FIRED UP or BURNED OUT “I was fortunate to have worked for 23 years at one of the most successful financial services firms in the world. The concepts in Fired Up or Burned Out reminded me of many of the reasons I think the firm was so consis- tently successful and why we enjoyed working there. In particular, the pride people felt at being part of the organization gave meaning to their work. In addition, because people always treated each other with respect there was a strong emotional commitment. This is a valuable book with very enduring ideas that have proven to be important to success.” —Joseph R. Zimmel, Former Partner and Managing Director Goldman, Sachs & Co. “An enthralling and impressive work. I am completely convinced that the basic precepts in this book will stand the test of time for many cen- turies to come, indeed, probably forever. It shows how to empower people and create great societies, corporations, and cultures. I’m giving it to everyone at my own firm.” —Russell Reynolds Jr., Founder and Former CEO, Russell Reynolds Associates, and Chairman, RSR Partners “Reading this book is like having a great conversation; new and interest- ing people join in along the way, adding their own personal and varied insights and encouraging an increasingly smart and useful dialogue. Readers are compelled to emerge smarter, more thoughtful, and more energized and engaging with this book.” —Regina Fazio Maruca, Former Senior Editor, Harvard Business Review, and Coauthor, Your Leadership Legacy “A fabulous book, a must-read! People are hungry to learn more about the one-to-one connection to enhance their businesses and lives. Read Michael’s book and learn from others who are successfully making the human connection a reality in their businesses.” —Jack Mitchell, Chairman and CEO of Mitchells/Richards/Marshs, and Author of Hug Your Customers: The Proven Way to Personalize Sales and Achieve Astounding Results “Through fascinating stories, Fired Up or Burned Out convinced me of the power of connection—in life and in work. It helped me see what is missing in so many organizations. Just as important, I learned what to do about it.” —Marian Chapman Moore, Professor and Academic Director, Darden MBA for Executives, Darden Graduate School of Business, University of Virginia This book offers extremely practical advice about how leaders of any type of institution can create and maintain an environment and work- place atmosphere where participants become energized and fully engaged. The “Connection Culture” explains how to motivate everyone to pull his/her own weight and work together to create a winning team. It seems to me that America’s great institutions, such as General Electric, the U.S. Marine Corps, the New York Yankees, the University of Notre Dame, Goldman Sachs, and Davis Polk have been Connection Cultures for a long time and that their “connection” has clearly contributed to their consistent success over time. —Hank Higdon, Chairman Higdon Partners LLC “One of the things I’ve learned is that for employees to stage engaging experiences for a company’s customers, they have to be engaged them- selves in that company and what it stands for. Read Fired Up or Burned Out, and Michael Stallard will show you exactly how to ignite their pas- sion by connecting them to your purpose.” —B. Joseph Pine II, Coauthor, The Experience Economy, and Cofounder, Strategic Horizons LLP “An inspiring and valuable guide for CEOs, senior business leaders, line managers and those first venturing into the business world. The insights provided through relevant and thoughtful anecdotes of both successful leaders and associated organizations serve as a strategic aid to anyone in a leadership role looking to empower each and every employee.” —Russ D. Gerson Chief Executive Officer The Gerson Group “So many corporate success stories can be traced back to the dedication and enthusiasm of the people who work for the company. This book provides the perfect “how-to” in developing engaged and empowered employees. I’m using it as our text book for everyone in management.” —Mark Curtis, President and Co-Founder Splash Car Wash Company “The greatest assets in an organization are the employees, and engaging them is the most direct way to improve your business.Fired Up or Burned Out clearly outlines how executives can focus their energies, not only to improve their individual leadership abilities but also to add to the effec- tiveness of the entire team in achieving the organization’s goals.” —E. Pendleton James, Chairman, Pendleton James Associates, and Former Assistant to President Reagan for Presidential Personnel “Fired Up or Burned Out is a must-read for anyone in a leadership role. Leadership can seem so complex and often times confusing