"Integrity aligns voice and touch"
Column 1 on Max De Pree's Leadership Jazz
August
Integrity aligns voice and touch.
When we are in love it shows. The mind weighs alternatives but the heart risks behavior. Leadership Jazz (Doubleday, 1992) is a book about love revealed immediately in the story of Zoe. Max De Pree, former Chairman and CEO of Herman Miller Inc, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of office furniture, has been recognized with nearly every award available to corporate leaders – from the Business Enterprise Trust’s Lifetime Achievement Award to Fortune Magazine’s Business Hall of Fame. His books are international bestsellers; his company was one of the most admired in America; universities conferred honorary degrees upon him. But the heart of Max De Pree is revealed in the opening pages of Leadership Jazz. He is a man in love with a little girl – his granddaughter Zoe. And in the poignant opening story when the nurse advises Max to caress the arms and legs of his precariously premature grandchild and tell her he loves her – so she learns to connect voice and touch – he opens a door onto the work of leadership by opening a window to his heart. Leadership is a work of love – the alignment of voice and touch – behavior that flows from the heart.
Leadership is shaped by the values and beliefs that form character.
Who are you?
What is important to you?
What are you passionate about?
Why are you here?
What is your purpose?
Our character is grounded in what we believe, whom we choose to follow, what we promise – the commitments that control our life. And our character finds expression in our values, both our stated values – those things we say are important – and our acted values – our behaviors.
Integrity, of course, is...
the alignment of voice and touch – stated values and behaviors – what we say is important and what we do. Integrity is about doing what we say we will do, acting consistently with what we say is important. Integrity is the foundation of leadership. As Max De Pree says, “Integrity in all things precedes all else.” People want to follow people of integrity. And there is no leadership unless someone chooses to accept your influence. Integrity of character creates trust and encourages the risk of following.
Our actions teach what we really believe.
The nurse was correct. The words of love expressed the commitments of Max’s heart. But the words alone were not enough. The way he touched or held the tiny infant demonstrated what the words meant. What we really believe, what is truly important to us, will always be reflected in our behaviors. Leaders teach what is important all day long whether or not they open their mouths to speak. The heart may be our most visible organ.
Leadership is a relationship of influence and service.
It is always a relationship between a leader – one who seeks to influence the vision, values, attitudes or behaviors of another – and a follower – one who chooses to accept and respond to the influence of another. There is no leadership without a follower. Only when someone chooses to respond to our influence have we exercised leadership. Leadership is not a title or a position; it is always a relationship – a relationship of service. Leadership serves vision, mission, purpose; and it serves the people who choose to follow that vision, mission or purpose.
Leadership is about drawing the best out of people in an unpredictable environment.
Max uses the image of the jazz band to illustrate this service. Choosing the music, selecting the musicians and performing alongside, leaders encourage the gifted contribution of others and respond continually to the creative unfolding of those gifts. Leadership creates space for contribution, creativity and commitment.
Leaders are responsible for the inclusion of people on the margins.
Who belongs? Where do they fit? How does their work contribute to the vision, the mission? Leadership narrates a story of vision and purpose so inclusive that even those on the edges can see their role. If people are to follow our lead they need to know why and how and that they are valued. That is the work of leadership.
Leaders are vulnerable to the involvement of others.
Leadership is a risk because it ultimately depends upon someone choosing to follow. Max says, leaders “offer others the opportunity to do their best…to reach their potential” as they work together to create wonderful music. Everyone contributes and leaders nudge the notes together into pleasing harmony.
Leadership Jazz is a love story.
It launches from the love of a grandfather for a granddaughter. And it calls us to risk the vulnerability of leadership – to open our hearts to the potential of those around us -- to model through word and action the integrity of character that reveals who we are. When the leader’s vision becomes the follower’s vision, voice and touch may come together and the music will be beautiful.
Questions for reflection:
| Who are you? |
– defning character |
| What is important to you? |
– defining values |
| Who do you love? |
– defining commitment |
| What do you love? |
– defining belief |
| Where are you most vulnerable? |
– defining limitation |
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