Leader's Digest #9 - 1 June 2018

LEADERS ISSUE 09

1 June 2018

DIGEST

Lead with the right

Purpose and Values

This fortnightly publication is dedicated to advancing civil service leadership and putting it into practice contemporary leadership principles.

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PUBLICATION TEAM EDITORIAL

Editor-in-Chief Segaren Senior Editor Siti Rahanah Amat Dollah Assistant Editor Samson Tan Diana Marie Capel Graphic Designer Awang Ismail bin Awang Hambali Abdul Rani Haji Adenan

CONTENTS

ISSUE 9 I 1 MAY 2018

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ARE YOU WORKING FOR A PURPOSE-DRIVEN ORGANISATION?

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TO BE A GOOD LEADER, YOU NEED THE RIGHT DOSAGE OF OWNERSHIP AND STEWARDSHIP

WHY YOUR VALUES ARE KEY TO YOUR LEADERSHIP

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THE PURPOSEDRIVEN BUSINESS

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES/ JOKES

Content Partners:

THE LEADER’S DIGEST IS A FORTNIGHTLY PUBLICATION BY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE OF SARAWAK CIVIL SERVICE FEATURING ALL THE LATEST SURROUNDING THE TOPIC OF LEADERSHIP. THE PUBLICATION ALSO FEATURES SPECIALLY SELECTED WRITE-UPS RELATED TO EACH THEME OF THE ISSUE, THROUGH ITS CONTENT PARTNERS.

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Leadership is not about a title or a designation. It’s about impact, influence and inspiration. Impact involves getting results, influence is about spreading the passion you have for your work, and you have to inspire team-mates and customers.

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ARE YOU WORKING FOR A PURPOSE-DRIVEN ORGANISATION?

How do you help employees find meaning in their work?

BY AMANDA CHUA

Fulfillment. Purpose.

Those are the buzz words of what Millennials are looking for in every aspect of their lives.

As much as job happiness at the workplace is important, the external factors of engagement that contribute to employee satisfaction such as having a cool office and lucrative employee benefits are superficial and temporary.

With the wave of start-up entrepreneurs and the move towards more social-driven organisations in recent years, purpose has moved to the forefront of employees’ minds.

While the abovementioned employee benefits are nice to have, studies have shown that half of the current workforce would take a 15% pay cut to join a “purposeful” organisation.

Check out its corresponding podcast: Money has become less of a motivator today as we find that more individuals are leaving their stable high paying jobs to pursue passions or work aligned with their life purpose.

Being a purpose-driven generation, it is not surprising to hear of Millennials choosing careers that give them a strong sense of meaning and contribution to the world. However, it is not just Millennials that opt for career paths in which purpose precedes pay.

It is no longer surprising to find older adults who feel a compelling need to contribute and give back to society. They are at a stage in their lives that is driven by their sense of significance to make a difference and leave a legacy.

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Beyond just making an income and achieving career success, finding purpose in their work becomes a higher priority.

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FULFILMENT THROUGH PURPOSE

Fulfilment is often associated with “doing what you love” which the late co-founder of Apple, Steve Jobs advocated in his speech: “You’ve got to find what you love . . . Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work.

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“And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking.

Don’t settle.” But is it worth it all? Is finding our purpose or calling at work overrated?

That sense of fulfilment was refreshing and inspiring which led to higher levels of job satisfaction. I started asking myself: “There has got to be more than just taking home a pay check and making profits for the company.”

And that was just the beginning of a paradigm shift that changed my work approach, to see beyond just doing a job and finding purpose in how my work can contribute to benefit someone or wider society.

START WITH “WHY”

Having a deep sense of purpose helps chart and set the course of our lives, that also applies to our work. It is innate in us to want to dedicate ourselves to an endeavour greater than ourselves which contributes to our need for significance and meaning.

As much as individual success is important, we are more committed if we feel that our work is contributing towards a higher quest.

Being connected to the mission and purpose of a company is not a basic need (i.e. a comfortable salary, good benefits, conducive working environment) but the search for meaning emerges when those basic needs are met.

The employees start seeking something to believe in that is aligned to their values which make them feel a sense of importance through their contribution towards a higher purpose.

