The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business

I'm really excited to announce that my new book is being released this week. The book is called The Advantage, and the subtitle is Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business. It is certainly the most comprehensive and important book I've written to date, bringing many of the concepts from my previous books and consulting practice together in one place.

Now, I realize that the subtitle is a pretty bold statement, but I honestly believe it's true. Let me explain why.

Most leaders who are looking for a competitive advantage for their organizations tend to focus on the classic, intellectual pursuits of business.

The Beauty of Discipline

I have to admit, I’ve always hated discipline. But at an early age my dad told me that discipline was key to success in life, and because I could see implicitly that he was right, I practiced discipline diligently in just about everything I undertook, from sports to school to work. Looking back I can’t deny that discipline was critical in everything I did well (as well as the culprit in everything that I didn’t do so well). I can say without doubt that my dad was right, that taking extra steps to do things the right way, again and again, really is key to success. But there was a problem. See, in my mind, the ultimate reward for years of discipline would be the arrival of the day when I could discard it.

An Unconventional Gift

I think it’s fair to say that most managers like to do good things for the people who work for them, to make them feel more appreciated, productive and fulfilled. Unfortunately, many of them don’t seem to know what their employees really want or need, and so they end up relying on the same traditional things: training classes, monetary bonuses, small office perks. Now, employees aren’t going to turn down a bonus or a perk, and in many cases, they’ll be glad to attend a training class, but those things don’t have the transformational effect on people that managers would like.

Humbled by Sins of Omission

Think about it. Ask any group of leaders if humility is important, and almost every one of them will nod their heads and tell you that the world needs more humble leaders in every field, from business to politics to, well, everywhere. Ask that same group if they would like an opportunity to be humbled, and virtually every one of them will decline. But I suppose it’s hard to blame them. After all, being humbled is, by definition, always uncomfortable and often painful.

Kindergarten at 20,000 Feet

I learned a simple, amazing lesson during a recent flight on one of the big, legacy air carriers. I won’t mention the name out of courtesy. Besides, I’m finding it harder and harder to distinguish between the big airlines these days. Anyway, I was sitting with a colleague in business class (something that I don’t take for granted), waiting for everyone to board so we could take off. The flight attendants weren’t in a particularly good mood, something I’ve grown accustomed to over the years.