All Hands on Deck

8 Essential Lessons for Building a Culture of Ownership

Joe Tye

• Publisher: Wiley
• Year: 2010
• Print ISBN: 9780470599129
• eBook ISBN: 9780470637494
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Business
• Subtopic: Workplace Culture
• Index: Business

In the stormy seas of today's world economy, organizations need all hands on deck

In the stormy seas of today's world economy, organizations need people to own their work, not just rent a spot on the organization chart. All Hands on Deck is a fun-to-read story that is both a business strategy book about creating competitive advantage through corporate culture, and a personal development book that will inspire readers to be more committed and engaged with their work and their organizations. Drawing upon the wisdom of some of the greatest and most beloved business leaders of the 20th century, this essential guide:

• Creates a virtual roadmap for building a culture of ownership where so workers are inspired to think and act like partners in the enterprise, and not just hired hands
• Shares practical and proven strategies for earning employee buy-in and commitment to the values, vision, and purpose of the organization
• Features the real-world wisdom of some of the most successful and beloved business leaders of the 20th century, including Walt Disney, Ray Kroc, Mary Kay Ash, Bill Hewlett, and Dave Packard

A stirring resource for today's business environment, All Hands on Deck shares the tools you need to create an organization that competes and succeeds in today's turbulent world, and the inspiration that your people need to put those tools to work.

1

Changing “Us and Them” to “We”

For Corey Whitaker, June 13 was the best of times and the worst of times. The week before, he’d been promoted to the CEO position of Owatt Hospitality Services, a Fortune 500 hotel and restaurant enterprise, following an agonizing search process during which he never knew whether he’d be elevated or escorted to the elevator. Yesterday morning, the company’s stock price had tanked following an analyst’s report that productivity and service-quality problems threatened the very viability of the enterprise. Whitaker had himself only recently become aware of the magnitude of these challenges, since the previous CEO hoarded information like an old pit bull guarding his bone. As executive vice president for marketing, Whitaker was kept out of the loop when it came to operating issues. He smiled and shook his head. The fact that he was out of the loop was undoubtedly why the board had turned the mess over to him.

Whitaker was at the airport, waiting for the sunrise flight from Baltimore to LaGuardia. Later that morning, he had a meeting with the company’s bankers, who wanted to know what he was going to do to protect their money. He tried to concentrate on the spreadsheets that just the day before had been loaded onto his laptop but was distracted by the familiar voice of Jack Stallings, business correspondent for CNN, projecting from the television suspended from the ceiling several rows down: “As if the poor economy wasn’t already clobbering business travel, tourism, and eating out, it now appears that Owatt Hospitality has shot itself in both feet, with customer satisfaction and revenue per employee both taking big hits in the last quarter.”

“You know, we’d solve this economic crisis in about a week if Congress would pass a law saying that these overpaid suits had to get out of their cushy offices; make ’em all get out there on the front lines and do some honest work for a change.” Corey hadn’t noticed the man when he’d sat down next to him. He was wearing a New York Yankees baseball cap and tinted eyeglasses. Whitaker guessed him to be about 40. He was thin and wiry, with the intense face of a snake eyeing a mouse. “Let ’em get their hands dirty—see what it’s like to do some real work for a change.”

Whitaker closed up his laptop—he didn’t want anyone to see the numerical train wreck represented by that spreadsheet—then self-consciously adjusted his necktie. “I’m sure a lot of those ‘suits,’ as you call them, would love nothing better than to get out of their offices and not have to deal with bankers, investors, customers, and competitors. Of course, with no ‘suit’ tending to these things, it wouldn’t be long before nobody had any ‘real work’ to do.”

The man in the Yankees cap stared hard at Whitaker. “Well, maybe if they’d get out of their offices and talk to people—treat us like adults who might have good ideas and not like children who can’t even be trusted to show up on time for work—they might find the ideas they need to fix their businesses have been there all the time, right under their noses. Acres of diamonds and all that, you know.” He held out his right hand. “Brent Jacobs. I hope you don’t mind me unloading on you like this.” Taking a quick look at Whitaker’s black pinstripe suit and red silk tie, he added, “And I hope you don’t take it personally.”