This, according to Gallup, addresses the human emotional need where the search for meaning benefits our psychological and physical health.

An employee is not motivated without knowing how their job fits in the grand scheme of things as reflected in the Eighth engagement item (Q8: The mission or purpose of my company makes me feel my job is important) of Gallup’s Q12 Employee Engagement Survey.

When I was searching for my first job, there was a tension and conflict between pursuing the ideal career path of “doing what I love” versus finding a stable job which I deemed to have better career prospects.

The first few years of my career, I thought that having a wellpaying job with good learning opportunities and promising career progression was enough to keep me satisfied.

That was until the opportunity to be involved with non-profits and social initiatives came along, making me feel that my work mattered and I could make an impact.

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We seek to belong to a tribe that is part of a larger cause with the same goals; knowing our company is able to share our values, represent and stand for what we believe in keeps us loyal.

A social organisation that I recently worked with believes that the majority of employees are attracted to the company due to the cause that the company drives and the mission that they stand for.

As much as the overall engagement levels of the company are low, what keeps the employees going is how connected they feel with the mission and purpose where their job presents the opportunity to see the impact that they are making on a daily basis.

In contrast, the internal support function of the company is the most disengaged largely due to the low scores on the Q8 engagement item, where they feel disconnected from the rest of the organisation.

This is because their daily operations do not allow them to see how their work contributes to the overall company’s vision and mission.

In line with Simon Sinek’s “Start with Why”, very few people know why they do what they do which creates the foundation behind the cause, purpose, belief and why the organisation exists.

Sinek highlights this as paramount where, in order to be successful, we need to work from the inside out. Inspired and successful organisations think and communicate following on Sinek’s Golden Circle starting from “Why” before moving on to the “How” and “What”.

Knowing and communicating “the why behind the what” in everything we do, not only creates higher motivation and engagement in your employees but also buy-in from your customers.

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Take, for example, Apple. They could have chosen to be simply any other computer company churning out quality products. Instead, they sell the idea of innovation, challenging the status quo, thinking differently in the way they bring beautifully-designed and user-friendly products to market.

Purpose-driven organisations stay core to their mission by always keeping the “why” in mind. They keep their company’s purpose at the centre by communicating a message of how they are able to add value and enhance the lives of others.

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These people see their jobs as more than just a career or source of income; they have a genuine belief that their work contributes towards a greater good that makes the world a better place.

They are able to make the strong connection between how “The mission or purpose of my company makes me feel my job is important”.

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Just like how a janitor responded with “I’m helping put a man on the moon!” when President John F. Kennedy asked what he was doing when he visited NASA in 1961.

The janitor felt that he was a part of a larger narrative and making his mark on history by doing his part in the company no matter how insignificant the job may seem.

The job does not define the person as employees can derive meaning even from the mundane and develop a purposeful working environment for themselves.

What is interesting is when we find employees who rate highly in this engagement score, regardless of industry – in finance, manufacturing or retail, for example.

This indicates that the company does not have to be a non-profit or social organisation to create an environment that fosters this feeling.

It is not uncommon to assume that workers in “dirty work” occupations or jobs that are stigmatised as messy, unpleasant or undignified would be disengaged.

The surprising find in a study done by sociologists is that the workers in these industries are able to transcend their trivial job roles and bad working conditions to find their jobs meaningful and rewarding.

A prison guard turned what seemed to be a high risk job on its head by instead seeing it as a fulfilment towards a higher calling to protect and uphold the safety of the public and society.

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ENGAGEMENT THROUGH COMPANY’S MISSION AND PURPOSE Employees are three times more engaged and productive when they know that they are making a positive impact through their work.

The best employers provide opportunities for their workforce to develop a sense of purpose and belonging through their work and enable them to make a difference at their workplace.

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Helping employees find their purpose is mutually beneficial for both employer and employee.

When they see their work as a calling, they are highly motivated and determined to push hard towards achieving those worthy goals regardless of remuneration.

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FINDING PURPOSE AT WORK It is not difficult to see how altruistic healthcare professionals and educators would see how their work as important and we have seen that they find their job meaningful with high scores in this engagement item.

It is not surprising to find that companies that have highly engaged employees are the ones that are able to find a balance in realising both social impact and bottom line impact equally.

