This last week I was in Boston for several meetings and to teach a seminar for the Institute for Management Studies (IMS).  I always teach that there are hundreds of ways to connect with others and the challenge facing leaders is to get to know the people they lead and identify ways to connect with them given who they are and the context of their work together.

Following are a few of the ways I learned that people and organizations are connecting.

• At Bose Corporation, new employees learn “The Essence and Values of Bose,” including that “we treat others with respect.”  At Bose, these words are more than window dressing.  All new employees take a course on respect that help them bring this value to life in Bose culture.
• At Amica Insurance, serving customers is an all-consuming passion.  Amica is a perennial winner of customer service awards.  Inside the company, when an employee is identified as having served a customer well, his or her team is recognized too.  This motivates the team to support one another’s efforts to serve customers.
• Elizabeth Dole, when she was president of the Red Cross, took the time to learn something significant about each person she would meet so that she could affirm each individual a personal way.  In subsequent meetings, Ms. Dole was very good at remembering and mentioned the significant fact when she saw the individual.
• David Gill, a professor at Gordon Conwell College, told me that we connect with the Divine when we “help people fulfill their dreams or overcome their nightmares.”  (We also connect with others when our organization’s mission accomplishes these ends.)

The importance of creating Connection Culture also came to my attention this week as I was doing research on Alan Mulally, Ford’s CEO.  Ford just announced its third full year of profit.  Frances Hesselbien, a friend and leader whom I much admire, has praised Mulally so I decided it’s about time that I take a closer look at his leadership of Ford.  In this splendid interview he did with The New York Times, Mulally recounts how he learned the importance of giving people autonomy, being inclusive, keeping people in the loop and connecting them to their organization’s “Inspiring Identity.”

In the coming weeks I’ll be speaking and teaching in Houston, Amsterdam, Brussels, London and Edinburgh.  As I travel, I’ll post new things I learn about connection.

If you’re interested in employee engagement, take my advice and join the Employee Engagement Network.  It’s a terrific resource that includes contributions from many of the more than 4,400 members worldwide.

For the second year in a row, 84 percent of American workers intend to actively look for a new job, according to new research by Right Management. Workplace incivility is also on the rise.  According to research presented at the 2011 American Psychological Association annual meeting, up to 80 percent of workers have experienced incivility.   Workers are struggling and have been for some time.  In 2009, The Conference Board published a report with the subtitle “America’s Unhappy Workers.”   The report concluded that employee satisfaction was at its lowest point since The Conference Board began surveying it more that 20 years ago.

The good news is that is doesn’t have to be this way. Leaders can develop workplace cultures that engage people. Engaging people makes them happy because they benefit from the positive emotions that come from being productive, learning and growing and working together with others to accomplish something of value.  This is what the Greek’s described as eudaimonia, the joy that we experience when we do good work.  The other type of happiness is hedonia.  It comes from pleasurable experiences such as when we see a beautiful sunset or enjoying a great meal. Leaders need to create work cultures where people experience eudiamonia. That’s the type of happiness that affects employee engagement, productivity and innovation.

Here’s another way to think it it.  There are three types of workplace cultures: Dog-Eat-Dog Cultures, Indifferent Cultures (cultures that are indifferent to people and treat them as human doings), and “Connection Cultures” where people experience eudiamonia because they feel connected to their organization’s identity (i.e. mission, values and reputation), they feel connected to their colleagues and supervisor, and they feel connected to their role in the organization (because it fits their strengths and provides the right degree of challenge).

Connection is the force that transforms a dog-eat-dog culture into a sled dog team that pulls together. Without going too far into the psychology of connection, let me just summarize by saying simply that we are humans, not machines. We have emotions. We have hopes and dreams. We have a conscience. We have deeply felt human needs to be respected, to be recognized for our talents, to belong, to have autonomy or control over our work, to experience personal growth, and to do work that we feel is worthwhile in a way that we feel is ethical. When we work in an environment that recognizes these realities of our human nature, we thrive. We feel more energetic, more optimistic, and more fully alive. When we work in an environment that fails to recognize this, it is damaging to our mental and physical health.

