Want to Build a Positive Culture? Apply Four Bickisms

[Excerpts from an interview with Bick Whitener, currently principle with Bickley and Company.]

"I became the Director of Getting-Things-Done." That’s how Bick Whitener describes the way his boss acknowledged his leadership. Bick Whitener has a long, distinguished career in the property/casualty insurance world and has been with companies such as The Hartford, Prudential, Atlanta Casualty, Assurant, and many others.

I was privileged to consult to one of the companies where Bick was a manager and see the vibrant culture of accomplishment he created. He and his team were very different and getting more done than other areas. They were a "real" team and excited to learn new skills and approaches. The very positive culture he developed within his division stood in contrast to the overall company.

Rebecca Staton-Reinstein: Bick, you have a solid track record of changing the culture of any group you work with to make it more of an integrated team that gets solid results where people love being part of that team. How do you do it?

Bick Whitener: Let me start with what I believe is a simple statement. Culture change happens through people. I believe life is about two things. Life is about choices and life is about relationships.

Culture change happens through people. Have you ever noticed that people don’t like change? So if it is going to happen through people and they don’t like to change, leadership has to be both effective and efficient in helping them change, in helping with the culture transition.

Your people are your most valuable asset. Their time and their skills are your most valuable asset. You have to be wise how you spend those. People go crazy when I look at them and say, turn off whatever the notification is that tells you that you have a new e-mail. It is mail. How many times a day do you run to your mailbox? How many times a day do you run to the post office? Take your time and focus on the important things. The important things are "the right things."

Rebecca: Bick, I know you have a wealth of knowledge and wisdom you package in pithy statements you call Bickisms. Can you walk us through your steps for culture change with these Bickisms? (For a few more, check out Bick’s LinkedIn profile.)

 

Bick: Sure! 

STEP 1 Bickism: Never talk about culture.

Rebecca, let me start by telling you I’m a sneaky little devil. I never start out talking about culture. But what I do start out talking about is the vision that we have; that journey that we want to take, where we want to get to. So you have got to find people that want to buy into that vision. Clearly articulate that vision. Show them what that vision is going to do in terms of value to them in the future. Then find the people that want to buy in.

STEP 2 Bickism: Nothing anywhere ever gets done until somebody somewhere does something.

Don’t misunderstand. I like strategy. I like tactics. I like planning. I like locking myself in a room and talking about innovation. But I don’t like it unless things get implemented because brilliant ideas that are not implemented lose their value.

STEP 3 Bickism: Create a shepherding group.

Once you find people that want to buy in, you need a shepherding group. That is a tricky part of the process because the shepherding group has to have adequate spheres of influence. Otherwise you are going to get into trouble because those with the power will oppose the vision and the change and they will stop it.

In the early 1500s Niccolo Machiavelli said, There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, or more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain of success than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things. And almost 500 years later that is proving to be very true in our business environments today.

So never talk about culture. Talk about the vision, speak the vision, get people to buy in, find a shepherding group and start the process.

STEP 4 Bickism: Go for small wins.

Once you get the buy in you can actually start going for small wins. Don’t shoot big. Once you get a couple of wins two great things are going to happen. The first one is some fresh people are going to buy into the culture and the buy-in group gets bigger. And the second thing is you start to create momentum and that momentum becomes your friend.

It’s shared vision followed by wins. Celebrate the wins. Make them very, very visible.

Hear more Bickisms and gain more wisdom as Bick Whitener discusses his remarkable achievements and how he got them. Listen to the entire interview on Business in the Morning produced by Todd Schnick. http://businessinthe.am/bick-whitener/ 

An in-depth profile of Bick Whitener will be featured in the forthcoming book, Washington’s Shadow: How Leaders Cast a Long Shadow and Create a Positive Culture.

© RebeccaStaton-Reinstein and Advantage Leadership, Inc.

 This post also appears on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/article/build-positive-culture-apply-4-rebecca or

http://tinyurl.com/Bickisms

WATTS HUMPHREY -- A Giant Passes from the Scene

This is a sad day for everyone who has been engaged at any level in the wonderful world of software. Watts Humphrey, who just died at 83, pioneered the development of many of the processes that assure and ensure software quality. He is probably best known as the father of the Capability Maturity Model -- an approach that has had more impact than any other. Watts understood all along that IT and software engineering aren't about technology; they are about people and processes making technology a tool for solving problems.