They shook hands. “Not at all. I’ll tell you Brent, I’d love to be able to trust people to show up for work because they really wanted to be there, but that’s not the real world—at least not where I work. If we didn’t have, and enforce, an attendance policy—I shudder to think how people would take advantage of us.”

“You say ‘us’ like the people who work for you are part of ‘them’ and not part of ‘we.’ It shouldn’t surprise you they don’t show up on time.” Jacobs crossed his arms, stuck his legs out straight, and glued his stare to the TV.

Whitaker placed the laptop in his briefcase, then looked at his watch. He wanted to dispute Jacobs, to tell him that Owatt Hospitality Services was like a big family where everyone pulled together, where there was no “us” and “them,” only “we.” But he’d spent the morning looking at employee and customer satisfaction reports, and he knew it wasn’t true. When he was in marketing, he and his group had worked on countless annual reports, press releases, and ad campaigns spouting the party line that Owatt’s people were partners working together to serve their guests and customers. They were family. And he’d believed it all—or at least had tried hard to believe it. But the black-and-white truth staring up at him from the reports he’d been studying told a different story. Most of Owatt’s employees saw themselves as hired hands, not partners—and probably for good reason. The spirit of teamwork he’d enjoyed in the marketing division did not seem to exist in most of the rest of the company.

“So, Brent, you’ve obviously got some pretty strong opinions about management. What do you do?”

Jacobs kept his eyes fixed on the TV. After a long sigh, he said, “I’m just a bookkeeper. Work nights.”

Whitaker cringed inwardly. He hated to hear people describe themselves with the word “just,” knowing that in this context, it was often the most unjust word in the English language. “The company I work with has lots of night-shift accountants,” he said. “If they don’t do their jobs well, we’re out of business.” He smiled, then added, “Overnight—that’s how fast we’d go down the tubes without our ‘just’ overnight bookkeepers.”

“Humph.” Jacobs shifted in his chair. “So, where do you work?”

Whitaker laughed softly. “Actually, I work for the company that started this conversation—Owatt Hospitality, the one Jack Stallings was talking about when you sat down.”

“No kidding? What do you do there?”

“Well, as of last week, I’m the CEO. According to Stallings, anyway, I’ve really got my work cut out for me.” He looked over at the ticket counter. They were getting ready to board the plane. He squirmed at the prospect that, once they’d boarded and after he’d ensconced himself in the first-class section, Jacobs would walk by and smirk as he headed back to his seat in coach.

“So, you’re the new CEO, huh? Should I say congratulations or condolences?”

“I’m not sure. Both, I suppose. So, where do you work, Brent?”

Jacobs stood up and hoisted his backpack. “Surrey Park Inn and Suites in Manhattan. I’m sure you’ve heard of it.”

Whitaker laughed and reached for his briefcase. “Of course I’ve heard of it.” Surrey Park was one of Owatt’s premiere properties and one of the few bright spots in the otherwise dismal portrait of a company that, according to Jack Stallings, was headed for Niagara Falls in a barrel.

Over the loudspeaker came the announcement, “We are now seating our first-class passengers, plus anyone else who needs a little extra time going down the jetway.” A very frequent flyer, Whitaker boarded through this gate regularly. The woman now standing behind the counter was always cheerful and helpful. He made a mental note to give her a business card—once the new ones were printed up. She would, he thought to himself, make a great member of the Owatt team—once they were back in hiring mode, anyway.

After he’d boarded, Whitaker didn’t notice whether Jacobs smirked as he walked through the first-class section; he was again absorbed in his spreadsheets. And he was already heading for the limo stand by the time Jacobs deplaned. He made another mental note to stay at the Surrey Park Inn and Suites the next time he was in town and to look up Brent Jacobs in the back office on the night shift.

There was a man in a tuxedo standing just outside the security gate with Whitaker’s name on a placard. “Have you got any luggage, sir?” he asked after Whitaker introduced himself.

“Not the kind you can see,” Whitaker replied with a smile. “Just a quick in-and-out today.”