And when you think about it, that makes sense. Let’s consider how this plays out in the workplace. When we first meet people, we expect them to respect us. If they look down on us, if they are uncivil or condescending, we get upset. In time, as our colleagues get to know us, we expect them to appreciate or recognize us for our talents and contributions. That really makes us feel good. Later on, we begin to expect that we will be treated and thought of as an integral part of the community. Our connection to the group is further strengthened when we feel we have control over our work. Connection is diminished when we feel we are being micro-managed or over-controlled by others. If we are over-controlled, it sends the message that we are being treated like children or incompetents, and it’s a sign that we are not trusted or respected. Connection is also enhanced when we experience personal growth. In other words: when our role, our work in the group, is a good fit with our skills, providing enough challenge to make us feel good when we rise to meet that challenge (but not so much challenge that we become totally stressed out). Finally, it motivates us to know our work is worthwhile in some way and to be around other people who share our belief that our work is important. To the extent that these human needs of respect, recognition, belonging, autonomy, personal growth and meaning are met, we feel connected to the group. When they are not met, we feel less connected, or even disconnected.

The bottom line is that connection plays a critical part in improving individual performance. People who are more connected with others fare better in life than those who are less connected. Connection, because it meets our human needs, makes people more trusting, more cooperative, more empathetic, more enthusiastic, more optimistic, more energetic, more creative and better problem solvers. It creates the type of environment in which people want to help their colleagues.They are more open to share information that helps decision makers become better-informed. The openness that emerges in a trusting and cooperative environment creates a robust marketplace of ideas that stimulates innovation. Connection among people improves performance in an organization and creates a new source of competitive advantage.

To learn more about connection cultures and employee engagement, listen to this podcast interview Jason Pankau and I did before we spoke at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. You can hear the interview at this link.

Update: In May, I’ll be speaking on the topic “Do Leaders Need to make Employee Happy?” in Denver at the annual conference of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD). In addition, I’ve contributed a chapter to the soon to be published ASTD Handbook on Management edited by Lisa Haneberg who writes the Management Craft blog.

Here is a link to the article I wrote about Starbucks. The article is entitled “Have a Heart.”  It was published in Outlook Business for Decision Makers, a leading business magazine in India. In addition, below are links to three segments of a radio interview I did yesterday morning with Jim Blasingame, host of the nationally syndicated Small Business Advocate program.

The U.S.S. Montpelier Command Philosophy (below) is an outstanding example of values articulated in a clear and compelling way.  Remember that values at their best are a source of pride and guidance for employees.  To be the most effective, values must be communicated in writing and verbally because people usually learn by reading or listening.  A portfolio of simple yet compelling stories should be developed that can be told to help people remember your values.

The USS Montpelier Command Philosophy

Montpelier is a warship, designed to steam into harm’s way and win.  Our flesh and blood bring this ship to life.  We are stewards of one of the most capable warships in the history of mankind.   These thoughts provide a framework for executing that stewardship and for building the teamwork that will enable us to fight and win in war.

Honesty provides the foundation of trust that is essential to teamwork.  I expect and require that you be completely honest in your communication with your shipmates.  I will do the same with you.  At times, this will be painful, but it is extremely important that we have the facts when making decisions and that our relationships are based on mutual trust.  I pledge not to kill the messenger.

Integrity. Do the right thing; don’t take the expedient path.  If you are not sure what the right thing is, and you have the opportunity, ask.  If you can’t, trust your judgment and training.  This requires a great deal of courage, but if you act honestly and faithfully in this regard, you will not be second-guessed.

Teamwork. No ship, department, or division is successful as a one-man show.  Teamwork is the key to success.  Our actions must reinforce this concept.  If you find yourself thinking about a problem in the command and the word “they” pops into your head, think again.  “We” will solve problems together.  I am not one of them and neither are you.

Backup. If you think anyone in the command is asking you to do something that is incorrect or inconsistent with these principles. Stop and ask for clarification and assistance.  Leadership is about setting priorities.  If you have an idea for a better way, suggest it.  My door is always open to discuss your concerns. I trust that you will use the chain of command when possible.

