Page 64 - Harnessing the Management Secrets of Disney in Your Company

You Better Believe It 45

improving processes, and empowering teams and individuals. Another group
set about redesigning the workspace to facilitate better communication.
It is worth noting that none of these changes were part of any kind of
overall directive from corporate headquarters. In fact, about the only thing
in the way of change that emanated from headquarters was an annual gesture
amounting to little more than calling in a consultant who prepared brochures
and produced videos touting the value of some “new” culture.
Later, headquarters had issued another new cultural initiative. This time it
included a management kickoff meeting at which a “talking-head” video was
shown to communicate the importance of getting everyone on board with the
high-performance principles. Steve’s division was apathetic about the whole
thing—and understandably so.
“It’s almost an insult,” some said, “when we’ve already been practicing
these principles for years.” These team members knew that Steve embodied
the vision, and under his leadership they had achieved what the rest of the
company was still contemplating. They had been living the vision.
The key element in this situation was the presence of a well-respected leader
with a clear, long-term mentality. He had, in effect, become a pioneer in the
company. What a contrast between Steve and his predecessor, who not only
lacked vision himself but couldn’t even muster the energy to implement the
ideas generated by his staff.
Our experience working with Abbey Press further confirmed that leaders
who uphold their strongly held values, even in times of economic downturns,
are a key to solid achievement. Abbey Press, which publishes inspirational
books and sells religious merchandise, is run by Benedictine monks with
the support of a secular staff. As Gerald Wilhite, general manager of Abbey
Press, told us, “Father Carl believed in his dream of a transformed workforce,
which one monk said was ‘very Benedictine.’ He perceived that our success
had waned a bit, and worked to rebuild the culture, and that brought big
paybacks.” 15
We organized a Dream Retreat for Father Carl and his staff. At the end
of our three-day retreat, John Wilson, Father Carl’s boss, who had been
invited at Carl’s request, jumped to his feet to declare somewhat sheepishly
that he had been reluctant to attend the meeting. Three times in the days
before the retreat, Wilson had been ready to pick up the phone and say that
he and his staff would not be able to participate after all. Only his respect
for Father Carl, who had voiced great excitement about the teamwork a new
culture would bring, stopped Wilson from backing out.