Friday, Vistage launched a one hour interview by Sam Reese, Vistage’s CEO, with Alan Mulally who led Boeing for many profitable years and then turned around Ford Motor Company. Watch it today if you are in the Vistage community. Mulally is Magic.
Okay, let’s just say I was inspired and watching Mulally I realized that I’ve been a student of leadership my whole life. Not the arrogant, one off kind of leaders who create a cult around them. Watch Mulally with a smile on his face inspire you to be your best self. I would sign on to work with him in a minute.
Mulally quotes Kahlil Gibran that “Work is love made visible.” I remember burning incense in my room and reading Gibran as a teenager. I didn’t know how to bring that into the workplace but Mulally did. Remember, this guy turned around Ford.
He coupled heart, humility, vision and accountability into his “working together management system”.
Mulally says there are 3 questions people ask when they meet a leader:
1 Who are you? Are you here for the glory or to serve a greater mission?
2 Where are we going? Do you have a compelling vision , a comprehensive strategy and a relentless implementation plan?
3. Do you see me? Do you recognize and appreciate the people you work with?
So once you create a compelling vision and get smart people who believe in it together, you have to have zero tolerance accountability. Can I admit I winced a little. This is my achilles heel. I know that “you get what you tolerate” so my whole life I’ve worked on that one. Every once in a while my Vistage Members slap me up the side of the head ( in a good way) and I narrow my zone of tolerance. I usually feel better when I do.
So today, watch Mulally and pick one thing to work on to be a better leader. You won’t regret it.
If you are not a subscriber to BIZPIE blog, you can subscribe here.
Image courtesy of the global speakers bureau.