“Well, let me take that for you, anyway,” the chauffeur said, reaching for Whitaker’s briefcase. “My name’s Jeff Saunders.” He pointed toward the revolving door. “We’re right out here.”

Through the revolving door, Whitaker saw a black stretch limo with smoked-glass windows. It gleamed like it had just come off the factory line. “The other guest arrived a bit early. He’s already in the car waiting for us.”

“Other guest?” Whitaker tried to hide his displeasure at the news he’d be sharing his limo with someone else. He’d planned to use the drive for final preparation and had no time for or interest in bantering with another stranger.

“Yes, sir. It’s Mr. Disney. He said you’d know him.”

Whitaker shook his head. Of course, Owatt had properties near every Disney theme park but as far as he knew had never dealt directly with anyone from the Disney family. For that matter, he didn’t even know if there were any living members of the family still around.

“Should I put your briefcase in the trunk, or would you like to hang on to it?”

“I’ll hang on to it, thanks.”

Saunders opened the back door and set the briefcase on the floor next to the side-facing seat. Whitaker saw penny loafers and the lower legs of a pair of white slacks as he stooped to get into the limo. With one foot on the floor of the car and one foot on the curb, he froze in place. He’d seen the man in the seat opposite him before—the man with the thin mustache and the big smile. As a child, he’d seen him every Saturday morning on television.

“Mr. Whitaker, meet Mr. Disney,” Saunders said as he held the door.

The man with the mustache smiled and touched his forehead in a casual salute. “Please, it’s Walt. A pleasure to meet you. Have a seat, Corey. We’ve got a lot to do and not much time to do it.”

2

Real Ownership Is of the Heart, Not of the Wallet

Corey hardly noticed the airport terminal fade into the distance through the limo’s smoked-glass window. He just stared at the man who had been introduced as Walt Disney. After a very long moment, his eyes narrowed, and he allowed the slightest smile to crease his mouth. “That was very good, Mr.—uhm—Mr. Disney, did you say?”

“That’s right. And I’m sure this must all be quite disorienting for you.”

“Disorienting? Oh no, not at all—once I figured out your game.”

“My game?” Disney smiled wryly. “And just what do you think my game is, Corey?”

Corey leaned back in his seat and shook his head with a laugh. “As the guy who plans meetings and conferences for one of the world’s largest hospitality companies, I get sales pitches from you motivational look-alikes all the time. The Ben Franklin look-alike sends me a key and a kite and tells me he will electrify my organization. The Teddy Roosevelt look-alike tells me he’ll fire up the troops to charge the hill. The Dirty Harry look-alike tells me he’ll make my day. But for a Walt Disney look-alike to hijack my cab ... I have to hand it to you, bud, you really do have chutzpah. So, where are you taking me, ‘Mr. Disney’—to the Magic Kingdom?”

Disney didn’t answer but tapped the window that separated the two men from the driver’s compartment. The window slid open. “Yes, Mr. Disney?”

“Jeff, Corey wants to go to the Magic Kingdom. Can we fit that in and still get him to his meeting on time?”

“No problem, Mr. Disney.” The window whispered shut, and Corey felt the limo accelerate.

Corey shook his head. “No, ‘Walt,’ there is a problem. This game’s gone far enough, whatever your name is. It’s not funny anymore. Now we’re talking kidnapping, and you could get twenty years in the federal pen. You had better—”

“Ah, Kidnapped,” Disney said with a heartfelt sigh. “The great Robert Louis Stevenson classic. I’d always wanted to make that movie. There’s just never enough time, is there, Corey?”

Before he could reply, Corey felt the car slow down and come to a stop. He knew they hadn’t been driving long enough to have reached the bank building and was about to protest when the side door opened and a burst of frigid air shot into the passenger cabin. “We’re here,” Disney said, tapping Corey on the knee as he scooted across and stepped out of the limo. “You can leave your briefcase in the car.”

Corey looked out the door, blinked hard, and shook his head. Then he looked out again. It was snowing hard—in July. “We need to get moving if you’re going to get to your meeting on time,” Disney said, motioning Corey to get out of the limo.

