Part of the DNA of being an American is the right and freedom to complain about the government. Social media runs (maybe even thrives) on political rants. Sometimes, we get really tired of all the noise from the complaining, but then the government does something that sets us off again – think shutdowns, furloughs, inability to pass a budget, inability to reduce the debt, excessive bickering among politicians. The list could go on and on. Of course, we can debate each of those frustrating traits of the U.S. government on social media. Or we can acknowledge the pitfalls of the U.S. government and learn from them.
A Little Less Talk And A Lot More Action
It’s hard to imagine a ‘useful’ State of the Union (SOTU) anymore. The speech seems to merely give both political parties the opportunity to ramp up debates bickering, and it feels more like a campaign speech than a leader providing direction and purpose. Peter Drucker wisely said, “Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes; but no plans.” And therein lies the problem with the speech. We tune in each year hoping to hear real plans being made, but we walk away breaking down the promises and hopes with the reality we see around us. Constant ideas and promises get old.
Maybe it is time to skip the talking and move forward with business. Communication is important. But do you really need a weekly meeting? Do you really need to call an all-hands in order to have effective communication? Is your all-hands meeting actually useful to your employees? Large meetings take preparation time. Meetings can be a major drain on time and energy, so don’t automatically assume they are necessary. Ask yourself if the information could be communicated differently. Example: the SOTU could have been delivered to Congress via email.
Do As I Say; Not As I Do
Communication must jive with actions; otherwise, the value of what was said is diminished. In the SOTU, President Obama made a push for raising the minimum wage. He urged business owners to raise employees’ wages and morale. It’s funny he should mention good pay and employee morale. Federal employees would love it if their leaders would act like employee wages and morale are important.
At your next all-hands meeting or awards ceremony, make sure your communication to your employees is consistent with the company’s actions. If a leader wants employees to put in long hours, s/he better be burning the midnight oil too. If the company talks about the need to volunteer in the community, the leaders need to be the first ones there with their sleeves rolled up. Leadership is about walking the walk before talking the talk.
At the End of the Day
Great companies create a great culture. Simply throwing money and time at the idea of innovation will not create anything great. Nokia spent more on research and development than Apple, but 14 years ago, Nokia discarded a product that closely resembled the iPhone. What kind of culture is your leadership creating? The defense industry will always be there, but it is an industry that has changing needs and changing budgets. Leadership and company culture can easily dictate a company’s staying power.
