Expensive Strengths

Almost every leader in the world likes to make a similar collection of brags; declarations that sound fantastic and invite applause.
These include:
“We are a high performing team”

“We have a commitment to diversity and inclusion”

“We strive for excellence”

“We always make ethical decisions”

“Customers are at the heart of everything we do”

“We prioritise our culture”

“We are an employer of choice”

I hate to break it to you, but you’ve probably worked it out already:
Most of these people are lying.
No?
Think about your workplace, or where your friends work, what stories do you hear?
Think about the institutions and bureaucracies you encounter, do they practice what their corporate manuals preach?

Some of these leaders are outright lying – they have no intention of living out these claims.
e.g. they thrive on a culture that puts people in awful situations, they profiteer at the expense of workers or customers or the planet, they cut corners, they are bullies, etc.
These aren’t unhappy by-products, they’re an integral part of the recipe.
In Australia, we have royal commissions dedicated to exposing these systems, be it in the Church, the banking industry or aged care.

In the majority of cases however, the leader isn’t outright lying, but rather making a cheap statement that will cost them more than they initially bargained for.
For example, hiring a diverse team is a more complicated process than hiring all of the same people.
It involves fishing in a wide range of ponds, taking more time to find and interview candidates, having uncomfortable conversations and holding yourselves to a higher standard than ever before.
Yes, they like the idea of diversity, but in reality the flinch at the higher price tag.

Here is my theory on why it’s so hard to get right:

·      Most businesses need to actively save money in order to stay alive.

·      In order to save money, people default to their habits and autopilot systems.

·      Their autopilot systems lead them to quick answers and “normal” decisions.

·      A business built on “normal” decisions will look like most other businesses.

·      These businesses end up with the same biases, flaws and issues as most others.

·      Therefore, it’s cheaper or more profitable to run with lower standards.

The brags listed above are often centred around high standards:

·      High standards are expensive.

·      High standards come from saying “No” to mediocrity and compromise.

·      This requires the organisation to either turn down customers, charge higher prices, take longer to produces their products or services, pay their staff more, or fire profitable team members who transgress their policies.

·      In moments of difficulty and pressure, it will be tempting to briefly let these slip.

·      These types of brags don’t mean much if you let them slip.

For example, it will be tempting to keep a high performing staff member, even when they are accused of acting inappropriately.
It will be tempting to hire the obvious candidate rather than go through the more diligent process.
It will be tempting to pad the invoices or cut corners on the work.
It will be tempting to switch to cheaper suppliers or methodologies.
These are the moments that define your brand: not the speeches on a stage, but the times where you resisted the temptation to compromise in exchange for more money.

These strengths are genuine strengths for an organisation, but they are expensive.
Excellence is expensive, it means being uncompromising, redoing work, taking longer on each task, offering guarantees, using the best components, and constantly training your team.
Inclusion is expensive, it means doing more than what is “normal” to make it easy for those on the margins to feel at home, both through your physical setup and by creating a safe psychological space.
Ethics are expensive, they involve turning down work, missing opportunities, reporting issues that would otherwise have gone unnoticed, and even firing people you enjoy working with.

Here is my suggestion: think very carefully about whether or not you’re happy to pay the full cost of each strength.
If you’re not, then don’t make cheap claims in the media or in your branding.
The truth comes out, and when it does you’re guaranteed to disappoint your team, your fans and your customers.
If you like the brag but hate the price, it’s worth asking yourself why that might be?

Having worked in organisations that keep high standards, here is the reassurance I can offer:
It does not ever become easy, but you do build momentum that makes it simple to stay on track.
If you create a culture of accountability, treat people well and hold yourself to the same standards as everyone else, then these strengths become part of your reputation, and that reputation makes you more desirable to customers, investors and future hires.

Most people won’t hold you to their standards, but they love holding you to your own standards.
If your actions and standards don’t match, now is your chance to either raise your game or be more honest about what your true strengths might be.