Effective organisations provide clarity to the mission and how individuals contribute which makes it more actionable.

Organisations need to not only showcase their values and purpose by making it visible within the company but to reinforce them in their day-to-day behaviours with the right organisational culture and support structures. Leaders who are able to articulate company values clearly set the right tone from the top down.

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BRIDGING EMPLOYEE’S PURPOSE TO COMPANY MISSION Purpose can come in many different forms and is an abstract concept for many. Each employee has different worldviews and ideas on what purpose means to them.

Hence, the mission statement plastered on the company’s wall may be familiar but can be too ambiguous or general meaning that employees cannot connect or identify with it.

Questions that often come to employees’ minds include: Why is my work important? What impact am I making? Am I making a difference in the world/environment/people? Do I believe in the company mission and values? How is my company living out their organisational mission and values?

BEING PART OF A GREATER PURPOSE The Q8 engagement element considers the alignment between employee and organisational values where the match in value proposition between their purpose and company’s mission becomes a motivating factor. In essence, organisations and teams benefit most when they collectively create a meaningful work culture for employees to thrive in.

We all have the inherent desire to be productive contributing members of society and be part of a movement that benefits society as a whole.

Purpose-Driven organisations “Starts with Why”: Bill Gates and Steve Jobs were passionate about revolutionising the computer industry; John Mackey, started Whole Foods advocating for organic food and healthy eating.

Expanding how purpose could manifest in the organisation cultivates a sense of belonging which leads to higher engagement and sustainable performance.

With the autonomy and opportunity to contribute to something bigger than ourselves, it creates high levels of job satisfaction and personal happiness.

As a manager or leader of the company, knowing the unique definitions of what constitutes purpose in each employee’s eyes helps to establish better understanding and bridge the connection between company’s shared values and employees.

We want something to belong to and a company that enables our job to play an integral part in fulfilling to the overall mission and purpose that we believe in, is a company that we want to be part of.

Great managers do not only translate the company’s mission and purpose into a common language that everyone can understand, but they create engagement by contextualising and drawing the link of how their day-to-day tasks contributes to the company’s overall shared goal.

Managers need not fully understand the reason behind each endeavour but appreciate and focus on working towards fulfilling this need.

Amanda Chua was part of the Leaderonomics Good Monday team that specialises in enhancing workplace employee engagement through coaching and developing great managers. Being a coach herself with “Developer” as one of her dominant talent, she has always been passionate about engaging and empowering individuals, especially in the field of learning and development.

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TO BE A GOOD LEADER, YOU NEED THE RIGHT DOSAGE OF OWNERSHIP AND STEWARDSHIP

BY SARAH LIM AND LIM LAY HSUAN

STEWARDSHIP. A WORD THAT’S HARDLY IN OUR VOCABULARY “Stewardship” may not be a very popular term here as it’s often associated with the feeling that you have less control because there’s no official ownership on your part.

Instead, you have to give account to someone in a higher position of authority – the real owner.

The truth is, we don’t actually own a lot of things in life, simply because we don’t have much control over many things, even life itself.

Both “ownership” and “stewardship” are built on principles of accountability and a sense of responsibility. Yet the differences are quite distinct.

Check out the following.

In a society which often determines a person’s value and sense of identity by the amount of possessions and titles that a person owns, introducing the concept of “ownership” may be closer to home than we think.

For example, owning an item or a position enables us to have a perspective of power, control and a feeling of independence.

Whether it’s simply owning a fleet of luxury cars or you’ve been bestowed with titles of the highest order, people generally treat you differently when you’re in a prominent position.

Culturally, we place huge importance on being able to possess some form of credibility and reputation, which give us sense of pride – good or bad – depending on how you choose to channel it.

In the business context, for a company to remain progressive and innovative, the organisation would need not only its core leadership team to have a sense of “ownership” of the company, but across its employees, too.

However, can employees truly ‘own’ that piece in their heart and soul?

Let’s consider an alternative.

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In his book Stewardship, author Peter Block defines it in the business context as “The willingness to be accountable for the wellbeing of the larger organisation by operating in service, rather than in control, of those around us. Stated simply, it is accountability without control or compliance.”

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The challenge we face today at work and perhaps even at a national level is that our understanding of ownership and stewardship is elementary.

