Cocktails with Carl

My Thoughts on Leading a Team through a Major Cultural Shift

My business partner and I have been having a lot of conversations lately about employee engagement and motivation. These discussions have gotten quite philosophical, centering around the idea that a natural built in drive to achieve and get ahead seems to have disappeared somewhat from the workplace. Is this true? A more probable explanation might be that we are just struggling to embrace a major cultural shift that has occurred in America since the volatile year of 2020 (in other words, we’re getting old!). Worker priorities have changed significantly since then and I don’t think we’ll ever see them return to the old norms. Some executives have tried to regain control recently, emboldened by a softening economy and loosening labor market. But forcing employees back into the office or removing their flexibility and autonomy doesn’t appear to be working well either. Employee expectations are still high and most job openings continue to offer the benefits job candidates are looking for post pandemic.

The good news is that I don’t think our human nature has fundamentally changed. Most people still desire to build a successful career, taking on challenging responsibilities and figuring out a way to add value to their organization. What has changed is their perspective on how this gets accomplished, and it won’t be by sitting in a cubicle checking off tasks on a to do list. According to McKinsey & Company’s 2022 American Opportunity survey, 87% of workers want control over where and when they work.

So where do we go from here? Business leaders really have two options: exhaust energy fighting the inevitable or accept the new standards and adapt your leadership style accordingly. After spending the last couple of years resisting and complaining, I’m ready to move on to option 2. But doing so effectively is going to require a big change in how we lead/manage our team and our business. Below are a few things that have been on my mind as we prepare to adjust to this new challenge.

Performance vs presence. Results vs relationships.

I’ve always been a big believer in relationship driven leadership. Personal conversations about vacations or family, impromptu face to face meetings to solve a problem, eating together; these are the types of events that help us connect and build trust. All of this is made easier with a physical presence of people-which is an environment I prefer. I’ve generally given the benefit of the doubt to those that I have a good relationship with. Now, with the regular absence of people we’ll have to rely more on the hard data. Are sales hitting the forecast? Are operational metrics meeting expectations? Do buyers like our designs? Communication is going to get more black and white and we’ll inevitably become more of a transactional focused organization.

What happens to our value system?

Our published value system is our main guide for decision making and we work hard to stay disciplined to it. We spend a lot of time talking about it internally with our team members so they gain a firm understanding. We share it with potential employees to make sure there is alignment before we make a hire. We’ll even share it with customers from time to time if there is a question about fit. With the new changes, will it still apply? I don’t know if it will. Can we change our value system without feeling like we’ve compromised? Time will tell.

Will we be able to develop/maintain great team chemistry?

If you’ve read any of my previous blog posts, you know that I place a lot of importance on team chemistry. Chemistry is the right combination of ingredients that make up a winning team and it is a requirement for any team to be truly special. History has shown us over and over again that teams with the right chemistry can achieve the impossible, regardless if they have the same experience or talent level ( Ex.-1980 USA Olympic Hockey Team). The problem is that developing great chemistry requires spending time together, connecting and learning what makes one another tick. So…with team members coming and going more often there will be less connecting, which I'm afraid will make it difficult to achieve/maintain the level of chemistry we’d like.

There is a lot on my mind as I let go and accept a new method of operation. I’ll have to be ok with less control and the above concerns that I’ve shared are just the start. To be clear, I’m not necessarily giving up on what I’ve highlighted. It’s possible we can keep those things in tact, but I’m anticipating this is what we will experience. Like with any major change there will be trade offs, some pleasant surprises and new frustrations. And there will definitely be new learnings. Will everyone on the team understand? I’ll let you know in a while. Meanwhile, I am looking forward to the challenge.

Cocktail Recipe: Classic Caipirinha

Brazilian Cocktail made with Cachaca, a popular sugar cane liquor similar to rum.

1 Lime-pith removed and cut into quarters

2 Tablespoons of Sugar

3/4 ozs Fresh Lime Juice

2 ozs Cachaca

Lime Wheel Garnish

In a cocktail shaker, combine the lime sections and sugar and muddle together. Add the Cachaca and lime juice and shake vigorously to combine. Pour into a double old fashioned glass with ice (muddled limes included). Garnish with the lime wheel.

Enjoy!