The courage to lead from within
To lead authentically requires courage. Courage to lead from within. This kind of courage is derived from internalized values and strong moral compass.
Such courage means not being fazed by noise. It means not compromising your values by succumbing to pressure to be accepted, to belong or to bow to the demands of the powers that be, when such demands run contrary to your values.
Charles Duhigg in his remarkable book, “The Power of Habit ” tells the story of Paul O’Neill being announced as the new CEO of Aluminum Company of America (Alcoa) in 1987.
Paul O’Neil was brought in to “rescue” Alcoa, as shareholder grumblings reached fever pitch following a series of operational missteps and strategic errors by the company.
Shareholders were relieved to know that there will be a change of leadership, only they were not expecting what they got.
At the meet and greet meeting strategically scheduled at a Manhattan posh hotel, the hall was full with key shareholders and Wall Street investors bursting with excitement and sky-high expectations.
As the new CEO took the podium, what he first uttered sent a shock wave through the entire audience. He said: “Today I want to talk to you about worker safety. Every year numerous Alcoa are injured so badly that they miss days of work…”
The audience was confused because this was not in the script. The script as Charles put it, follows a pattern like: “I worked so hard at Harvard… and I promise to boost profit and lower costs”.
O’Neil said nothing about profit. Didn’t mention taxes, nothing about marketing. This was his speech:
“If you want to understand how Alcoa is doing, you need to look at our workplace safety figures. If we bring our injury rates down, it won’t be because of cheerleading or the nonsense you sometimes hear from other CEOs. It will be because the individuals in this company have agreed to become part of something important: They have devoted themselves to creating a habit of excellence. Safety will be an indicator that we’re making progress…”
The investors in the room almost passed out. One enraged investor said “The board put a crazy hippie in charge and he is going to kill this company”.
Within a year of O’Neil’s speech, Alcoa’s profit would hit a record high. All that growth occurred while Alcoa became one of the safest companies in the US.
It takes courage not to bow to the usual pressure. It takes courage to break the rules that serve the powerful few. It takes courage to lead from the core of values and deep conviction. It takes courage to lead as uniquely you.
O’Neill was not choosing between profit and the people; He was choosing people over profit because people make profit happen. He was making choices driven by internalized values.
O’Neil, said he needed to focus on what will bring people together and give him leverage to change how people worked and how they approached work. That made all the difference.
Authentic leaders understand the power of relationships…the power of genuinely valuing people. They understand the power of empowering people.
Paul O’Neil did not develop this courage and strength overnight. It took a process that started with a clear understanding of who he is and the values that drive his decisions.
To know how you can build and strengthen your core to lead truthfully and courageously, please click on the button below for an exploratory conversation with me.