People find it easier to claim ownership over things that benefit them: projects and positions that elevate their status and reputation.

However, when it comes to dealing with harder issues, we often assume the role of what we understand a ‘steward’ to be, in the hope that we can absolve ourselves from the responsibility of finding viable solutions to a problem.

That’s because we are only “stewards”, and someone else is more responsible for solving the problem. This would be a perfect example of “selfish ownership” and “bad stewardship”.

It’s no wonder that even though the concept of “ownership” is widely known, the blame-game culture is still rampant in corporate governance and sound practices.

tied to your assignment drive you forward to build something for the greater good of mankind, instead of building your little kingdoms of material wealth, fame or reputation.

When it comes to recognition, be the last to claim it, if it comes at all. That’s good stewardship.

And when it comes to problems that crop up along the way, be the first one to own and rectify it. That’s good ownership.

Therefore, take ownership of the responsibility and the outcome – no matter what it might be, because you understand that you have been given the privilege to be a good steward of this task.

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CHOOSING ONE OVER THE OTHER?

We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.

– Winston Churchill

STRIKING A BALANCE IS KEY Good stewardship requires a balance of humility and confidence.

It calls us to embrace an understanding that we are only caretakers, and our role – whatever it might be – is temporary.

Yet, we must have confidence in ourselves, knowing that the task at hand is important because the outcome affects others.

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If you wanted to argue that its application is situational, you could say that it’s only required for tasks where the outcome of your actions affect someone else other than yourself. But if you really think about it, it covers a wide aspect: your family, your company, your country, the environment, etc.

TYING IT TOGETHER A combination of selfless ownership and good stewardship need to co-exist for any organisation or nation to thrive.

How do you interchange between these two? Simply remember that when it comes to work that is entrusted to you, be a good and faithful steward.

Find every possible way, with the little or great authority given to you, to grow and nurture it so that it paves the way for the next generation to reap the fruits of your labour.

After all, you’re here on this Earth for a purpose. Let this purpose

Sarah is the content marketing leader with Leaderonomics.com. She loves the art of good storytelling in all kinds of ways and wants to make a difference wherever she goes. When she’s not at her desk, you’ll find her behind the lens, exploring a new country, or just in her front yard… trying to keep her plants alive.

Lay Hsuan is the content lead for Leaderonomics.com. She writes occasionally and is the gatekeeper for Leaderonomics content. She is happiest when you leave comments on the website, or subscribe to Leader’s Digest, or share Leaderonomics content on social media.

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THE PURPOSE-DRIVEN BUSINESS

BY ROSHAN THIRAN

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Great organisational vision enables you to build long-term employee commitment!

I’ve conducted several Succession Planning review sessions at various companies and a common theme was the loss of their younger talents. Backfilling these vacated roles became extremely challenging, causing operational and growth issues. As I poked for answers, the usual cry of money, culture and leadership issues were cited.

Diving deeper, it almost always led to the issue of employee engagement and commitment. At Leaderonomics, we actually have the opposite problem. We seem to be constantly attracting talent from all over the world. In fact, many offer to work for free. Which poses the question – how is it that a start-up social enterprise beats multinationals in the war for talent?

I think the answer lies in the purpose of an organisation.

At one of our Leaderonomics Talent Management conferences, Vishen Lakhiani of Mindvalley showcased a job quadrant that highlighted four aspects of a committed employee – money, learning, fun and purpose. He argues that each element is critical for engagement and retention. Most of us can clearly see why paying top dollar, growing an employee and having an exciting workplace drives engagement and retention. But what is purpose all about?

social purpose of why they do what they do. Why do you think many employees are no longer satisfied with business as it is today?

The obvious answer – the singular pursuit of profit. There is a saying that “you need health to live, but you don’t live to be healthy”. Profits, like health, are necessary to ensure your business is sustained but it must have an encompassing social purpose.

Businesses today are fixated with the endless pursuit of money, power, profit, results, and possessions.

This causes stress and burnout as most people are looking to achieve something that is in alignment with their hearts, passion and purpose. Many decide to leave but others stay on and grudgingly comply with their work but are never truly committed.

