outside-In® language). But the risk is the key.  If you won’t show vulnerability as a leader and expose yourself how do you expect others to do so?  And if you expect creativity or new thinking from your people, then celebrating mistakes is a requirement.

Making mistakes makes you real.  By making mistakes you are human. By admitting them, you allow others to admit them and creates an open channel for improved communication to blossom. A problem said out loud, is a problem half solved! Openly addressing mistakes you’ve made as a leader allows trust to grow and build between you and your employees. It’s about being Open Book — being honest, vulnerable, and transparent – and living Outside-In® leadership, where accessibility and trust are key components of a strong leader.

We all need a culture of admission, right?

Some leaders build a following. Others demand it. Then there are those who assume the mantle through their actions, words, accomplishments. They model the behaviors they expect from others. Their words and their actions are very tightly bound. We all know a good leader when we work for one, but talking about the experience is a very different thing. I’m not sure why this is the case, however, it is true. Seeing it is easy. Explaining why seems hard for many. Sports leadership seems to be an area of common ground. We watch sports for its entertainment value, however, its leaders seem obvious to us.

In the sports world, many people talk about players and their abilities to be great leaders in the clubhouse or the locker room. These players are not always the most skilled or even considered in their prime.  But they add value nonetheless.  How do you think this type of person translates to your business?  This got me thinking.  My all time favorite leaders are Bobby Clarke of the Famed Ferocious Flyers of the 1970’s and Brian Dawkins, the soon-to-be Hall of Fame safety of the Philadelphia Eagles.  Not from Philly? Hate the City of Brotherly Love? No problem. Insert your sport, your city and your favorite clubhouse leader and you will get the picture. The best sports leaders show up on the field and the locker room.  They are one and the same.  They are constantly leading.

President Chris Burkhard emulates his favorite Flyers player, Bobby Clarke. Can you spot the similarity?

A Locker Room Leader:

Offers their expertise freely to others.  They lead by offering their knowledge to the team. This is little things and big things. They know that sharing makes the team better, stronger, and more aligned to the goals of the team!

Leads by doing. They show up early. They stay late. They work at preparing for their job, and this models behaviors for new teammates to emulate and learn from. Their work ethic and preparation can become contagious. So many new teammates with skills and education do not know how to conduct themselves day-to-day.  A locker room leader shows this new talent the way and helps them norm to the culture of the club.

They lead teammates to greater outcomes. They lead with emotion.  They demand excellence even when the team does not know they are capable of it.  When you play for this kind of leader you do not want to let them down. You demand more from yourself simply because of their expectation of you, and you’ll never want to let anyone down when the expectation is so high. They’ll be sure to call you out when your not doing it right or giving your best!

They show up when it matters most.  They make the big play.  They score the goal, make the tackle, steal the ball just when it seems to matter most.  There is lots of talent in sports and in business.  But there is a big difference between sports leaders and business leaders who put up good numbers (in general) and those that do it when it matters most to the team. Think Jordan. Think Montana.

They are recognized by their competitors. Whether its through feelings of respect or feelings of hate, their competitors are aware of them. Half of their mojo is the effect they have on the other team.  Teams go out of their way to prepare to beat them.  They have a mystique and a respect level that has to be take seriously.

Great leaders want to play the game when it matters most.  They step on to the court, ice, grass when others don’t want too.  They do the tough sledding.  They protect their team.  They do what needs to be done.

If you could improve your leadership persona in your company what sports star could you learn from? For me Bobby Clarke would be the guy.  I am 44 and I still wear his jersey proudly like a little kid.  He was not the most skilled, but he was tenacious.  His effort was Herculean.  He seemed to give every ounce of energy and will that his body had to give preseason or playoffs.  His team, and his city would do anything for him.  He outworked his opponents.  Yes, he had God given talents, but many leaders have talent.  To me I believe it is what you do with what you have that matters.  Bobby Clarke closed the gap between what he did and what he was capable of!

If you could work for a great sports leader who would it be?

Often times we address individual leadership traits or behavior. Today, I’m here to discuss the group dynamics of leadership in an Outside-In® company.  What factors are different compared to those of other organizations?  I thought it made sense to put together some different perspectives that are challenging and important for leaders who chose to lead in an environment where all are equal, and communication flows in all directions.