Corey swung himself around and stepped outside—and into another world. It couldn’t have been much more than 10 degrees outside, and snowflakes were flying past horizontally on a driving wind. Disney tugged on Corey’s sleeve. “Come on, let’s go before you freeze to death.”

“What the . . . What’s going on?” Corey stepped gingerly into the snow, following Disney’s lead.

“You’ll understand soon enough, Corey. For now, just follow me. And pay attention. You’ll never see this again.” Disney led Corey through the snow toward a small hill. Over the top, Corey found himself looking into a painting he’d seen in history books. Only this time, the picture wasn’t in a frame. And the figures were moving. He couldn’t hear anything over the wind, but he knew he was watching one of the most famous and pivotal scenes in American history being played out—seemingly in real life. A man he immediately recognized as George Washington was speaking to a small group of patriots at Valley Forge. The men were sitting on tree stumps, stooped and sullen, and even from this remove, Corey could tell that whatever Washington was telling them, he had a hard sell to make.

Disney put a hand on Corey’s shoulder. Spellbound, he’d forgotten his shock and the cold as he’d watched the father of the country imploring his tatterdemalion troops. “You know what he’s saying?” Disney asked, and without waiting for an answer, continued: “He’s telling those men that he can’t pay them, he can’t feed or supply them, he can’t safeguard their lives, and he can’t guarantee their ultimate success; and still, he wants them to stay with him, starving and freezing, to fight for their country—a country that does not yet exist except in the dreams of men like this. You know why I’m showing you this, Corey?”

Corey shook his head as he hugged his shoulders. He was shivering so badly that he couldn’t have spoken even if he knew the answer.

“I brought you here because this is a great metaphor for the challenge that you’re going to face in your company. These men—the men to whom you and your countrymen owe your freedom—had a sense of ownership that transcended paychecks, stock options, perks, and benefits. That spirit of ownership underlies every great organization. And that will be your challenge, young man: to build a culture of ownership. It’s going to be an arduous journey. Are you up for the challenge?”

George Washington was now down on one knee, eye to eye with his men. He was still speaking earnestly, holding one fist to his chest. The men were nodding grudging affirmations. Corey felt tears on his cheeks and his heart in his throat. “I don’t know.”

“That’s good, Corey. I’d worry if you weren’t filled with doubt and concern. But shall we start the journey, anyway?”

Corey nodded, and just like that, a small vehicle appeared in front of the two men, like one of the cars you would see on a ride at a Disney theme park. Walt nudged Corey into the seat and the car started moving, leaving the snows of Valley Forge behind.

Over the next several minutes, Corey saw American history play out right in front of him—a panorama of covered wagons, farmers, inventors, factories, burgeoning cities, and highways unfolding themselves across the landscape. After a while, Walt spoke. “What drove all these people—the men and women who made this country great? It wasn’t just the desire for money and material things. They wanted to be part of something...

Table of contents

• Praise
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Epigraph
• Foreword
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• Chapter 1 - Changing “Us and Them” to “We”
• Chapter 2 - Real Ownership Is of the Heart, Not of the Wallet
• Chapter 3 - Lesson 1: Start with a Mission that is Bigger Than the Business
• Chapter 4 - Lesson 2: Use Structure and Process to Create Culture
• Chapter 5 - Lesson 3: Build Culture on a Foundation of Values
• Chapter 6 - Lesson 4: Trust Is the Glue in a Culture of Ownership
• Chapter 7 - Lesson 5: Use Stories to Reinforce Cultural Norms
• Chapter 8 - Lesson 6: Invest in Character Building
• Chapter 9 - Lesson 7: Unleash Individual Creativity and Ingenuity
• Chapter 10 - Lesson 8: Everyone Is a Volunteer
• Chapter 11 - The Four Essential Elements of a Culture of Ownership
• Chapter 12 - It Takes Courage and Strength of Character to Be a Culture Leader
• Chapter 13 - A Culture of Ownership Is a Bilateral Relationship
• Afterword
• Appendix 1 - Blueprinting the Invisible Architecture
• Appendix 2 - The Self-Empowerment Pledge
• Appendix 3 - Study Questions
• Bibliography
• About the Author
• Services from Values Coach Inc.
• Joe Tye’s Speaking Topics