FirstCuts           Framework Consulting logo 
A Framework Consulting ezine
High-Stake Interventions -- New Ideas    Issue 30 Jan-Feb 2009
Action the Obama Way (Part II)
by Francis Wade

Podcast of this issue -- http://fwconsulting.podomatic.com
 


Editorial

I don't know how Obama would do if he were an executive in our region, and I don't know if he has ever worked in our part of the world. 

However, after writing this month's issue I now have an idea of what he'd have to do to address the plantation slavery work-ethic that has prevailed for over 500 years.

It's not that we ourselves don't have a clue, but I have found that the clearer I understand the world in which I operate, the better I am at succeeding within it.  Some of the most exciting moments I have ever had, have occurred when I learned something new about something I had been doing for some time.

Perhaps that's not a bad way to describe what I have been trying to do for my readers in each issue of FirstCuts, and especially in this issue.

Francis

P.S.  Please pass this issue on to your friends in full, or send them the colour link above to FirstCuts30.
 
Taking Action and Producing Results the Obama Way
 
I recently had a conversation with an expat to the Caribbean who was working for an overseas company that had created a plan to be implemented here in the region.  She argued that there was no need to try to get people interested, committed or motivated by the plan’s contents.

All that was needed was a directive from the Managing Director to undertake the plan.  After that, it was a simple matter of “holding people to account.”

Several months after this conversation, I still reflect on her comments and their historical resonance.
The fact is that the Caribbean workplace was born out of the attitude that people could be made to work against their will.  For over three hundred years, Tainos, Caribs, Negroes, Indians,  Chinese and others, were brought into different degrees of servitude, forced to labour under inhumane conditions and under severe threat of punishment.

In other words, either work or be “held to account.”

In today’s Caribbean business environment, managers face a similar challenge.  They need to motivate employees to take action, knowing that this is the key to producing desired results.
However, there is a limit beyond which the Caribbean employee refuses to be pushed.

In Jamaica, there is a point at which “living in the bush” is preferable to taking orders from someone who is uncaring.  In Barbados, there is a point at which sullen, agreeable compliance replaces true engagement and trust.

Either of these extreme reactions signals the end of productivity, prevents proper action and ruins plans.

Against this background, how should the Caribbean manager communicate and relate to employees in a way that produces action as well as preferred results?

They must consciously understand that in our region, work is personal, bold requests are better than timid ones, and respect is more important than trust.

 
Work is Personal


The typical Caribbean worker feels strongly about their place of work.  Emotions run deep, whether they are positive or negative. In fact, it is hard to find regional workers who affect a European or American detachment towards their job.  “It’s only a job,” is a sentiment that is rarely expressed.

Instead, the Caribbean workplace features a peculiar gathering of human beings in which class, ethnicity, race, seniority, friendships, rivalries, romances, injustices, politics, religion, etc. all play important and defining roles.   Our early workers had little societal value beyond their ability to work.  They lived at their places of work, and were under the domination of their boss for 24 hours of each day, every day.

They did not come to the region on vacation or to experience a new life of opportunities.  They were not escaping the authorities or exploring a new frontier.

They simply came to work, and for the majority, they were forced to do so under threat of physical punishment or death.  Their lives were always in danger, their children kidnapped and their status haphazardly raised or lowered.  They had no rights, not even to live to see tomorrow.

Those who survived learned how to navigate a work environment that was cruel, unjust and filled with a sense of fear.

When slavery was abolished, ex-slaves were reluctant to return to work for their former slave-masters.  Similarly, indentured labourers completing their contracts in quasi-slavery usually
opted to start their own businesses on small farms, in shops and as traders.

Those who returned to the work did so reluctantly, and with it came a great psychological burden.  In order to survive, most were forced to relive the condition they despised where they were
dependent, vulnerable workers.  I imagine that the resentment was palpable.

These deeply held feelings still resonate sharply and personally with us today.

The expat I mentioned at the start of this article, who saw no need to tap into worker motivation, also advised me that, “Caribbean people don’t care about anything – the company, other
people, their communities… nothing.”

Her opinion was accurate only in part.

My observation is that our workers care deeply and are vigilantly on guard for signs that their management treats its people with 2 very important elements:
1.    Justice
2.    Respect
 
When these qualities are missing, our workers respond in two ways. 
One is to react violently, in the form of strikes, sabotage and physical attacks.  The other way is to withdraw all emotional support.

By contrast, in the scenario of committed workers,  I have observed deep-seated loyalty develop naturally.  In other words, our region’s employees are rarely indifferent in their feelings towards management.  They feel strongly, vehemently and deeply as their spirits carry the emotional baggage of their ancestors.

And they take it all quite personally.

I once worked in a government office that would literally shut down as soon as the boss left the premises.  Upon his departure, out came the dominos, the radio and the newspapers, as workers
paused their work activities in order to take care of their own business.