when, in fact, following ‘core principles’ that focus on the ‘basic needs’ of every individual will always guide a leader to the truth! This book describes these core principles and basic needs in an easy-to-remember model that should be displayed on every leader’s desk. The model is beautifully explained and wonderfully illustrated by examples of great leaders throughout history in every walk of life.” —Keith A. VanderVeen, Midwest Regional President, Wachovia Securities, LLC “This is a must-read for any leader or anyone aspiring to be in a leadership role. Lessons drawn uniquely from acclaimed personalities of the past become the foundation for strong leadership in tomorrow’s world. There’s no other book like it.” —Richard Murphy, Founder and Former CEO, ODI International “There are few business leaders who understand the power of human connection. Given the shifting demographics in this country, it must be understood that virtually all people have the potential to achieve suffi- ciently to succeed in life. The broad principles and concepts in this book provide me with hope that American business leaders might begin to understand that all people have the potential to learn enough so that they have met the thresholds of competition in the global community. It is a renewed belief in humankind’s capacity that provides the wellspring of what others can begin to follow. If our hope is for a world that provides fair opportunities for individuals, companies, and their communities, then we must be determined to work to make it so. Those companies that embrace the principles advocated in Fired Up or Burned Out will ulti- mately reap the benefits of successful competition in the new ‘flat world.’” —Eric J. Cooper, Ed.D., President, National Urban Alliance for Effective Education “Stallard’s strategy gives business owners the tools to energize and strengthen their employees. Fired Up or Burned Out is a must-read for leaders who are looking for new ways to inspire spirit in the workplace.” —Shep & Ian Murray, Co-Founders and CEOs of Vineyard Vines www.vinyardvines.com FIRED UP or B U R N E D O U T How to Reignite Your Team’s Passion, Creativity, and Productivity MICHAEL LEE STALLARD with Carolyn Dewing-Hommes and Jason Pankau © 2007 by Michael Lee Stallard All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photo- copy, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc. Thomas Nelson, Inc., titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail [email protected]. ISBN 978-1-59555-281-5 (trade paper) Library of Congress Catalog-in-Publication Data Stallard, Michael Lee. Fired up or burned out : how to reignite your team's passion, creativity, and productivity / Michael Lee Stallard ; with Carolyn Dewing-Hommes and Jason Pankau. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 978-0-7852-2358-0 (hardcover) 1. Employee motivation. 2. Leadership. 3. Mentoring in business. I. Dewing-Hommes, Carolyn. II. Pankau, Jason. III. Title. HF5549.5.M63S68 2007 658.3'14—dc22 2007001645 Printed in the United States of America 09 10 11 12 13 LSI 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 x To our wonderful families and friends. Being with you brings us much joy and encouragement. CONTENTS Introduction xiii PART I WHAT FIRES US UP? Chapter 1: The Case for Connection at Work 2 Chapter 2: The Science of Connection 9 Chapter 3: The Connection Culture 16 Chapter 4: Connection and the Legend 24 Chapter 5: Trouble in Times Square 31 Chapter 6: The Next Step in the Evolution of Organizations 36 PART II THE THREE KEYS TO CONNECTING YOUR TEAM AND LIGHTING THEIR FIRES: VISION,VALUE, AND VOICE Chapter 7: Inspire with Identity 44 Chapter 8: Create Meaning in Your Organization 51 Chapter 9: Delete What Devalues 62 Chapter 10: Dial Up the Value 75 Chapter 11: Three Benefits of Knowledge Flow 82 Chapter 12: Increase Flow 99 ix CONTENTS PART III THE FIRE STARTS WITH YOU:BECOME A PERSON OF CHARACTER AND CONNECTION TO IGNITE THE TEAM AROUND YOU Chapter 13: People Who Connect 110 Chapter 14: The Journey to Connection 116 Chapter 15: Developing Character Strengths and Connection 121 PART IV LEARN FROM TWENTY GREAT LEADERS OVER TWENTY DAYS WEEK 1 Day 1: French Hero of the American Revolution 132 Day 2: Restoring the Glory 135 Day 3: The Shot Heard Around the World 138 Day 4: Soldier of Peace 142 Day 5: Hug Your Customers™ 147 WEEK 2 Day 6: A Most Unlikely Turnaround 151 Day 7: Enlightened Monarch? 154 Day 8: First in Their Hearts 157 Day 9: Reconnecting a Nation 159 Day 10: Connection to the Cause 162 WEEK 3 Day 11: Community Catalyst 164 Day 12: The Business of The Body Shop 166 x CONTENTS Day 13: More Than an Oracle 169 Day 14: Ritz-Carlton Character and Culture 172 Day 15: Peter Drucker’s Kind of Leader 176 WEEK 4 Day 16: Dr.