Whether your company has 25 or 100,000 employees, commitment matters. Committed employees have higher performance and will give up lives and limbs to ensure your company’s success.

SO, HOW DO YOU BUILD SUCH COMMITMENT?

If doctors were asked what the central purpose of their profession is, they would answer, “To save lives.” If scientists were asked the same question, they would respond, “To make new discoveries” or “To better the world.” Ask teachers and they would respond, “To educate the next generation.” But what happens when the same question is asked of business people? Peter Drucker said, “The purpose of business is to create a customer.”

Simple – Have a nobler purpose that is larger than life and consuming! I was amazed at the highly committed employees at Johnson & Johnson (J&J) all around the world. J&J, the World’s Most Respected Company, has a purpose statement prioritising employee’s responsibilities. The Credo challenges employees to put the needs and well-being of the people they serve first.

The lowest priority in the credo is shareholder value. Fathers, mothers, doctors and patients come before shareholders and profit although profit is important.

A prominent CEO told me it’s the pursuit of profit. And others will say it’s about maximising shareholder value. Unlike other professions, business leaders simply do not have an overarching

A credo or corporate vision is meaningless unless the words are taken off the wall and put into action. In 1982, McNeil Consumer, a subsidiary of J&J, was confronted with a crisis when seven

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people on Chicago’s West Side died mysteriously caused by an extra-strength Tylenol capsule laced with cyanide. J&J concluded these deaths were due to external tampering of Tylenol and not a manufacturing defect.

Instead of trying to protect their profitability, they decided to recall all 31 million bottles of Tylenol at their cost demonstrating the safety of people came first. This costly decision was made based on their Credo, which instructed them to place the community’s interest ahead of its shareholders. Tylenol later went on to reclaim its spot back as No.1. J&J employees periodically go through tough times but always find renewed energy that spurs them on because they know that their work is purposeful and helps make the world a better place.

Great organisational vision enables you to build long-term employee commitment. Your company stops becoming only a means to earn a salary but a means to fulfil their legacy.

Recently after the numerous camps we had for kids during the school holidays, I asked one of our youth leaders what keeps him so passionate about the work we do. Being a start-up, work is hard and torturous.

Yet, his response amazed me – “we are going to transform the nation via Leaderonomics.

I want to be part of this and am going to work tirelessly until we achieve our vision.” Engaged employees stay for what they give while disengaged employees stay for what they get from you. Threats, punishment or monetary incentives may not be necessary to get work done once an employee is committed to the cause (although it may help!). Engaged employees stay for what they give while disengaged employees stay for what they get from you.

Years ago, Unilever embarked on its “Journey to Greatness” programme taking its leaders to various community homes including Mother Theresa’s Missionary of Charity ashram in India.

Unilever leaders had to volunteer at these community centres while making observations on the centres. Then, they were flown to a remote area to debrief their findings. Amazingly, they found these centres well supported with long lines of people, including professionals, giving up their careers to commit themselves to these centres. They uncovered a secret – the purpose and mission of these organisations inspired commitment.

Unilever then challenged these leaders to build similar purpose and mission into their brands and products. Knorr, its cooking aid brand, was given a purpose and a mission to empower

housewives by the quality of their food. Each brand was given an exciting purpose. Unilever’s overall purpose is to meet everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene, and personal care with brands that help people feel good, look good and adds vitality to life.

Every Unilever employee works not just for profit but to make a difference in nutrition, hygiene and care.

Our lives become very powerful operating from a sense of purpose.

People are attracted to social entrepreneurs like Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus for many of the same reasons that they find certain businesses like Google so compelling – these extraordinary people share brilliant visions and against all the odds succeed at creating products and services that dramatically improve people’s lives.

The moment this “social” part of the equation ceases to exist, employees lose their commitment to the cause. While there are still 840 million people malnourished and 2.6 billion people have no access to basic sanitation, the world’s 200 richest people more than doubled their net worth in the last four years. If your company is helping to make the rich richer or the poor poorer, most Gen-X, Gen-Y and the Millenniumites do not want to be associated with your company.

What structures do you need to create in your workplace so that work has special meaning and connection? Offering a purposedriven workplace does not mean compromising profit and results.