His official obit from his long-time base in the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University (http://tinyurl.com/2vffpgt) is headed: Watts Humphrey Succeeded in Changing the World of Software Engineering. "Changing the world of anything is an outrageous commitment," Humphrey said in an interview in early 2010, discussing his decision to come to the SEI. "I knew I couldn't do it alone, and I wanted to be in an environment where I could work with folks and do that."

As the pioneering innovator behind several important software development processes, Watts Humphrey more than met his promise to change the World of software engineering. His contributions go well beyond methodology and the many awards and accolades he received. For decades, his work inspired software engineers and his colleagues and friends worldwide. (Jared Cohon, president, Carnegie Mellon University.)

But Watts' legacy is not just for us techie types -- in fact, what made him so successful in "changing the world" was his strategic leadership, that is the ongoing focus of this blog. Watts embodied the qualities that any leader in any field can adopt.

Vision: After years of pioneering work at IBM as a leader of a mammoth, global software engineering group, Watts saw with great clarity what needed to be done to move developing software solutions to business problems from a black art to an engineering discipline. He believed in the power of harnessing technology in a disciplined way.

Translate vision to reality: Watts was not one of these leaders who float along at 30,000 feet on his visionary quest but whose feet never touch the ground. He could turn his vision into practical processes that gave individuals a clear road map to daily practice.

Inspiration: Because Watts' vision was so clear and because he could translate it into reality, he inspired generations of folks in the software field by making us want to implement his ideas. His style was easy going but compelling. I still have handwritten notes from the many times I heard him speak and lead seminars -- and I still pull them out and use them in my work.

Caring: At the end of any keynote, presenters like Watts are always mobbed by enthusiastic people. Some busy themselves with packing up their notes and computer, distractedly hand out a few cards, and slip away. Others believe they have a captive audience to continue pontificating or shamelessly trying to drum up consulting gigs. Watts was different. He talked with each person, no matter how new to the field and naive, as if he or she were the only person in the room. He shared. He was warm and encouraging. No matter how long the line, he was patient and engaged.

Commitment: His commitment to changing the world of software engineering was authentic and not grandiose. Many in the field believe they have the keys to better software solutions and don't mind telling you how great they are, how wrong others are, and how following them will get you to the promised land of zero defects. Watts simply told stories about how real people had succeeded in putting processes in place to improve results. His commitment was to the people that toil away in Cube Land day after day, trying to support their organizations with technology; the Dilberts of the world. Watts’ commitment was not to aggrandizing himself.

Great Management: Long before the Gallup organization published First Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently (FBAR,) Watts wrote a little volume called Managing Technical Professionals. In it he lays out how to adapt and adopt our understanding of human psychology to bring out great performance in people. FBAR simply confirmed with extensive data what Watts had learned from his experience as a manager and leader. Whether you manage technical or non-technical people, it is still one of the best handbooks for day-to-day working with people. (Of course FBAR is a necessary resource too.)

So whether you're a techie who was touched directly or indirectly by Watts and his breakthroughs or whether you're just trying to be a good manager and leader, spend a little time investigating and learning from this giant...he did change the world for the better...and the world is a little diminished today with his passing. Luckily we can all access and learn from his legacy which will be with us a long time.

Farewell, Watts. We will miss you and we will never forget you and what you have done for us.

* * * * *
(C) Rebecca Staton-Reinstein, President, Advantage Leadership, Inc.
Author: Conventional Wisdom: How Today's Leaders Plan, Perform, and Progress Like the Founding Fathers

A Spirit-ed Debate

We've all heard and seen the headlines, "Spirit to charge $45 for carry-on luggage!" Lots of strum and drang. Some congressmen even want to "protect" us with new regulations. Wait a minute...what's going on?

Let's step back for a minute and take a more objective look at Ben Baldanza and his Spirit Airlines. (Let me make it clear. I'm NOT defending his decisions, just describing a few facts.) When Baldanza took over the South Florida based airline, he had a vision. He wanted to make Spirit and its home airport (Ft. Lauderdale/ Hollywood, FL) international. He had noticed the demographic shifts of people from various parts of Latin America moving north from the Miami area to the Ft. Lauderdale area. As he reasoned, "Why should they have to go all the way to Miami to fly back home?"

