The Challenge
“There is no greater challenge than to have someone
relying upon you;
no greater satisfaction than to vindicate his expectation.”
- Kingman Brewster -
Baccalaureate address as president of Yale 12 Jun 66
In last week's article (With
regard to Meetings), I indicated that a good meeting ‘occurs because the meeting had a clear objective, the
right mix of people who are able to interact and contribute equally toward achieving that clearly defined objective
and guidelines or ground rules that promoted effective communication and kept disruptions to a minimum.’
Each year at about this time (mid-July) the key members of the senior management staff associated with Scottsdale
Camelback Resort go on a retreat for several days. We choose destinations that are within a few hours driving
time from Scottsdale and places that have facilities conducive to achieving our objectives. One of those
objectives is to strengthen the bonds that we have formed over the past 10+ years and we begin the process on the
drive to the location. We argue about who is going to drive, who gets the front passenger seat, the music on the
radio or CD, when we stop for a potty break or lunch. It’s not much different than the traditional family vacation
with mom and pop in the front and two or more kids in the back. “Are we there yet!” Those in attendance this year
will be Lori Entwistle, General Manager, Eric Downey, Director of Operations, Clark Rowley, Director of Marketing
& Guest Services and myself.
In reality, this retreat is a meeting that lasts almost 80 hours or the better part of 4 days and acts as the
kickoff of our budgeting process for the coming year. It is at this meeting or retreat that we challenge just about
everything we are about historically and ourselves as individuals. Traditionally several things occur at the beginning
of the retreat. Each of the participants receives a book I have selected just for them as a token of my admiration
and appreciation.
This year Lori will receive the new Marcus Buckingham book titled ‘the One Thing You Need to
Know’ Many of you will remember the author from his book ‘Now Discover Your Strengths’ and his appearance
at the 2002 Spring ARDA Conference in Las Vegas. ‘The One Thing You Need to Know’ gives readers
an invaluable course in outstanding achievements - a guide to capturing the essence of the three areas fundamental
to professional activity. Those are Great Managing, Great Leading, and Career Success.
This year Clark will receive the new book ‘Ready to Lead?’ by Alan Price. This is a story
for leaders and their mentors. The lead character is Mark Gibson and the story begins near the end
of his annual performance evaluation when his reviewer indicates that he has his choice of several great assignments
if he answered a few questions satisfactorily. Mark asks this; “All I have to do is answer some
questions?” The response was: “That’s right.” To which Mark responded: “OK, I’m game, ask
away.” The reviewer looked Mark directly in the eyes and asked the key question: “Are you ready to
lead?”
Finally, Eric will receive the new book by former Canadian Olympian Vince Poscente titled: ‘the
ant and the ELEPHANT - LEADERSHIP FOR THE SELF’. Renowned as an expert communicator, Mr. Poscente uses
his wit and wisdom to tell the story of Adir the ant (the overly conscious hero) and Elgo the elephant
(Adir’s stubborn and instinctual subconscious partner) in their quest to reach the Oasis, their vision
of paradise in the African savannah. The simple story is a powerful metaphor designed to bring out your
best performance as a leader.
Another tradition is that we watch a training tape that was specifically chosen to fit this year’s agenda.
This year’s tape was rented from Customer Service University and carried the title: Joel Barker’s Leadershift.
Five Lessons for Leaders in the 21st Century. The video comes with a companion workbook that guides us through
the learning points.
Using bridge building as a metaphor, futurist Joel Barker teaches us that more than
anything else, the 21st century leader will build bridges... bridges built of hope and ideas and opportunities.
Bridges that help us move from where we are to where we need to be. The Key Learning Points are:
Another of our traditions and one of our main objectives is reviewing the goals for the next year as presented
by the department heads and supervisors back at the resort. These key staff members have also provided a wish list
of capital improvements they believe will either enhance their opportunity to achieve those goals and/or increase
guest satisfaction. Lori, Eric and Clark have the duty to represent these associates to the
group as a whole, and attempt to sell the other three on goals and needs of their team members.
In order to set the tone for this year’s retreat, I put forth a challenge in early July for each of us to work
on pre-retreat. Individually without sharing with the other three, each had to complete several identical projects.
Note that these challenges and projects follow along with the feature video that we watch together on Day One and
the Key Learning Points contained therein. However, Lori, Clark, nor Eric had prior knowedge of this
fact.
The setup challenge was: Define what you think a leader is or what leadership is. That was quickly followed
with:
Project # 1 Assume the four of us [Lori, Clark, Eric and Myself] were a team and then describe what the
team responsibility is, if we are to lead the associates at SCR.
Project # 2 Assume that a paradigm shift was about to occur at SCR and then describe the circumstances
that you see that would cause this shift.
- A paradigm shift is: a major change in a certain thought-patterns – a radical change in personal beliefs,
complex systems or organization, replacing the former way of thinking or organization with a radically different
way of thinking or organizing.
Project # 3 Assume that SCR does present Complex Systems. Within such complex systems small things can
have a major effect over the long haul. Without using such commonly observed problems such as communications, aging,
employee turnover, pay scales and/or benefits or the legality of the workforce, describe 4 things currently existing
at SCR that may pose a threat to the system.
Project # 4 The fact is that many management systems currently exist at SCR and that management styles
have a direct and prolonged effect on associate productivity and job satisfaction. In your own words describe your
management style and why your direct reports respond positively to your style.
Project # 5 Assume that we (the team) must return to Scottsdale and SCR with a clear vision of what tomorrow
will bring and have an overall plan of attack that our associates will buy into. Describe what you think that vision
should be.
Each were advised to present their individual challenges and projects on 8½”X 11” white paper using landscape
and at least a 20 point bold Tahoma font and to position these pages in a 3 ring Salesman's Presentation Easel
Binder that each were provided. The idea being that the four of us would be setting around a conference table at
the retreat and at the appropriate time we would simultaneously turn our easels so that they may be viewed by all
on a equal basis.
FINAL THOUGHT
It is hoped that on the drive back to Scottsdale from our retreat we will have used all the resources
available to us effectively and efficiently to achieve our objectives and will have used the time together to strengthen
our bond both as teammates and friends.
If the plan is successful we will have collectively defined our leadership strengths as a team and our responsibilities
as leaders to those we hope will choose to follow our lead. We will have reaffirmed that change is inevitable and
can begin the process of rethinking and reexamining previous assumptions that currently define our box and what
we must do to expand its perimeter so that new challenges can be met. We will have identified several small but
problematic issues individually and hopefully each of us will have identified one or two that the others left off
their list. Once on the full list, we can address them and devise plans to be included in our final vision. That
vision must be that of a bridge that provides passage from today into the tomorrows and beyond.
I am reminded of the idea presented by Paula Gamonal, Wells Fargo Business Systems Consultant who put
forth this thought: “Most corporations these days are operated in a way that can be compared to a busload of people.
Everyone on the bus is busily reading maps and road guides, and even operating the controls of the bus. Unfortunately,
nobody has raised their eyes out of their maps and books long enough to look out the window and see the road ahead.
When everyone is too busy looking at maps, measurements and charts to look out the window, this does not bode well
for avoiding obstacles, knowing if you're traveling in the right direction, and getting to your destination safely!”
The opportunity has fallen upon Lori, Clark, Eric and myself to look out the window and if we have filled
the windshield washer tank full of the ‘right stuff’, our vision will have been clear all the way to the bridge,
our associates will be excited about what we see beyond and choose to follow us across.
The question remains: Were we up to The Challenge?
JS 7/05