They were smart enough to establish a lookout, who would report when the boss pulled into the parking lot.  However, one explained to me, they needed to be careful, because “sometimes he parked in a different parking lot to try to trick them.”

This behavior was born on the slave-plantation, where pretending to be working was critical to one’s survival. 

My colleague's comment about the boss’ parking choices was an example of how an innocuous fact could be converted into something personal.  The boss left his car wherever it was convenient for him to do so, without knowing that his parking choice was perceived as a scheme of
Anancy-like tricks designed to fool workers into dropping their guard.  I imagine that he would be shocked to hear that they had personalized such a trivial and unconscious decision that had
nothing to do with anything more than saving a few minutes of walking with a heavy briefcase.

On quite a different note, it was recently reported that a gardener in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, was reinstated in his job when the Prime Minister discovered that he was fired as a result of political victimization. 

It was a heart-wrenching story, largely due to the fact that the worker had returned to the job performing his daily routine – without pay - for over three months subsequent to his wrongful
dismissal.

Some would call it stupidity on his part. 

I call it a form of unthinking loyalty.

In both the examples cited above, work is not “just a game,” it is not “just a job,” and it is certainly not “unimportant”.  Instead, it forms an integral part of daily life that contributes to the
livelihood, social identity and networking of Caribbean employees. 

In my mind’s eye, I imagine an interview with a former “Massa” (slave-owner) who might go to great lengths to explain that “he was only doing his job.”

On hearing that sentiment, today’s regional worker would probably react similarly to the way that an ex-slave might.  The reaction would most likely involve deep contempt in their hearts and a vicious curse on their lips. 

 
Bold Requests
 

Confronted by the historical reality discussed above, some managers become intimidated and decide that they should “take it easy” on employees.  Others employ the same tactic when the company is challenged by a recession, a drop in stock price or loss in market share.

Much ado has been made by authors like James Collins and Jerry Porras of the need for companies to have Big, Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAG’s.)

The fact is that big goals serve a unique purpose in that they provide the opportunity to galvanize, inspire and gain attention simply because the risk of failure is so much greater.

Barack Obama was, perhaps, the least likely candidate for President, yet he asked Americans to forego the safe choices (McClain and Clinton) and vote for someone who was unknown, Black,
young and had a strange name.

The odds were against him and yet he made a bold request of voters, “Trust me to work with you to create a big change in the world.”

The measure of success was clear and everyone knew that there would be a clear day of reckoning – Election Day in the United States.

Lessons to be Learnt:
o    Big requests can produce more concerted, committed action than small ones
o    Requests leading to clear goals with obvious measures of success that are set in time can galvanize and energize support

Leaders who are afraid of failure and are boxed into a world of vague goals, unclear visions and timid requests for improvement.  Their employees respond by giving only half-hearted commitments.At the end of the financial year, the weak leader claims “victory” built on false triumphs and puny achievements.  Apparently, employees are not adult enough to deal with failure, therefore any bad news is quietly ignored or suppressed.

The leader, who is unable to take a stand when the chips are down, leaves Caribbean employees feeling strangely uncaring and uncommitted; a rarity in a region where passions run high and work
is taken quite personally.

To put this into context, let us imagine the average female worker. She probably attends church regularly and grew up with three major authority figures in her life – her parents, her pastor, and her school-teacher.  Of the three, it is likely that the role of pastor is the one that will endure a lifetime.
Statistically speaking, her pastor is more than likely a man who leads a Protestant church.  As a skilled preacher, every Sunday he uses all the tools at his disposal to motivate his congregation
to action – high volume, passionate delivery, high emotions, numerous inspiring examples, easy to understand indicators of  failure and success, a future that is worth sacrificing for now
and clear judgments of right or wrong.

At the end of his sermon, he asks people to make an immediate sacrifice to give to the collection plate.  He makes this request regardless of their financial means.

Amazingly, he does this every single week.

Sometimes, he even does it more than once in a single service.

The average Caribbean worker sitting in the sixth row is accustomed to the pastor’s attempts at motivation and inspiration. 

It represents a normal day at church.

When they walk into work on Monday, however, they are often confronted by managers who are timid, uncaring and just plain weak.  They do not take the risk to make the big request, for fear
of being rejected.  Instead, they adopt safe language and ask for as little as possible in order to prevent any backlash.

They simply fail to capture the attention of their employees, especially the younger ones, who are longing for an ‘Obama’ to rise up and call them to action in order to help fulfill some worthy purpose.  More often than not, hearts and minds find inspiration elsewhere, while the goals of the company languish someplace along with organizational vision and mission.

Obama could easily have failed and at many points it appeared as if that would happen.  There is no escaping the risk that comes from being a leader who takes a stand and calls for a tremendous
sacrifice.  Losing and public failure, are always distinct possibilities that cannot be removed.  In fact, the risk of failure is what makes the request a big one that is worthy of attention.

 
Respect
 

The Caribbean worker has been severely tested over the past several hundred years.