Seven Steps to Outside-In® Leadership

1. Leaders must always be accessible.  Our goal is to “Never have you see us sweat”. Not in a dishonest way, but instead, to show that we view our role as one of being available, calm and truly centered on the situation at hand. It’s important to be readily available for our team when they need us, whether its taking the time out to address their immediate need or acknowledging they need guidance and figuring out a time to work out a plan.

2. Leaders can never play the busy card. Bottom line, we are all busy. Your people will surely play the busy card for you. “I know you’re busy, but can you…?” Truth is no one cares that your busy.  Our job is to manage the business. It’s to work it to the point where, well, we have it all under control and are working on the right things in our role, making the place run better. On to my next point!

3. Plan your time as a leader in proactive ways. Leaders today do so much, and in today’s flat, matrix worlds this is somewhat necessary. Know that is not the goal of a leaders role in an Outside-In® company, your goal is to be proactive, to be available, to solve problems. Better yet, to go looking for areas of opportunity in the business. And by the way…

4. Leaders should delegate properly. You can’t get to Outside-In® leadership behavior, if you refuse or struggle with the basics of delegation.  Your staff is not your personal dumping grounds for menial tasks. That is not the point. But leaders seem to grasp the opportunities given them.  Staff are here to do big tasks, and to learn and develop their skills. They want and need that constant challenge. That can only happen if you plan accordingly and give them the work that fits!

5. Get out from behind your desk and teach smart employees every day. Outside-In® leadership has a job to do.  And that is to keep employees coming back with something new to learn. Sharing knowledge is a vital component of an Outside-In® company. It’s what supports the pillars of communication and flat management practices within the Outside-In® framework.

6. Accept that as leaders, we will never again have all of the information. Frankly we never had it. Today in the era of big data, we can have all of it and still not know what to do with it.  Making decisions is about experience and about the basics of doing it well. For me it is simple. SEE. THINK.  ACT. You will see things in your business, in your peer’s business, in other offices. You will be challenged to try and fix everything. You will have rumors, innuendos, half facts, stories, and in some cases, the real facts.

7. Trust that others are doing their job. It’s one of the hardest parts of leadership. Keep in mind, they may do it differently than you. Just like employees do a task differently than you, they still may want the same or better outcome! But trust we must. Yes, role clarity and organizational charts help.  Yes, it is important to get along with the people you work with. But in the end, do you help or hurt your teammates?  Do you really know how to team?

If you ask me, the hardest part of leadership is not knowing what to do. It is knowing what not to do! Use these steps as a guide towards developing your own Outside-In® Leadership. If your company is flat and knowledge-based (or you want to manage it that way), apply these practices and see how they work!

If you’ve ever read Mastering the Rockefeller Habits, the best-selling business practices book by Verne Harnish, then you’re familiar with the concept of establishing a theme to motivate your company to accomplish its quarterly and yearly goals. CBI Group is a proud observer of these habits and consciously works to frame our daily business practices after them.

Last Friday, team members gathered together for our quarterly celebration, the Quarter Kickoff, to announce the company’s 2013 theme as well as our goals for Q1! This year’s theme is The Outside-In® Happiness Project, and was inspired by the best-selling book, The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. A popular self-help book, The Happiness Project chronicles Rubin’s personal journey to finding her own happiness and fulfillment in life.

To bring the theme to life, team members transformed our Grand Teton conference room into a relaxing oasis where attendees could unwind and be – what else? – happy! Daddy O’s catered the event and provided a refreshing menu of healthy, “good mood foods” which included seared polenta with roasted vegetable terrine and charred cherry tomato, coconut chicken with dark chocolate mole, grilled asparagus, and roasted mussels in a white wine sauce. These foods were selected based on their mood-lifting abilities – yes, you will actually feel happier after eating them!

Happy Bingo after lunch kept spirits light as team members competed to fill their squares, and along the way, learned what made their team mates happy as the bingo charts were full of the team’s submissions of their personal happiness. Some of the entries? Hiking, shopping, going to the beach, and working at CBI Group!

When the time came to announce the company’s goals, the leaders were excited to share that the rocks were mapped to reflect the 5 Happy Habits – five simple tips to maintain daily well-being – researched and defined by the London-based think-tank, the New Economics Foundation. So, what are these five simple tips for daily happiness?  They are:

• Connect With People Around You
  
• Be Active
  
• Take Notice
  
• Keep Learning
  
• Give

We are very excited to embark on our own journey this year towards being more Outside-In® and finding our own personal happiness. Our president, Chris Burkhard believes that if our team is inspired to pursue our own passions and find happiness, then we will be more Outside-In®, bringing our customers greater peace of mind.