It's that sort of questioning that has marked Baldanza's thinking throughout his long career in the the airline business. He also made another important decision when he became CEO at Spirit. He realized that there were two basic models for an airline. At one end was Singapore Air with it's superb service, high-end amenities, and reputation for pampering everyone. At the other end of the spectrum was Ryan Air, a no-frills airline in the extreme. It competes on low fares with an a la carte system where you pay for everything you want.

Baldanza says that the problem with most airlines is that they try to live somewhere in the middle but don't deliver either great service or very low prices. So he decided to remold Spirit in the Ryan image. You get a fairly low fare (sometimes even a $9 special) and then pay for everything else...everything. OK. You know that going in so it's no surprise. As most airlines tried to survive the economic difficulties over the last few years, they also started adding on charges for basics (or what used to be considered basics) although not lowering their fares particularly.

So it comes as no surprise that Spirit will start charging for carry-ons that must go in the overhead bins with the fee based on whether you belong to a special membership or when and where you check in. The $45 is only for people who show up at the gate without paying for the bag ahead of time. Baldanza believes that this is all fair (no pun intended) because you only pay for the services you want. He thinks it will get some folks to check those bags and relieve the congestion getting on and off the plane. (We'll see...we'll also see if people will pay it or choose to fly another carrier. Ryan Air was forced to back off its plan to charge for use of the bathroom on short flights.)

But is Baldanza to be vilified? Not in my opinion. He made a business decision in line with his business model. The customers will determine if it's a good one or not. But there's more to Baldanza than this one decision. I had the privilege of getting to know him and profile him in my book on strategic leadership, Conventional Wisdom: How Today's Leaders Plan, Perform, and Progress Like the Founding Fathers. The picture above is a classic Ben Baldanza moment. Just like his planes, his offices are no frills also -- a non-descript industrial building in an office park...no marble entrance hall, just a buzzer and no receptionist...no outrageous perks...just a plain utilitarian office. Why the vacuum cleaner? Because Baldanza uses it to keep his office tidy himself.

He meets with employees regularly, getting their ideas and feedback, gives out his email address and replies, and is generally considered an excellent leader and manager. As his assistant remarked out of the blue one day as I sat waiting for a meeting, "He's the best boss I've ever had!" Even the interviewer on a recent CNN interview spontaneously remarked that Baldanza seemed like a very likable guy he'd like to work for.

It's important to separate out the disagreement with Baldanza's business decision and understanding his business strategy and his track record as a good leader, visionary, and a "nice guy." If you don't like the extra charges, don't fly those airlines that have them.

Oh, and no matter which airline you fly, could I plead with you (as a minimalist, frequent business traveler) not to drag on all of your worldly possessions, overstuffed giant suitcases, and shopping bags crammed with stuff?

***** ***** *****

Rebecca Staton-Reinstein, President, Advantage Leadership, Inc. www.AdvantageLeadership.com Looking forward to your comments. And check out more about Baldanza in Conventional Wisdom.

Happy Belated Birthday, Mr. Jefferson!

This week was the birthday of Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, third president of the U.S., and founder of the University of Virginia. The latter is one of the achievements he was most proud of and wanted on his tombstone.

He conceived of the University as a very different place from the academic institutions of his day. One of his ideas was to create an "academical village." Today that same vision is driving another leader in the same direction.

George Hanbury, the new president of Nova Southeastern University arrived there after successful stints as city manager of cities that needed a major turn around. His record in Portsmouth, Virginia and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida are substantial and might have led a lesser leader to retire on his laurels. Not Dr. Hanbury.

This excerpt from Conventional Wisdom: How Today's Leaders Plan, Perform, and Progress Like the Founding Fathers details some of Hanbury's achievements at Nova as COO as he worked to implement Jefferson's vision.

Hanbury rediscovered Jefferson's vision as he did his doctoral work at Florida Atlantic University and when he arrived at Nova in 1998 he was eager to bring it to reality. Jefferson's idea of the "academical village" was a place where academics and the real world could be brought together for students to benefit from both. He saw a place where students would have a practical as well as theoretical education, where commerce and study could blend.