As I mentioned, living in the region before the mid 1800’s was an awful, harrowing experience for most. The fact that they were forced to work against their will in a system that was designed to dehumanize has only led to a modern-day emphasis on “respect.”

Recently, I have wondered how a European plantation-owner or slave-trader arrived at the decision to enslave millions in one part of the world, in order to put them to work thousands of miles away in a different part of the world.  Underneath the cold calculations of profit and loss, there must have been an insane belief that the workers being torn away from their families were not human and therefore the age-old rules of religion, philosophy and government simply did not apply the them.

This allowed the mind of the enslaver to be wonderfully uncomplicated by the evil acts he was conducting daily.

He was blind to their humanity, a fact that would have been apparent to new slaves who must have been stunned by this peculiar depravity.  Clearly, survival was dependent on the slaves’ ability
to assert their human-ness in whatever way they could.

The Caribbean worker learned that management could not be trusted to treat workers with basic human respect and that it was their responsibility to monitor “Massa” or “Backra” carefully, fully
aware of the dismal possibilities.

If we fast forward to the current workplace,  we find that the Caribbean employee of 2009 remains vigilant, having learned that management cannot be trusted to respect workers.  Quite the
opposite.

Instead, management has shown that it is quite willing to treat workers, their fellow human beings, as unimportant, in the pursuit of profits.

To compensate for that historical failure, today’s workers constantly monitor managers for the most subtle signs of disrespect.

In Jamaica, a manager who jokes with an employee in public about his manhood learns later that he was insulting.  In Barbados, a failure to greet others appropriately each day is seen as a display of bad manners that is nursed quietly like an inner wound.  In Trinidad, an executive who asks for a bigger office and insists on formality is seen as trying not to be “one ah we.”

Unfortunately, there are many ways in which the disrespect can be shown, and this is one area in which ignorance is not an acceptable excuse.  It is simply too important to be ignored, if history is to be used as a guide.

Obama has gone out of his way to display respect for those who disagree with him, and those differing from him in terms of age, race and life experience. He has invited alternative thinkers into
his government and has already reached out to leaders from the opposing party.

Managers in the Caribbean would do well to follow his example. In the Caribbean it is a good idea to show an abundance of respect and deferential formality until a close working relationship is
established.  Only then is it safe to make the kind of jokes that stem from mature, trusted working relationships.

It is critical to remember that in our region, relationships expected to achieve extraordinary results must first and foremost be built on respect.  As far as I can tell, for a new manager, respect is the primary determinant of whether or not s/he can be trusted.

In other words, respectful behavior is what leads us to trust, rather than the other way around, and it is this sequence that is important for Caribbean leaders to follow. As a manager progresses
along the ranks, success is linked to their ability to notice signs of disrespect and deal with them quickly.

Summary
 
Executives and managers who understand the uniqueness of the
Caribbean workplace are best equipped to motivate employees to
action, even in light of the taint that workplaces have gained in
our region.   Although there are dangers, there are also
opportunities as most leaders seem not to understand how to act in
a manner that seeks to capture their employees’ hearts and minds.
 



Useful Stuff
Tips, Ads and Links

On February 13th I am offering my time management programme for Caribbean professionals -- NewHabits-NewGoals -- in Kingston, Jamaica. Come and discover how to create and manage a time management system that is custom-built for the Caribbean. See http://fwconsulting.com/newhabits for details.

I am continuing my series of recorded interviews with CEO's in 2009, with the goal of vastly increasing the number of interviews.  If you haven't heard past recordings of interviews with Roger Bell of Sunshine Food and Snacks, and Douglas Orane of Grace Kennedy then see the news section of my website: http://fwconsulting.com

Back Issues of FirstCuts can be found at http://tinyurl.com/pw7fa

To manage this ezine, we use an excellent programme called
AWeber that you can explore here:-  http://www.aweber.com/?213577

Subscriber Q&A and Feedback
Last Month's Issue: Engagement Obama-Style

None this month

General and Newsletter Subscription Info
To contact us with feedback, questions or praise, email newsletter@fwconsulting.com

To subscribe, please send email to firstcuts@aweber.com from the email address that you which to be subscribed from.

Please feel free to use excerpts from this newsletter as long as you give credit with a link to our page: http://www.fwconsulting.com

FirstCuts © Copyright 2009, Framework Consulting, except where indicated otherwise. All rights reserved worldwide. Reprint  only with permission from copyright holder(s). All trademarks are property of their  respective owners. All contents provided as is. No express or implied income claims made herein. Your business success is dependent on many factors, including your own abilities.  Advertisers are solely responsible for ad content.
Contents
 
Editorial
Feature Article 
Useful Stuff
  • Tips, Ads and Links
  • Subscriber Q&A and Feedback
  • General  and ezine  Subscription Info
 


FirstCuts: An Online Newsletter From Framework Consulting Inc.
954-323-2552
876-880-8653
3389 Sheridan Street #434, Hollywood FL 33021, USA
29 Norbrook Drive, Kingston 8, Jamaica