Leading teams of multiple generations is downright interesting.  Each generation in the workplace (Veterans, Boomers, Generation X and Millennials) has differences in communications, work styles and processing potential (to name a few) that are causing havoc in developing collaborative and cohesive teams.

Within Family Businesses, this process gets even more confusing because business is also personal.  Without clear and well defined expectations that are known and honored by all, things can get very convoluted, uncomfortable, and lack efficiency and productivity.  To clear the path for greater success and an environment of teamwork toward a common goal,  it is important to set expectations that are simple through highly powerful themes or shared visions for how the future unfolds.  This also includes placing great value on listening acutely to each others needs in order to be fully engaged and aligned to the purpose of your organizational structure.  Though having a strong strategy and being able to execute effectively around some set priorities is very important. Unless everyone is clearly on board, the possibility of greatly accomplishing the most optimized vision has the possibility of not getting done.

Recently, a colleague of mine used the word “calibrate” while we were discussing the importance of having people and processes fully aligned.  It got me thinking. One definition of calibrate according to Webster to adjust or mark something so that it can be used in an accurate and exact way. This concept of measuring before adjusting doesn’t just apply to instruments. It can apply to people, teams, processes, and business in general. Let’s simplify the steps for the sake of demonstration:

1. Define your goal, share in detail with your team and define a plan to achieve.
2. Work the plan while always keeping the ultimate goal at the forefront of all activity.
3. Actively and in real time measure your progress toward reaching that goal.
4. CALIBRATE your approach to maximize time, talent and resources as necessary until you accomplish what you desire.

Can it be that simple?

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I recently had the pleasure of experiencing the Fortune Scaling Up Summit in Atlanta, GA.  The two day event was filled with incredible speakers offering insights, tools, and perspective on how to lead with excellence.  Below are some of the highlights.

General Stanley McChrystal spoke about his experience that lead to his book – Team of Teams.  Points he made focused on how you understand to win.

To win in the conflicts in the mid-east, it was learned that fluid information exchange removed complexity caused by complicated structures that are not open for change – like silo management.  By employing shared consciousness in gathering and disseminating new information, trust is created from the strong interaction.  He pointed out the role of the leaders is delegating closer to the front line, while communicating quickly and regularly to support small group success.  In closing, working on functional effectiveness across all service lines brings everyone in alignment with the larger priorities.

Randy Nelson, author of Second Decision shared two important points:

• The growth of the company is limited by the growth of the leader
• Leadership is a privilege.  Think about yourself as the leader of your future.

Jim Whitehurst, CEO of Red Hat and author of The Open Organization:  Igniting Passion and Performance started off saying it is easier to DEFINE a company than to RESTRUCTURE one.  He focused on how to expand innovation by exploring the open source principles in running a company.  Great companies start with a well defined WHY and dig deep on the motivational aspects of involvement.  Becoming engaged with the company’s vision and hiring for passion drives performance.  This leads to leveraging knowledge to drive the change desired.  Watch out for TERMINAL NICE – being overly protective in addressing the core issues will delay the growth progress desired to create an innovative culture.

Erik Qualman, author of What Happens in Vegas Stays on YouTube: Privacy is Dead, provided insights to the five STAMP Steps to modern leadership.  What he calls Socialnomic.

S is SIMPLE – taking away the stuff you will not do.
T is TRUE – Know what you are trying to become – in 140 characters or less.
A is ACTION – Avoiding the distracting activities in your daily routine.
M is MAP – Being firm on your destiny, though flexible on the path.
P is PEOPLE – Take daily time (at least 3 minutes) to post to your influencers.

Dwight Cooper spoke about culture development through measuring how engage (Fully absorbed and enthusiastic about their work) your employees are with your company.

Denise Lee Yohn, author of What Great Brands Do, focuses on sustainable growth from having an emotional connection with your customer.  Her presentation took the audience through eight parts that are essential is serving your markets well:

• Start inside on your cultural alignment,
• Avoid selling products – inspire great futures,
• Ignore Trends – advance your own vision.
• Don’t chase customers – attract the right people for the right reasons.
• Sweat the small stuff – pay attention to the small details.
• Never have to ‘give back” – create value for everyone in their business.
• Commit and stay committed to you vision and WHY you do what you do.
• Brand your business with comprehensive operating and organizing ideas for the firm.
• Great brands are a promised delivered – providing integrity, strong power, and lasting impact.

David Butler, author of Design to Grow:  How Coca-Cola learned to combine Scale and Agile.  He’s learned that digital companies develop by looking at the eco-systems and some of the choke-points that cause disturbances.  By examining one’s assets and new possibilities to integrate with newer technologies while serving the emotional connection of your customer.

Ari Weinzweig, author of A Lapsed Anarchist’s Approach to Building a Great Business took the audience through the bottom line organizational change process instituted within Zingerman’s culture.  Along with the five compelling steps to lead effective and permanent change.

Kevin Daum, author of 12 Habits of Valuable Employees, very quickly provide the structure of testing one’s culture for healthy habits.

Aubrey Daniels, author of Bringing out the Best in People, shared the future trends that mechanical intelligence will replace routine tasks with programmable robots.  What will be the future on management and the strategies to keep people engaged in staying interested and productive.

Molly Wendell, author of The Networked Organization, shared the seven rules for getting a community / organization engaged in networking together for more cohesion.

Marshall Chiles, author of Your Presentation is a Joke, stressed how humor is used to maximize your impact on presenting your points of view while not losing the attention of your audience.

Verne Harnish, author of Scaling Up, The Rockefeller Habits 2.0, closed the leadership summit focused on several topics along the following ideas.

• Theory of Constraints – the chokepoints that hold back growth and progress.
• High Stakes Negotiations – Name the price first within a three proposal framework.
• Reinventing Organization by Frederic LaLoux – the first two chapters are essential.
• And the New York Time article on Sunday, May 21, 2016 on “Helping Kids Thrive – Coach the Parents” showed how parents who used a coaching model in raising their kids had kids that were performing better than others in the study in many areas of life.

Upcoming Opportunities

The Fortune Growth Summit will be in Dallas on October 25 and 26. Click here for details.

The next Scaling Up public workshop is scheduled for November 2 in Bethesda, Maryland. Email Terry@TerrySchaefer.com for details.

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