The Timeshare Beat: Jerry Sikes; Stability

Those who know me best know that I believe my responsibility is to lead. In my mind the formula for leadership is very simple: Let others do the things they can do and then I do the things that others expect of me. The reason for this simplicity is that it facilitates stability. Those who respond directly to me know without doubt, two things. The first is that I expect them to perform day-in, day-out at the peak of their ability and that I have an opinion on most things. They don't come to me for validations and if they ask for my opinion I will give it, sometimes even without being asked. The difference is that they understand that my opinion is just that, my opinion and that I expect them to consider that opinion as they, I say again, they make their decision.

There are some decisions that cry out for collective thinking and there are decisions that should be made at the lowest level of the organization. It is the duty of the leader to facilitate an environment that nurtures both. Such an environment is very fragile and stability is the glue that holds it together. Just think of the guest service agent at the front desk needing to make a decision that will enhance the experience of a guest, however that agent is afraid of making that decision because of a pattern of retaliation that exists when their immediate superior disagrees with the decision they made. Or the opposite situation, the guest service agent confident enough in the system environment to know that it is up to them to make the necessary decision and has been not only empowered, but also encouraged to do so.

The same situation comes into play during the decision by collaboration efforts. Some would liken that environment to the 'decision by committee' situation however; for the most part they are exactly opposite. In the 'committee' situation, each member is expected to give their opinion; a vote is taken, and majority rules. The problems with this situation always comes from two existing factors: 1] the organization hierarchy forces an imbalance in the ranking of individual opinions and 2] those outvoted always go away dissatisfied and reluctant to fully participate in future committee efforts for fear of always being on the losing side. In the 'collaboration' environment each individual is expected to present factors that should be considered prior to the group arriving at a decision. This environment increases the odds that all the factors that could (or may) affect the process are on the table and leads everyone involved to agree on the decision that overcomes most of those factors. The only one entitled to feel bad about the decision is that individual who knew of such a factor and did not bring it to the table. Again, the stability of the work environment is the key to success.

Stability is not thought of as coming from leadership as much as it is coming from management. Some researchers contend that leadership contributes 1] innovation, 2] direction and 3] doing right things while management contributes 1] stability, 2] efficiency and 3] doing things right. The truth is that if stability exists, it matters little where it comes from. However, in most situations where it is present two truths are usually self-evident: 1] a solid foundation exists, as does 2] the capability for bending without breaking. To me this indicates both leadership and management are necessary to maintain an environment of stability.

At this point you are ready to tell me to back off of the theory and produce a real life example of the mutually beneficial results of stability in the workplace. In order to do this I must isolate one such situation that exists at SCR and experience would lead me to believe that same situation exists in the majority of successful business entities.

If the organization at SCR were a typical one, somewhere within its structure would exist a box entitled something like Executive Administrative Assistant and Marybeth Brown's name would appear within that box. The truth is that we have failed miserably at finding a box to fit her in or, to be more exact, a box she would stay in. If you asked Marybeth whom her 'boss' was she would probably respond with something like: "It would depend upon the situation." If you were to ask her something like 'how do you establish priorities?' she would probably respond: "Whose priority?" You see she takes care of the needs of our HOA board of directors, Lori Entwistle - the SCR general manager, Clark Rowley - the SCR director of marketing and guest services, and me. Believe me this is a very daunting task because individually we (the Board, Lori, Clark and I) wear several hats and she is imbedded in all we do. As a quick example: Marybeth is the Recording Secretary for the HOA, in addition to being the resort GM, Lori is the Designated Broker for the SCR rental program, Clark serves on the Board of HSMAI and I am involved with ARDA. On a quarterly basis, Marybeth insures that we (collectively) get the Association's Newsletter out on time and are effectively prepared for the board meetings by developing the agenda and the board books we all rely upon. She is responsible for communicating with all of our new owners and maintaining the ongoing owner register that is vital to the health and well being of our resort and its association. She is our Notary-- and these are just the highlights.

More specifically let me give you an idea what Marybeth has to do for me. The truth is that I am somewhat of an eccentric. I have no desk at SCR; I have no phone and don't carry a cell phone or beeper. I don't keep regular hours. If I have an engagement or meeting Marybeth puts it on her calendar because I don't maintain one. If she is busy she tells me to go get the mail and distribute it. If I cannot find what I am looking for she usually has a backup somewhere because she knows at some point I will misplace most everything. Because she is there, at her desk acting as an anchor, I can function somewhat effectively.

In reality, she is not always there at her desk. She only works four days a week, once or twice a month she acts as our MOD (manager on duty), she takes long lunches where she reads highbrow books and is always off floating around the resort maintaining her contacts or doing something for Lori, Clark or someone. While she hates it, Pete (her husband) makes her take trips with him to out of the way places such as New York, New Orleans, Paris or Iowa.

Final Thought

The subject was stability and it began with me touting leadership as I define it and ended with Marybeth Brown as she functions on a day-to-day basis. The reality is that stability is all about that and more. We mentioned that an important part of stability was a solid foundation. When we think of a foundation we often think of footer. This is a hole in the ground surrounded by a form then filled with concrete and rebar. As you know concrete is a mixture of cement, aggregate (sand and gravel) and water. This liquefied mixture is pored into the form containing the rebar and allowed to set and bind the entire mass. Once this has occurred and the form has been removed, this footer along with several others becomes the anchor for a buildings foundation. I am sure that there are structural engineers out there that could tell us exactly how this formula works together to support a building however, we all know if one of the ingredients is missing the whole foundation would be in danger of collapsing.

That same structural engineer could tell us about the necessity for a high-rise building with a good foundation to sway in the wind or an oilrig anchored on the ocean floor to sway with the ocean's currents. We know that without this built in flexibility both would collapse in to heaps of rubble.

Without Marybeth (or someone like her) covering my a*# every day I would not be an effective leader and the source of some stability. Without an organizational structure that encourages independent thinking outside the box, shared responsibility and mutual respect, the Marybeths of this world would not exist and a vital ingredient in the stable workplace would be missing.

I am blessed because I can look around and at every turn find a Fred or Lori, a Clark or Marybeth, a Robin or Jennifer and a Mrs. Gerry. Each of them (and many unmentioned others) provide me with not only anchors but also a security net so that I can fly high knowing full well that those things for which I hold ultimate responsibility are and will continue to be nurtured in stability. For me this stability is the prize that comes from the efforts necessary to maintain mutually beneficial relationship.

JS 2/05