TeneoTalent

Leadership Combines Respect and Vision

August 1, 2010

By Mike Farber
Hawai’i's beauty belies a violent past. From Kings and Kahuna fighting for dominance in the 18th and 19th centuries, to the smoldering eruptions beneath the sea that are still giving birth to this magnificent chain of islands.

As leaders sometimes we miss the formative stages of the people we rely on. When I started as a branch manager for a large brokerage firm back in the early 90′s, I felt like I had to place my “stamp” on everything from office decor to the way customers were greeted. No detail was too small for me to comment upon, and the team I’d inherited must have felt like my input was trashing all that had come before me. Their culture had been shaped over years of working together, and while opportunities existed to improve performance, I didn’t win any popularity awards (or improve performance) by speaking loudly and carrying a big stick.

Sometimes it takes upheaval to act as a catalyst for change. Without eruptions and steaming flows of lava, the islands wouldn’t exist. But those eruptions happened for thousands of years deep in the ocean before the first signs of change appeared at the surface.

Think about the evolution of change, and the need for respect of an existing culture, before the bull in you invades the china shop.

Mike Faber is a speaker, trainer and certified professional coach who
has taught thousands of business leaders to communicate passionately
and effectively. Mike brings the lessons of a 30-year career in
sales, management and broadcasting to audiences in a style that
combines humor, candor, and lessons that can be applied to all walks
of life.

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