Constantine sat through the meeting with the rest of the leadership team. She listened more as an outsider than feeling a part of the team.  All THEY talked about was money. How can a company be run without a moral core, she wanted to shout. If we only talk about money, numbers and products what happens to the people...our true assets, she wondered. As her thoughts wandered, she found herself looking at life from a higher plane, she thought. She saw her work and life from a spiritual, value driven world. At the same time, the rest of the team was at a very basic level of development, she believed. Why couldn't they understand her focus around collaboration, people issues and spirituality in the workplace? She could not motivate herself to implement the decisions made at these meetings with any gusto because she felt they were based solely around economics. Maybe this wasn't the right place for her? Did she need to look for a different company with values that were more in line with hers?

Georgette found herself intrigued by Constantine. She had good ideas about how to engage teams and support the community. She developed excellent retention programs, but she seemed to miss that the core business was centered on the products and profitability of the company. Constantine appeared to be arrogant, in a holier than thou kind of way. The team respected her knowledge and input and liked her genuine warmth. However, they did not feel that she respected them or the responsibility their leadership positions demanded of them I.e.,  the responsibility to enable a sustainable company for everyone, not only for their staff and employees, but for the shareholders and the community alike. She seemed to drag their energy down and somehow slow down the changes they clearly needed to make in the organization. Running a company involves the whole and the responsibility and energy needed to do it is enormous!  Georgette sensed that Constantine was wrestling with being a leader and feelings of clear conflict with her spiritual beliefs and for the good of the organization, needed to broach the subject with Constantine.  In a private conversation with Georgette, Constantine realized that what deeply disturbed her was that she had been refusing to  come to terms with the reality that making money can go hand in hand with building a healthy company and moreover, is a necessity for our society as a whole. Once she became comfortable with her role in achieving profits AND developing a healthy work environment, not only did her own personal engagement grow, but she became an integral part of the leadership team. ... AND the company as whole prospered... with demonstrated economic growth and profitability, employee engagement rose as did innovation.

Blink, the Power of Thinking without Thinking, Malcolm Gladwell 

"Leading Cross-Cultural Disengagement: Merger and Acquisition Failure" article by Sandy Weiner with Roberta Hill.  If you have not already, we invite you to request a download of our article by sending an email to: mergers@aweber.com

Laughter!

It is as simple as taking a few moments and looking at your arms, your fingers or even  the clouds to find patterns that make your laugh. Think of a situation that is giving you stress, picture the players in your mind and exaggerate some feature on their face or body in your mind... laugh out loud. If you can't laugh, then at least smile... not smirk, but a full fledge smile. Research has shown that laughing reduces stress, has a significant effect on the immune system, lowers blood pressure, raises T-Cell counts, Gamma Interferon and B-Cells, increases muscle flexion and  releases endorphins and produces a sense of general  well-being. A little laughter goes a long way to change your whole attitude.

As the strategy presentation continued, Maurice took in every word. He took extensive notes and was sure he grasped all the meaning of what was said. After all, these were the best business analysts in the industry. They had all the answers and a clear formula for success. Everything they said made sense. It was brilliant and well worth their fee! What a coup it will be when once he implemented the new strategy!

Michelle came to meeting with the same enthusiasm, but something just didn't feel right. Yes, logically everything made sense. It was just a feeling that she had as they talked that she couldn't put her finger on. She found that she just couldn't concentrate on their presentation after a while. Instead, she found that her mind drifted to a new project she wanted to start. She ran the idea around in her head and mapped it out during the session.

At the board meeting, she disagreed wholehearted with implementing the suggested strategy. Everyone else took a 'full steam ahead' stance. She decided to step down from the board and run with her new concept.

Before long, she raised the funding she needed to launch her NGO. Two and a half years later her NGO had impacted thousands of people across Asia. Maurice and the rest of the board were still intact, at least for the moment. The company was floundering, having missed the mark with their chosen strategy. They were about to begin downsizing and trying desperately to break into the Indian market... a bit late.

Something in the way the presenter's spoke or something they said may have been the trigger for Michelle. She did what Malcolm Gladwell calls "thin slicing". It only takes a split second to trigger an inner sense of knowing that something just isn't right. It isn't possible to break it down logically or analyze the reasons behind the feeling. It is just something that we know. Michelle trusted this sense and chose to leave the firm to pursue her dream... just as the company was about to make some very poor strategy choices. Was it luck or the power of "thin slicing"?

"...allowing people to operate without having to explain themselves constantly ... enables rapid cognition."  Malcolm Gladwell, Blink, the Power of Thinking without Thinking

In early June, we will have the PowerPoint presentation and voice recording from our Leading Cross Cultural Re-engagement Webinar ready for downloading for anyone interested.