T.E.A.M. – Together Everyone Achieves More

An excerpt of a lecture by Ken Blanchard at the 2012 LMI/SMI/FMI World Convention

Meeting face to face with a very special person like Ken Blanchard is certainly a very rare opportunity for most people. I was really fortunate that I had the opportunity in personally met and greeted him shortly after he gave a 45-minutes lecture at the LMI/SMI/FMI Convention in San Diego, California.

The author of the famous best seller One-Minute Manager book, who also a very close friend of the founder of LMI/SMI/FMI – the late Paul J. Meyer, together with another author - Dick Ruhe – wrote the book Know Can Do!: Put Your Know How into Action.  This book is about the fact that nowadays because of the technology so many managers, leaders and employees having an information  overload situation.

However, in his lecture Ken Blanchard was not talking about that book and instead with his charming humorous way he was taking all the audiences to think about the aspects on bringing results through teamwork.

Ken Blanchard used Southwest airlines as one example where strong management and happy workforce among other key success factors have contributed to the success of the company. He talked about the importance of behavior that will produce results and the belief on teamwork in addition to energy and brain power in working together. He also briefly took us through the importance of creating synergy in teamwork. Also about the need to cultivate the learning attitude and culture in the organization.

Information is power but information in organization need to be shared in order for people in it to achieve more. He talked about 5 things that are required in the organization so that together everyone achieves more: the learning opportunity, trust, creating situations where differences are valued, team as a whole – the we instead of me or you, and the importance of keeping high morale of the team members.

Ken talked about the verbal and non-verbal relationship. Relationships that is guided by vision and core organization values and how they can have a great impact to the team and to the organization as a whole. As values guide behavior hence it is the responsibility of the leader to make sure that people understand the vision, values and purposes of the organization. Those vision, values and purposes are not only just guidelines for employees but they will empower people. It is also very important for any organization to have them in order to create a team of people with service hearts and leave their ego behind in doing their jobs. In order to be more successful, a servant leadership style at the top is also required. Ken repeteadly mentioned that it is an upside down triangle of hierarchy in organization where leaders should actually be at the bottom part to empower people.  A true stewardship mentality.

Paul J. Meyer in his book - Become The Coach You Were Meant To Be, wrote that people should be put on top and leaders should be put at the bottom. Leaders push their knowledge and expertise up the organization rather than letting it trickle down.

All great successful leaders have one particularly thing in common and that is generousity. Generousity in giving and sharing talent, time and treasure. And with those message, Ken Blanchard ended his another memorable lecture.

2012 LMI/SMI/FMI World Convention,

San Diego, California, U.S.A.
14 April 2012