"It takes a visionary to look at a 1970s shopping center and wasteland of abandoned parking lots and see a revolutionary new community combining commercial space, state-of-the-art research facilities, living and recreational space, and college class rooms. Yet that's what he saw...

When I first came to Nova...it just seemed like a natural that what Jefferson was professing...[wanting] students to appreciate how theory was supportive of practice, and without practice, theory was no more than an exercise. Practice without theory would just remain stagnant and there would be no expansion.

I thought if we wrapped the buildings around the parking decks, and then made it an attractive area for people who want to live and work and do research and connect all that to a doctoral research university with high-speed connections to all other research universities in the state, you'd really have quite an economic engine."

So Jefferson's "academical village" is emerging in Davie, Florida, spurred on by Hanbury, whose vision is ever evolving and who, himself combines theory and practice quite neatly in building the university.

Happy birthday, Tom, your ideas are alive and well and continuing to evolve and see the light of day.

***** ***** *****

Want to apply the wisdom of the founding fathers such as Jefferson or contemporary leaders such as George Hanbury? Read Conventional Wisdom or contact me to discuss how their insights can be helpful to you and your business.

Rebecca Staton-Reinstein, President, Advantage Leadership, Inc.

Vision is NOT a hallucination

With the political season in high gear, there's a lot of talk about vision coming from all the candidates...and that's a good thing. We need to have a clear idea about where we're going before we set off in the wrong direction. But it's hard, in the middle of such contentious races, to talk about the candidates' visions without getting mired in their political views...

So here's something less controversial (except to New England Patriots fans.) After the Super Bowl cliff-hanging last quarter, the press talked to winning Giants' quarterback ELI MANNING, who was voted the Most Valuable Player. He talked about those last thrilling minutes when he threw the winning pass that won the game and described his thought process. "I was glad we were down by 4 points! If we were only down by 3, I'd have been tempted to go for a field goal. Being down by 4, I had to get a touchdown. I didn't have a choice. So I did."

Necessity forces us to translate a vision into reality.

That's what I think about when I talk about "vision." That almost calm determination. Manning believed he had no choice but to go for the winning touchdown. The founding fathers believed they had no choice but to go to world with Great Britain, the most powerful country in Europe. The framers of the Constitution believed they had no choice but to risk committing treason for the second time by overthrowing the Articles of Confederation and setting up a new republican form of government.

When I was interviewing CEOs and executives for my new book, everyone one of them told me something very similar. They looked down the road...they had a vision...they saw the future they want to create and they set about doing it.

A City Manager was called to city after city that had deteriorated. He looked at each one and saw a new city, vibrant and unique, waiting to escape from the urban decay. He shared that vision and city after city rose from the squallor and decay.

A banker looked out and saw a different approach to helping individuals who had accumulated great wealth look to their legacy. Knowing the predictive statistics that that fortune would begone within another generation, he fought back. He saw these peoples as wealth creators and their legacy families. He brought the entire family together to create a vision for their future and to create a plan and decision making process to protect that vision.

An executive, who had sold "tooth paste and sandwiches," was tapped to head a new healthcare delivery system of walk-in clinics co-located in other stores. He saw a chance to 'change healthcare' and is delivering on that promise, growing the business at a phenominal rate and being called on to advise industry leaders and the government.

A public servant took over an ailing healthcare system in a major urban area and in two years turned it from a problem-beset, crumbling system into a financially sound system with patient satisfaction soaring and people opting to use their services instead of going to private hospitals.

An engineer rose to CEO of a national engineering firm and set out to make it the "first billion dollar company with a culture!" He created a common vision for the seven merged companies that made it up and insisted that engineers become involved in the community as trusted advisors. Then with a simple statement, "Our offices ought to look like the communities they serve," he transformed the board, the staff and the company's vision for its future.

I could go on with these exciting examples. Each of the executives that I interviewed had thbe ability to turn vision into reality. They simply did not believe that it couldn't be done. As one executive told me, "I was too dumb to know any better!"

Stop a moment and think about the vision you have for yourself, your family, your company, your country. Vision is a powerful driver...It doesn't give you any choice but to succeed.

-- Rebecca Staton-Reinstein
Visit our website http://www.AdvantageLeadership.com/