Strategic Insights - Managing by the Book
Marvin Pirila
Long-term, lasting success is built on the foundation of moral behavior and actions that embody trust, respect, and confidence ─all traits influenced by Biblical teachings. A great leader, while operating from a solid foundation, demands weighted calculations and risks.

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book excerpt

Integrity is Everything! A researcher from Santa Clara University in California conducted a study of 1,500 business managers that revealed what workers value most in a supervisor. Above all else, workers wanted a manager whose word was good, who is honest, and trustworthy. Employees also said they respected a leader with competence, able to inspire workers, and skilled in providing direction. Follow your conscience. Our conscience, as defined in 1974 The Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is the consciousness of the moral right and wrong of one’s own acts or motives. When you do acts that are morally wrong, your conscience is often burdened with guilt and remorse. Many times sleep is lost, your thoughts are muddied, and your focus is not there. Obviously, these detract you from your true desires. When you remain morally right, you build trust, honesty, and integrity in those around you. Every manager must have these traits to be successful. As our conscience drives us towards a higher level of morality, we continue to experience more personal freedom, power, security, and wisdom. Higher echelons of conscience (morality) require learning, commitment, and acting along the way. You show integrity by being loyal to those who are not present. Defending the absent retains the trust of those present. People who intentionally and repeatedly abuse trust must be removed from the organization because you must be able to trust all of your people all of the time. Employees are the source of success! Leaders must treat their employees, at all levels, as the root source of productivity and quality. Respect and value for every member of the organization is critical, especially as employee rolls grow smaller. Leaders should make every attempt to bring every employee into the fold and involved to every extent possible. Even one unhappy employee can share negative comments with many potential customers. One unhappy employee can affect normally happy, productive people. One unhappy employee can cause many labor problems, disruptions, and morale problems. One unhappy person can waste a lot of time you do not have. There are numerous reasons you need every person working with you to every extent possible. Machines are only as productive as employees make them. Your customers are only as satisfied as your employees make them. You would not let your ten million dollar machine lack maintenance and be underutilized, so why would you let a valuable employee? Employees will always make or break organizational success. If you want real success, you need to find ways to tap an employee’s heart and brain. That is where you find his: enthusiasm; loyalty; creativity; ingenuity; and resourcefulness. You will not tap their heart and brains by: -Ignoring their comments, suggestions, or complaints -Failing to include them in the process -Failing to communicate enough information -Having a negative and/or hostile work environment Employees want to contribute and see their contribution make a difference. They want to learn, grow, and be part of a successful organization that makes a difference in the world. They want be appreciated and recognized for their efforts and accomplishments. Employees want to feel that they are progressing in some way (training, promotion, responsibility, title, recognition, etc.). To instill value managers should share stories about how their product and/or service changed someone’s life. What Employees are looking for in their Leader The real power of a leader resides with the group’s willingness to accept the leader. Groups follow leaders who come closest to the group’s expectations. They want empathetic leaders who best understand them and what they want. Successful leadership encompasses empathy, using group expectations to coordinate activities toward the goals of the organization. Workers look for certain qualities in their leaders that include: -Sincere, direct answers -Making good on promises to workers -Prompt response to complaints -Availability when problems arise – willingness to find answers he or she doesn’t know off hand -Understanding when problems couldn’t be avoided -Showing interest in ideas and suggestions -Discussing why work changes may be necessary -Dealing with poor performers -Recognizing good performers -Vision – direction of business -Good listening skills -Willingness to compromise -Shares information openly -Willingness to admit mistakes Workers want what we all want from people we must deal with: honesty, integrity, humbleness, and value. Employees judge supervisors for both the way they reward good performances and the way they deal with problems. Good leaders must work at both ends of the spectrum continually while covering all scenarios in between. You have your worst and best employees to deal with everyday, as well as the average. The real opportunity for excellence lays in getting both the worst and average workers to do a little more. In most places, most of your workers fall within this category. Imagine the boost your company would experience if each of these employees improved by just a little. The key is finding the motivator for each one, applying it, monitoring and maintaining it.