Happy New Year to you!

This time of year we often think about what actions we are going take to fulfill personal goals or a new years resolution we’ve set. “I’m going to lose weight.” or “I’m going to travel more.” or “I’m going to spend more time with my family.” Whatever the resolution is, it usually involves an action, right? What about how you’re going to be this year? Don’t get me wrong,  I believe setting goals are crucial to making progress and I live by setting goals. But, we are all given the same choice with how we carry ourselves each day, and that choice impacts our achievements, too. So, let me ask you this:

How will you start the new year?

From the heart.  This is how I will start the new year.  We are all given the same choice. I am going to be honest, direct, humble, open, and authentic in all I do as a leader, husband, father, soccer coach, community volunteer, son, brother, and all the many roles I play. But I am only human, and choosing to be these things in the large scope of life gives me so much to strive for!  And that is what is so wonderful about my resolution.

I encourage my organization to present itself this way as well. Honest, direct, humble, open, authentic. It is a great way to be a leader.  It’s an awesome way to be in business development. No matter what the role is – it’s all the same to me. It’s like our 20 Outside-In® values that we live and breathe each day. For my team, I hope that in addition to our 20 values, we carry out our Outside-In® culture in an honest, direct, humble, open, and authentic way.

Being at CBI Group and in a values-based group of companies has given me the unique chance to think about how our purpose in business  can do more than help our customers. For years (10 plus now and counting), our purpose has been to give our customers a competitive advantage through our services. We still feel this is really important.  However, this is the year we will add to our purpose, where we begin to explore how our values can help us outside of our defined work role. And that is a purpose worth attaining.

Honest, direct, humble, open, and authentic.

Five simple words. To me they bring on a whole new meaning to my work.  What’s more, they present areas of potential mastery for myself and for the CBI Group team.

How will you start the new year? I’d be curious to hear your thoughts!

Over the weekend, I took my wife to see Spielberg’s latest movie, Lincoln. The movie is an intimate look at the beloved American president, and also examines the efforts he took to pass the 13th Amendment while ending the Civil War. I am a real history buff and have read several of the books the movie script was based on, including Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin. Most people know Abraham Lincoln through the legends that lend their mystique to his name. To many, he is simply the president that grew up in a log cabin, wrote the Gettysburg Address, and was assassinated at Ford’s Theater. This is how most of us contemplate our sixteenth president.

Not me. I am infatuated with Lincoln’s leadership qualities.  In his book Outliers: The Story of Success, Malcolm Bidwell says it takes 10,000 hours to achieve mastery of something.  We think that people are simply born with skills or greatness.  Well, I think it is fair to say you really get there by working harder at the skill than anyone else. Lincoln did this when it came to his people skills.  To me, Lincoln was a great leader for so many reasons.  Here are my specific observations from the movie:

Lincoln was masterful in bringing people with differing points-of-view together.  His cabinet was made up of political arch rivals and enemies (not all rewarded friends of the Republican Party).  Lincoln had influence.  Lincoln was a great listener.  Most importantly, Lincoln could persuade with words. In one scene, during a particularly heated cabinet debate about the terms of ending the War, he softened the room with the quote, “I could write shorter sermons but when I get started I’m too lazy to stop!”  He then went on to plead his case for sticking with the plan to abolish slavery by securing the votes for the 13th Amendment in the House of Representatives.

Lincoln led with passion and emotion.  You know he cared deeply for people.  And agonized over his very difficult and trying decisions.  Yet, he had such empathy and feeling. I sense that this is what people really loved him for. During his administration, Lincoln had a poignant political and social task on his hands…and he was forthright about his political intentions. He knew that the only way to solidify the abolition of slavery was to pass a government statute to abolish it. Simply ending the War would not guarantee slaves’ freedom. He needed the 13th Amendment.

Lincoln was an open and transparent leader. In the movie, as Lincoln pleads his case to his cabinet members, he is honest and frank with them. He addresses the use of the Emancipation Proclamation as nothing more than a war tactic. “The fate of human dignity [is] in our hands! Blood’s been spilt to afford us this moment!” he exclaims. At that moment, it’s no longer about passing the 13th Amendment for the sake of maintaining the Union’s power, its about the people the amendment will affect – and liberate. He was truly aware of the morality that was at stake and he had no qualms about showing it.

