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Aloha Fest and Aloha Leadership; It's a Small World!

Emceeing Aloha Fest in Boulder this past week was a fantastic experience! Not only were the thousands of people who attended treated to amazing Polynesian food and culture, but the spirit of Ohana was everywhere. Perhaps this is true in every small community, but whenever I attend a Hawaiian event I meet people that I instantly bond with. And sometimes, it happens after the event.

I left my briefcase next to the stage on Saturday night and didn't realize my mistake until I pulled into our driveway. A not-so-convenient 90 minute commute from Boulder. A call to the event organizer produced no results, so I fretted a bit about my misfortune and forgetfulness.

Three days later, I attended an ISES event (http://isesdenver.com/) to hear one of America's networking and networthing experts speak, my friend Sarah Michel CSP(http://www.perfectingconnecting.com/) I was fortunate to sit next to "Alyson", a complete stranger. We chatted after lunch, and as we talked it became apparent that we both had been at Aloha Fest that weekend. Further conversation revealed that Alyson's husband had helped me on stage. Another minute, and Alyson exclaimed "Mark has your briefcase!"

It truly is a small world, when you take the time to talk to strangers. And in Hawaii, no-one is a stranger. Check out some great video of Polynesian dancers at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6haG_7pDsE

I had a great conversation recently with Leigh Branham SPHR, founder and principal of Keeping the People Inc. Leigh's made a life-study of why good people leave jobs, what businesses do to drive them away, and what those same businesses can do to hang on to their talented workforce. Among the statistics that leap out at me from Leigh's work are the following:

• 88% of employees leave their jobs because of reasons other than compensation.
• 60% of employees feel ignored or taken for granted.
• When measuring areas of leadership focus, "Developing direct reports" came in 67th. Of 67 competencies.

People have questioned whether "Aloha Leadership" concentrates on so-called "soft skills" - the inference being that soft skills don't add to the bottom line. The answer is "Yes", Aloha is about developing soft skills; treating people fairly, being transparent in your leadership, recognizing that diversity is a strength and not a hindrance.

Soft skills are more critical to bottom line performance than compensation. Leigh Branham's work, along with that of myself and others proves that. If you can't pay people enough to influence them to stay (how many times have you heard someone say "I wouldn't take that job for all the money in the world!") then your leaders have to be adaptable enough to lead without a carrot or a stick.

When you adopt the principles of Aloha in your leadership practices, you and the people around you feel more valued. Employees have a stake in the success of their business because they know the business has a stake in their individual success. If that sounds like a place you'd like to work, then make the changes yourself.

Learn more about Leigh's work at http://www.keepingthepeople.com/ To find out more about Aloha Leadership, call our offices at 303.594.3097 or email Mike Faber at mike@mikefaber.com

Aloha!

Aloha Fest Comes to Boulder!

Anytime is a great time for Ohana ("Family" in Hawaiian) to congregate, and the local Hawaiian community will descend on Boulder, Colorado on September 18-19 to watch the Universities of Colorado and Hawai'i do battle on the football field. The "Warriors", or "Rainbow Warriors" as they have been known, have been playing football since 1921 and began playing a Division One-A schedule in the early seventies.

Football as we know it is a violent sport, though it's far tamer than it was at the beginning of the 20th century. President Theodore Roosevelt actually considered banning football from college campuses due to the many injuries and deaths of participants. Rule changes, including the forward pass and elimination of "wedge" blocking helped stem the carnage, and build the game we know today.

Football, however, has to take a back seat to the manly, and ancient, Hawaiian sport of "lava sledding." As described on www.mythichawaii.com, lava sledding means riding a steep, hardened lava field while atop a 12-foot board at speeds approaching fifty miles an hour. Something tells me the ancients didn't have helmet laws back then! Better to play a round of "Konane", a board game that sounds like a pastoral blend of checkers and chess.

Hope to see you at Aloha Fest, where I'll be emceeing Saturday's activities on the main stage. For more information, please see www.coloradoalohafest.com

What You Must Know About Aloha Leadership

The Hawaiian language is much deeper than 13 letters and a series of words (all seemingly with a vowel-to-consonant ratio of 4:1!) As I've explored the meaning of Aloha Leadership, it's become apparent to this haole (Mainlander) that to understand Hawaiian culture one has to put aside some preconceptions.

