Aloha Leadership; From Pineapples to Presidents

Hawai'i was ruled by Kings, Queens and Kahuna for hundreds of years before a President took over just before the 20th century. Sanford B. Dole (yes, the pineapple scion) declared himself President of the islands in 1894 just prior to the overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani.

Dole's reign was just six years. In 1900, Hawai'i became a U.S. protectorate and fell under the jurisdiction of then-President William McKinley (he got shot in Buffalo N.Y. but that's another story!) Dole was the territorial governor for several years before retiring to become a District Judge.

Much of Hawaii's early political turmoil was the result of warring factions of native Hawaiians, immgrants from both the U.S. and Asia, and competing financial interests. Compounding that, communication in those days from Washington to Honolulu took weeks.

Everyone wanted their slice of a limited pie, both in dollars and credit. Sound familiar? Today's leaders could draw lessons from their forebearers. Paraphrasing President Kennedy, "Ask not what your special interests can do for you, but what you can do for the people you serve."

Aloha Leadership and Amazing Tales of Hawai'i

Missionaries arrived in what were then called the "Sandwich Islands" in the mid-nineteenth century. Like zealots everywhere, they quickly tried to mold native customs and practices into something more becoming a "God Fearing" nation. In the tropical heat, the Haole (Anglos) wore layers of black, woolen clothing. I can't find any references to how often these settlers bathed, but I imagine it wasn't enough!

Among the practices that the new arrivals looked down on were hula (too sexy), topless women (see #1!) and surfing. For a while, surfing was actually banned in Hawai'i. The Beach Boys never would have made a career of surf music if they'd been born 100 years too early.

Leaders in Hawai'i fought running battles in both the legislature and the streets for many decades. Often, these fights were centered on the clash between "new" world thinking and closely held tradition. Also at play were diverse financial interests from both home and overseas, pitted against a native population that realized their power lay in their land, culture and strategic location between Asia and the Americas.

Balancing heritage and new thinking are constant challenges for the "Aloha Leader", whether your office is on Oahu, Molokai or in land-locked Toledo, Ohio. How leaders work to "Honor Your Culture" is a key component of Mike Faber's "Aloha Leadership" presentation. To inquire about booking Mike, please call 720.851.5208 or email mike@mikefaber.com

Who Qualifies as "Hawaiian"?

A gentleman I interviewed recently on the topic of Aloha Leadership mentioned before our conversation that he wasn't "born here", meaning he isn't native Hawaiian. That said, he arrived on the islands for good in 1950, which by my reckoning gave him sixty years to acclimate.

We define ourselves in large part by where we live, where we were born, and who we cheer for. I was born in Boston, grew up in Western New York state, and have lived almost exclusively in the Rocky Mountain region since 1988. My immediate family lives in Boston, New York and Seattle. When people ask, I say I'm a native of Massachusetts with roots in Rochester NY and New Mexico. It gets kind of confusing.

The need to identify ourselves with a place or a culture is deeply set. When the cavemen introduced each other many years ago, I'm sure they said "My name is Phil, from Cave 16!" and so regional affiliations were born. In Hawai'i, those who can trace their roots back to "native" Hawaiians carry that proudly. It's important to remember where we come from, and to honor our native culture. It's also important to recognize that in the end we're all products of a cultural, social and regional mish-mash. Our differences may keep us apart from time to time, but our similarities create synergy that fosters creativity, healthy curiousity, and hopefully mutual respect.

Regardless of where we call "home", we're all native human beings after all.

Breakthrough Thinking from Aloha Leadership

My new friend Rosa Say is a talented coach, speaker and author based in Hawai'i and she shared some of her thoughts on Aloha Spirit and leadership in a phone call recently. I found a few of her quotes compelling enough to want to share them here.

"Everyone has the Aloha Spirit, it's leadership's responsibility to demonstrate that 'Aloha' is valued in the workplace."

"Time and money are not your greatest resources. Energy is your greatest resource and that only comes from engaged people."

The word "aloha" is a "catch-all" word in Hawaiian, like "Ciao" in Italian or "Hey" in American English. "Aloha" means literally "Hello, Good-bye, love" so its use and value is universal when you're seeking to build and maintain professional and personal relationships.

Find more great ideas and resources from Rosa at http://www.managingwithaloha.com/ Remember, when you visit the islands, open your eyes and ears to take in a new perspective on leadership. Bring home more than just a tan!

Aloha Leadership Combines Respect and Vision!

Hawai'i's beauty belies a violent past. From Kings and Kahuna fighting for dominance in the 18th and 19th centuries, to the smoldering eruptions beneath the sea that are still giving birth to this magnificent chain of islands.

As leaders sometimes we miss the formative stages of the people we rely on. When I started as a branch manager for a large brokerage firm back in the early 90's, I felt like I had to place my "stamp" on everything from office decor to the way customers were greeted. No detail was too small for me to comment upon, and the team I'd inherited must have felt like my input was trashing all that had come before me. Their culture had been shaped over years of working together, and while opportunities existed to improve performance, I didn't win any popularity awards (or improve performance) by speaking loudly and carrying a big stick.

Sometimes it takes upheaval to act as a catalyst for change. Without eruptions and steaming flows of lava, the islands wouldn't exist. But those eruptions happened for thousands of years deep in the ocean before the first signs of change appeared at the surface.

Think about the evolution of change, and the need for respect of an existing culture, before the bull in you invades the china shop.

The Menehune In All of Us

The "Menehune" are little people of myth who lived (and still do perhaps?) in the valleys and mountains of Hawai'i. Impish by nature, their claim to fame over the years is that they do amazing work, often completing feats of engineering that we humans can only marvel at. Legend says they completed their work at lightning speed, only when no-one was watching. This tribe enjoyed dancing, singing and archery. Some were as tall as two feet, others grew to barely six inches in height. Fish and bananas were their food staples.

Sounds like some colleagues I've worked with over the years. Not the height part, but the "unseen" deeds. "Unsung heros" we called them in the workplace. They did their most important work out of earshot and eye-sight, and yet the business would miss them the moment they were gone.

Who among your workforce completes tasks without tooting their own horn, for the betterment of all? Leaders need to have a bit of menehune in them. While recognition seems vital to getting ahead, the self-satisfaction of a job well-done lasts longer than any "employee of the month" plaque. Channel your inner menehune and see what you can create for yourself, your business and your customers.