Lincoln could tell a story, but he could also practice brevity.  Lincoln understood that he could move people through words and through humor. He was a celebrated orator, and his Gettysburg Address is heralded as one of the most significant documents in American history. More so, Lincoln always enjoyed the company of the people he served.  He used stories and anecdotes consistently to prove his points and to pursue his agenda.  My favorite part of the movie is watching Lincoln give a speech at the dedication of a new government building in Washington DC. ” His “speech” is one sentence, and yet so powerful. And the people appreciated it!

Do you add value or subtract it from your people?

I am talking about adding value as a leader.  Most leaders demand things from the people.  Status reports, project updates, report out meetings, you name it.  They are all critically important facets to running today’s complex companies; but, is that all you are? What have you done for your people lately? Here are a few crucial ways you can add value as a leader:

Give regular and timely feedback.  Nothing fancy.  Not a performance review or, goodness gracious , not a 360.  Just good old-fashioned commentary on what you see in that person’s role.  Staff can take it.  They like hearing areas that need work.  We all want to be held to a high standard, especially in an environment that can make you better!

Teach.  Give your team more knowledge and they will reward you with more productivity.  Your team will have more confidence, more problems will get solved, and more decisions made.  Perhaps, even the bonus is they will do all of this without you!  I know you’re thinking, “What will I do as a leader, if I do not have all of those decisions to make?”  Well, I guess you can add more value right?  Sometimes leaders sit behind there desks and dole out answers; I prefer to live, and I expect our leaders to get on in front and lead the way by showing the way.

Ask questions.  What are the hassles of your people?  What breaks everyday?  What are the barriers to success?  What resources, tools, and training are necessary for your people to excel?  Sometimes, smart employees will even give you the fix! You just have to ask the questions. You never know how or if you can add value to a situation unless you ask your team!

So, as leaders we have a choice.  Are you adding value or are you asking more from your people than you are giving in return?

“Be careful politicking for the job you already have.” -Alan Burkhard

This is a favorite phrase of Burkhard leaders. Politicking for the job you already have is like getting a penalty in football for excess celebration in the end zone.  We all know that players should look like they have been there before – that they have experienced the thrill of making a touchdown; however, if his teammates can see it from the bench than the celebration is just too much. The player’s job is to score the touchdown, not spike the football, jump into the crowd, or do a back flip. At the same time, this type of showmanship is what makes a game exciting – not to mention improve ratings and boost ticket sales. I get it. It comes with the territory.

In our culture, acting like you “have been there before” is expected. We know what to recognize and how to celebrate it.  However, I can assure you it will not be for doing what is expected.  This might seem harsh, and perhaps it is.  However, what all of us really want is to thrive in an accountable environment.  In the event that a weak employee is shown the door, some may applaud and ask the leader, “What took you so long?”.  Some may snicker when a co-worker takes too much (or misplaced) credit for doing what is expected.

The aforementioned scenarios are not uncommon in the workplace, and I am sure as a leader you have experienced variations of these situations within your team. For employees within a team, remember: practice caution when seeking approval or acknowledgment from your leader. Stay cognizant of the big picture – as the old saying goes, “There’s no I in team”. For leaders, the same is applicable when seeking approval from your peers. George Van Valkenburg once said, “Leadership is doing what is right when no one’s watching.”

Still not sure what I mean by politicking for the job you already have? Leaders, think about it like this:

• Be careful about seeking credit for projects completed and deals won. When a goal is achieved, make sure to give the credit to the team or to others.  Leaders can’t do anything without the belief and efforts of their team.
• Be cautioned about summarizing what you have done. Seems so innocent right?  Well no, the organization knows what you have achieved.  There is no reason to brag or pitch the results.
• Focus on thanking those that achieved the results through your people. Focus on where you’re headed and what needs to be done to achieve it.

Promotions, raises, and bonuses don’t come when we do our jobs or meet expectations. They don’t happen when we draw attention to ourselves.  And I can’t throw a yellow flag for too much bragging.  What I can do is point you in the right direction.

