Why Connecting People Matters
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Product: ETNEWMumbaiBS PubDate: 17-07-2015 Zone: CDMumbai Edition: 1 Page: CDMBP User: sandeepd0203 Time: 07-10-2015 17:44 Color: CMYK and finally 04 Corporate Dossier July 17-23, 2015 guru speak Michael Lee Stallard , President and co-founder, E Pluribus Partners Why connecting people matters lines so you can see for yourself if they prohibited humour made at the expense of Connection cultures are thriving or struggling. Are they ener- others. Rather than thinking of other indi- foster shared ideas getic and engaged, or are they simply going viduals and organisations as competitors, through the motions? When you are meeting Mulally employed a ‘win-win’ mindset and which fuels innovation with them, do they feel free to speak up and approach in relationships that helped him share constructive criticism? forge mutually beneficial agreements at work, says In addition, it is also wise to conduct an with the United Auto Workers’ union and annual employee engagement survey to as- Ford’s suppliers. Michael Lee Stallard sess whether or not managers are living the In the area of ‘voice’, Mulally expected By values and creating connection cultures. leaders to openly share the obstacles they Priyanka Sangani Relying on your observations and conver- faced. He celebrated and enthusiastically sations alone is insufficient as people may praised leaders who helped one another in- ot all cultures are created equal. merely put on a happy face or ‘say the right stead of focusing solely on problems in their Companies that foster a ‘con- thing’ in your presence, especially if his or domain. Mulally developed a process called nection culture’ are more likely her supervisor is there. the weekly ‘Business Plan Review’ meeting to perform better than others that increased voice by encouraging feed- N because their people are willing to If not, what steps can the leader take to back and honest dialogue. go the extra mile to make a difference. In his establish and foster this kind of an envi- new book, Connection Culture, Michael Lee ronment? What are the possible fallouts of not Stallard, president and co-founder, E Pluribus Connection cultures have leaders who com- having a connected culture? Partners, uses examples ranging from rock municate an inspiring vision and live it, Subcultures of control or indifference ulti- band U2, to leaders like Ratan Tata and Alan value people, and give them a voice. We teach mately lead to subpar performance. People Mulally of Ford Motors as examples of how the 3V leadership model, Vision + Value + in these environments withhold informa- to do it right. He answered questions from Voice = Connection. Vision, value and voice tion because it’s not relationally safe to Corporate Dossier on how leaders can build a are created through attitudes, language and share it. This results in knowledge traps that connection culture. Edited excerpts: behaviours that leaders cultivate. sabotage performance. The year Alan Mulally arrived at Ford as Only connection cultures meet the hu- What made you write this book? When you are CEO, sales, market share and profits were man need for connection so that people I wrote Connection Culture to help organisa- in a connection falling, and the automaker’s culture could be perform at the top of their game. In connec- tions achieve greater productivity, innova- culture, you described as silo rivalries with leaders em- tion cultures people give their best efforts, feel included tion and results. Most employee engage- broiled in turf wars. Ford’s culture drove it to increase alignment with their managers’ and part of the ment “programs” fail to improve engage- team versus the verge of bankruptcy. By the time Mulally and an organisation’s objectives and com- ment and the bottom line. Engagement can- feeling announced his retirement in May 2014, he municate more so that decision makers have not be improved with a program. It requires unsupported had led Ford to 19 consecutive profitable more information to help them make opti- implementing a system-wide process that quarters and rising market share in North mal decisions. promotes a healthy culture and identifies America. Ford had become one of the finest Finally, in connection cultures the mar- unhealthy sub-cultures, then intervenes to What is a ‘connection culture’? of control, those with power, control, carmakers in the world. ketplace of shared ideas and information help managers learn to create and sustain A connection culture is the collective status, and influence rule over others. Alan Mulally changed the Ford culture fuels new product, process and business connection cultures. attitudes, language and behaviours of a In a culture of indifference, everyone is by communicating an inspiring vision, innovation. It is essential to develop managers into group that create a bond that moves self-cen- so busy they don’t take time for relation- using founder Henry Ford’s ‘opening the Research has shown that these benefits leaders. A manager is someone who tred people toward group-centred member- ships. Connection cultures excel at rela- highways for all mankind’ to express how provide a powerful source of competitive ad- organises tasks and resources to achieve ship. When you are in a connection culture, tionships while cultures of control and Ford is making the world a better place and vantage to companies that have connection desirable ends. People follow managers you feel included and part of the team ver- indifference do not. serving others. Mulally described Ford as subcultures throughout their organisation. because they have authority to hire, fire, sus feeling unsupported, left out, or lonely. giving people ‘freedom of mobility’ so they Companies that predominantly have cul- pay and promote. A leader goes beyond In a connection culture, people develop As a leader, how do you determine can ‘access opportunities for growth’. This tures of control and cultures of indifference managing, to connect with the people he supportive, cooperative, and collaborative whether this kind of a culture exists united Ford’s people around the vision and are being left behind simply because they or she leads. People want to follow leaders relationships. in your organisation or not? focused them on a cause greater than self. are being outperformed. CD (rather than have to) and that makes all the This is in contrast to a ‘culture of control’ Two ways. First, get out of your office Mulally valued people. In meetings, he was a difference to performance. and a ‘culture of indifference’. In a culture and interact with people on the front facilitator/coach rather than a dictator. 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