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 Leadership - How A Diverse Culture Helps You Lead

I spent time on the phone recently with John Aeto, the General Manager at VRE in Hawai'i. John's input on the influence of Aloha Spirit in leadership has been formed by a lifetime on the Islands, and by his extensive experience in broadcasting, sales and marketing. Here is some of John's insight:

"Aloha Spirit means love, trust and the breath of life. It means being able to put yourself in a position where (as a leader) you see things from a 360 degree perspective."

John also talked about the principle of "Kina'ole". Briefly stated, this foundational principle of Aloha Leadership is based on a state of gratefulness and grace. For example, diverse opinions in the workplace can be source of conflict and dis-trust. As a leader, you can choose to be grateful for those differences and learn to leverage opposing viewpoints and perspective. There's more on Kina'ole in Georgia Patrick's wonderful post at "Customers Count" at http://service.ducttapemarketing.com/2008/04/the-power-of-ki.html

If you know of a fabulous leader in the business or volunteer community of the Hawaiian Islands, I'd love to interview them for my upcoming book "Aloha Leadership". Just pass along their contact information to me at mike@mikefaber.com, and I'll take it from there. The interview process lasts just 15-20 minutes, and each contributor receives a copy of the book when it is complete.

Mahalo!

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

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.