I just finished another great book by Simon Sinek, Leaders Eat Last. Leaders eat last… Wait the big guy, the chief, the coach, the man in charge eats last? But shouldn’t that be the other way around? He’s worked so hard to eat first…
The reality is that the good leaders do eat last. They take care of their people and drive to help them improve each day. Leadership is not about numbers, performance or pleasing shareholders. Leadership is about earning the trust and respect of those people you lead. Leadership in the workforce is about building a team of people who are there for you not only in the good times when everything goes well but also fight through the bad times along side you. A great leader will never sacrifice a person to make a fictitious number that only means something to someone else. They treat employees as son & daughters, brothers & sisters. When you looks to the person to your right and to your left and see them as a son, a daughter, a brother or a sister how could you ever sacrifice their career to make a number for the short-term?!…
In the days before we had the modern luxuries we have, and I am not talking cell phones or amazon, I am talking farming, industry. In those days people banded together to make ends meet. They turned to others in the same city and tribe and worked together to ensure everyone stayed fed and warm. People worked together to serve each other and help each other out in every way imaginable. The culture of the time depended on everyone playing a part and working together to make life work. Yes, in those days we are talking life or death. Today we don’t have to be that dramatic about the workforce but the same ideals apply.
What would the world be like if companies hired and operated for the long term? What would it be like to go into work knowing that the guy to your right and to your left, the guy in the office down the hall and the guy in the big office on the top floor were there to serve you as you are to serve them? What would it be like if in times of struggle and constrained resources, everyone took a hit instead of letting go of our friends? What if …? What if?
Where did we go wrong… In the book, there were many stories of where things started to go wrong as well as stories that went right. I will let you read those for yourself. The more important question is can we ever get back to a time when people are not a commodity but instead a force to work together for a common goal, a common purpose and to feel the safety and trust that the leaders they work for care about them as an individual and will look out for them and all they ask in return is the same from them. Can a company be formed and succeed today for the long term sacrificing the get rich quick scheme for the build something to last, something our kids will one day run and somewhere where everyone’s kids will one day want to work and keep the tradition alive?
I don’t know, but I have a feeling I’m going to try…