1. One size fits all. Hawaiians come in many shapes and sizes, and the "culture" of the islands is actually a revered mix of many nationalities and traditions. Trying to fit people into pre-conceived notions of who we think they ought to be is fraught with danger.

2. Strong communities need a just one leader to work. Like the proverbial chain, our society is as strong as the weakest link. Regardless of our backgrounds, we depend on each other to live and thrive. If one person lets the water out of the fish pond and all the koi die, we all suffer.

3. History is only a subject in school. The people who come before us, whether in our family, our community or our business, have lessons to teach us if we're willing to listen. Listening is the second part of the critical equation however; we first have to ask questions to plumb the depth of that wisdom.

When you think you understand another person's culture, ask yourself this. "What do I assume about this person and their background?" Our assumptions are nearly always based on what we think we know, filtered through our own life experience. Like the word "aloha", the people surrounding you have much more to share than meets the eye.

See the Aloha Leadership keynote at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj4IAFSY4zY

Hire Mike Faber for your next meeting, off-site or convention by calling 720.851.5208 (US/Intl)

Cultural Diversity Means Leadership Opportunity & Challenge

In recent interviews with Hawaiian business and community leaders, it's become apparent that leadership in a diverse environment presents both challenges and opportunities. The Islands are a melting pot of cultures, including but not limited to, native Hawaiian, Japanese, Chinese, Mainland (or "Haole"), Portugese and Hispanic. As the influence of television and online media become greater, those cultures are assimilating each other and "foreign" characteristics at a dizzying pace.

What this means for leaders is as confusing as ordering off the menu at your favorite "Hawaiian, Portugese, Mexican, Japanese, Chinese" restaurant. Here are a couple of "tips" to keep in mind when you're managing a diverse workforce.

Recognize that "culture" doesn't just mean the shape of a face or where someone's parents came from. Culture starts with beliefs, behaviors and family history.

Every workforce is "diverse". It's up to your leadership to identify how each invidivual and group work best together and across cultural lines.

Increase your sensitivity to cultural "hot buttons" and be prepared to apologize when you accidentally cross a boundary. A "pat on the back" may be welcomed by your COO from Pepper Pike Ohio, but viewed as an affront on personal space by the VP from Basil, Switzerland.

Here's the best quote I've heard in a long time on the pursuit of success. This is from Lauren Kessler's book "Broken Twig", a story of three generations of the Japanese-American Yasui family in the 20th century. One of the second generation "Nisei" sons was Min, and he wrote to a friend from a jail cell in 1943.

"Too many people go through life without ever having made an intense enough effort to be called a failure."

As Paul Harvey used to say, to hear "the rest of the story" check out the book!

How to Make Aloha Leadership Work for You

The Hawaiian word "ohana" means "family", and if there's one thing that Hawaiians do best, it's treating everyone like family. At a recent hula gathering where we knew no-one before we walked in the door, my two sons were quickly surrounded by "aunties" and "uncles" who embraced them as though they were their own. Years ago, this familiar tendency put me off, but when I realized the depth of sincerity that accompanies these family ties I came to recognize that "ohana" is as strong as any blood-line.

Treating your employees like family doesn't mean that you're weak or that performance expectations are any lower. If anything, treating someone like family means you break down communication barriers quickly and get things done more efficiently because a high level of trust exists. Here's how to make "ohana" a part of your business model.

1. Establish communication guidelines within your working group. Respect and reason are non-negotiable, and so is listening!

2. Cultural differences don't mean division. Cultural differences do need to be recognized and honored for their unique contributions. Treating everyone the same lessens each individual's connection to the greater mission, so don't do it!

3. As Kevin Roberts F.A.C.H.E. and President/CEO of Castle Medical Center in Kailua says, "you don't have to conquer others to be successful." Look to build trust within your organization and outside it. The community can be your best sales-force if "aloha" is part of your guiding principles.

See a preview of the Aloha Leadership keynote at http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=105851563&TemplateId=156&lnkkey=Link2&utm_source=ORM&utm_medium=notification&utm_term=viewvideo&utm_campaign=Group41EmailVideo

Contact Mike to arrange for an Aloha Leadership presentation for your group at (720) 851.5208 or info@mikefaber.com