Being proud of what you have achieved is more than okay as a leader. However, the focus of your communication needs to be on something completely different.  Act like you have been there before.  Recognize those involved. “Be lavish with the approbation.” is what Dale Carnegie would say.  More importantly, show us what you are going to do, how you are going to get there, and how I can help you achieve something wonderful, or better yet – something completely unexpected!

When does a team start to believe in itself? When can leaders know they have something special building? When do the values, strategies, and every day actions start to become visible to employees so that they get it and just know the right things are being done and that progress is being made? I have been doing a lot of thinking about what it takes to create a winning culture. I am certain of only one thing: Winning and culture are earned.  There are no shortcuts, no cultural “easy buttons” to press.  Winning and culture are not overnight, instant successes.

So does it happen after the first big win?  Is it when individuals get recognition and reward for a job well done?  Or is it when there is visible momentum that the outside world starts to take notice? Winning is such a personal thing. Winning is about interpretation.  What is winning to one is failure to another.  Winning is all in the eyes of the beholder and is about expectations. Winning can be a feeling, an instinct, an observation of a continual pile of decisions made, and results accomplished.

Personally, I have had teams and employees believe in me. I’ve have also had teams lose faith.  So much goes into a business, a sports team, or a volunteer organization that is out of the control of the leader right?  If you led anything through the last recession, trust me, you saw and experienced the impact.  A good economy covers up so many mistakes.  A bad one exposes every flaw, scratch, imperfection, and amplifies their impact!

But there is a formula to winning through culture, at least mine:

• Humble, Honest, Authentic leadership is irreplaceable.  I make mistakes, I forget things.  But I maintain trust by communicating and sharing everything all of the time.  I find employees, players, volunteers all appreciate being treated as equals. I hope I don’t come off as arrogant here; so many don’t view leading as their primary job and it should be.  Lead with your values in mind.  Use those values to guide reward, recognition, and as a means of addressing needed changes!

• Speaking of Values, hire against them.  If your company is informal, relaxed and not hierarchical than make sure you have folks that fit.  We are entrepreneurial, our companies focus on the customer, that is our brand promise.  But we don’t care about the corporate uniform.  I look for positive, half-full (players, employees, volunteers) who believe in and naturally follow our values.  I find they come to us seeking a place to be their natural best. That other places have felt incongruent and out of sync.  That the values act as guide lines for conduct and decision making – they don’t really need their boss!

• You have to be Outside-In®.  For me, that is studying how to get better every day, all of the time. This is learning from competition and others.  I like to think this is about reducing hassles in the business.  The customer point of view is critical here.  However, the key is setting a cultural expectation around getting better.  This might seem strange; however, I have seen so many cultures that prefer no change.  “We like things the way we are” is the mantra and leadership allows it, prefers it even, because there is always something to risk if you change. Empower. Encourage the heart. Unleash your teams on the problems and learning opportunities. The key is to get better all of the time.  This takes time, let it work to your advantage.  Each day, little wins and small gains accumulate and become a real advantage.

• Have an accountable culture. Care about getting things done.  This is so much harder than the words. We must teach and model the right skills and behaviors.  As leaders, we have to show people how to do things.  And stick with the basics!  Be careful about adding new ideas, strategies, and initiatives to the agenda until you master what you were working on.  Do the basics really well, and than you can add complexity to the mix.  Choose your priorities carefully.  Work on them, get them finished.  Watch the impact on things if you chose the right ones! They will help your winning culture.

If you ask me, a winning culture comes from The Accumulation Effect.  In business development, results can come from working on selling and meeting people over time. In other words, you let the benefit of time work for you. Build your portfolio of marketplace relationships and if carefully cultivated, your sales and rainmaking will come.  Of course this is assuming that you are in a winning culture!

So, for a company or sports team to have a winning culture you have to have consistent leadership and you need to do it for a while. You have to have the right people.  So hire them to your values! You better have values that are compelling to all stakeholders. You need to have a good overall plan that makes sense, allows for, and encourages continual tweaking and adjustments.

It is important to keep in mind that you will need to work on the right things and get them right!  Be sure you don’t move on until you get them right. Do the basics right before you get complex. This is much harder (and a less interesting path.) Finally, if you do this long enough and you do it the right way you will get ahead a little at time. Your team or company will be working on problems and challenges that are well-ahead of your competition.  You will be ahead of the game in the most basics of ways and this is a competitive advantage that can’t be bought – only earned!