Successful companies of the future will ensure their mission and purpose relate to our human concerns and considerations and will always capture the commitment of the best talent in the planet thereby ensuring its success. And it’s not a choice between profit or purpose – it’s both. It’s going to be a brave new “purposedriven” business world.

Roshan Thiran Roshan is CEO of the Leaderonomics Group. He believes that everyone can be a leader and make a dent in the universe, in their own special ways.

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Leaders driven by their core values inspire loyalty and commitment in their followers because they help them to find purpose and meaning in what they do, and they bring out the best in the people who work alongside them.

loss of trust in the leader have undermined enthusiasm generated earlier by the leader’s emphasis on organisational values.”

WHY YOUR VALUES ARE KEY TO YOUR LEADERSHIP

One interesting insight from the paper highlights a phenomenon called hypocrisy attribution, where employees will call out a leader for perceived hypocrisy, but “without considering that he might have alternative, legitimate explanations for his actions”.

In their conclusion, Cha and Edmondson submit that the challenge for leaders lies in reaping the benefits of strong organisational values, while avoiding the pitfall of perceived hypocrisy.

BY SANDY CLARKE

Of all the qualities that underpin effective leadership, perhaps none is more important than holding true to authentic values that help bring about success.

Indeed, according to Harry M. Jansen Kraemer Jr, values-based leadership is the only true style of leadership that separates the great from the rest.

Kraemer Jr – a management professor and author of From Values to Action: The Four Principles of Values-Based Leadership – believes people become effective leaders when they are rooted in “who they are and what matters most” to them. This, he says, better equips leaders to deal with any situation that might arise.

Most of us are drawn to values-based leaders. These are people who have clear principles, they are honest and congruent in their deeds, they truly inspire those around them, and they feel a greater sense of gratitude towards others than they expect to receive in return.

But sometimes, value-leadership can fall short of expectations, whether shortcomings are perceived or genuine.

In their paper, When values backfire: Leadership, attribution, and disenchantment in a values-driven organisation, Sandra E. Cha and Amy C. Edmondson explore why values-based leaders, despite their intentions, can end up being judged negatively as having failed in their role or mission within an organisation.

Charismatic leaders will often create high expectations of their leadership, as they inspire, motivate and enthuse followers to share in their values and vision.

Such leaders are held in high esteem as followers gain a sense of empowerment and potential when buying into their leader’s ideals.

However, if there are feelings that the leader is hypocritical in their actions, this can lead to disenchantment, defined by Cha and Edmondson as “a transition in which feelings of violation – a particular blend of disappointment and anger emotions – and

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The single most important quality in facing this challenge is transparency through open communication.

While it’s true that employees can be quick to make self-interested judgments without consideration for the leader (e.g. “Why have I been given this task? Don’t they know how much I have to do already?), leaders do themselves no favours by failing to address concerns which, valid or otherwise, remain very real in the mind of the employee.

As Cha and Edmondson imply, employees are experts in making snap judgments; however, these judgments can surely fester only for as long as effective communication is lacking from the leader in addressing concerns and explaining why certain decisions have been taken.

Kraemer Jr suggests that there is a “widespread lack of confidence in leadership”, and that it’s the job of leaders to regain and maintain trust.

Certainly, some leaders may be guilty of incongruence, cutting corners, and other shortcomings that might lead to hypocrisy attribution, but there is likely many more who simply neglect to explain exactly what they’re doing and why.

On the part of the employee, it is perhaps wise to consider that leadership is a complex matter and, like all humans, leaders don’t always get it right, and sometimes need time to figure out the right course of action and support in implementing that action.

To believe leaders know it all and should execute their role perfectly and without fuss is not only naïve on the part of the employee, but serves inadvertently to place the same standards on those who make such a judgment.

Only through open communication can both sides come to understand the position of the other, which may initially be quite the challenge to undertake, but inevitably it will prove to the betterment of the well-being of all concerned, as well as the overall performance of the organisation.

Sandy is a freelance writer based in Malaysia, and previously enjoyed 10 years as a journalist and broadcaster in the UK. He has been fortunate to gain valuable insights into what makes us tick, which has deepened his interests in leadership, emotions, mindfulness, and human behaviour.

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INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES

“Let us remember: One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world.”

Malala Yousafzai

JOKES

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