Mistakes. Honest mistakes come with the territory.  I will make some and so will you. The keys to success are establishing enough backups so that we don’t make a critical mistake, and recognizing and learning from the mistakes that we do make.  Your tour will be filled with many ups and downs.  It is not how many times you fall that will determine your success.  Your honesty, integrity, and determination to fight on, will.

Training. We will fight the way we have trained.  Therefore, training is our most important mission in peacetime.  I will probably spend most of my effort in this area.  Training must be operationally oriented and practical.  If the training does not contribute to your ability to do your job, advance, or live your life better, then we should be doing something better.

Initiative. This is our ship to fight and operate. I expect you to think tactically and operationally and to drive the ship aggressively.  When you identify an opportunity or a problem, consider alternative courses of action, then act or tell your boss what you intend to do an why.  Seize the initiative and work to the limits of your authority. I intend to push as much as I can downhill, so that each of you has responsibility commensurate with your ability.  If you can handle more, go for it.

Caring Leadership. Know your people.  Translate your caring into tangible results.  Get them off the ship when you can.  Ensure they are ready for advancement.  Make a difference in their lives.

Standards. The standard is excellence in all we do.  Aristotle said, “We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence, then, is a habit.”  Our reputation is determined in a large part due to how we execute routine evolutions, our personal appearance and the appearance of our ship.  It is the sum of each of our actions.  Set the standard.

Family. Success at work is interwoven with success at home.  I consider it vital that we balance our military duties with our roles in the family.  Take advantage of opportunities to make time for your family and work hard to keep your professional role and your family role in perspective.  It is also important that our families understand the importance of our mission and that we recognize the sacrifices that our family members must make in order to fulfill our duties.  Service is a team effort.  I will make an effort to create a family environment on board and to support our families.  A successful command has a family atmosphere, where every member takes pride in being a part of the team.

Critical Self-Assessment Our ability to improve is dependent on our ability to analyze the causes of our failures and to take action to address those problems.  At times, we will formally critique events.  The intent is to fix the problem, not the blame.  Honesty is critical to this process.

Ambassadors Overseas, we are ambassadors of the United States.  At home, we are representatives of the submarine force, the Navy, and the U.S. Military.  Our behavior and actions should reflect the pride and responsibility we feel as members of an elite military organization.

Personal Development I expect every Sailor to be working towards his personal and professional development and I will support your actions in these areas.

Fun Submarining is an extremely challenging and demanding profession.  At times the hours will be long and the work hard, but it is important that we have fun while fulfilling our responsibilities.

Fitness and Sleep Submarining requires stamina.  Fitness, nutrition and sleep are key to your decision-making.  As General Patten said, “Fatigue makes cowards of us all.”  Take care of your body and your mind.  I do not judge you on how long you work or how long you stay awake, but on how effective you are.

Decision-making I will not establish a lot of detailed policies to spell out and legislate decisions on board.  I will balance the long- and short-term needs of each individual, the ship, and the U.S. Navy.  If time allows, I will make every effort to explain my decision, but there will be times when it is not practical and I expect you to trust my judgment.

Equality We swear to support the Constitution of the United States, which states that all men are created equal.  I expect you to treat each of your shipmates, our families and our visitors with dignity and respect.

Service and Reward My ultimate goal is that you consider your service on board the MONTPELIER one of the most rewarding experiences in your life.  This requires that you resolve to better yourself, your ship, your shipmates and your country.  Each night when you go to sleep ask yourself “What have I done today to make myself a better man?  How have I made MONTPELIER a better ship?  Have I been a faithful steward of one of our country’s most valuable assets, this ship and the outstanding Sailors who fight her?”

These are my thoughts, just word on paper.  Our actions together make them a reality and the key to our success.

Note: Jason Pankau and I recently taught a workshop on employee engagement to leaders of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.  While there we recorded a podcast interview with Janis Apted, Associate Vice President for Faculty Development.  You can hear the podcast interview at this link.

Apple’s announcement yesterday that Steve Jobs is stepping down as its CEO, is a poignant reminder of just how important it is to make cancer history. I learned of Jobs’ announcement yesterday while in Houston to share our work with leaders at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

The combination of learning the news about Jobs and being at M.D. Anderson triggered a some emotions. I’ve followed Jobs closely over the years and written about him.  I’ve also written about the challenges facing cancer patients and their families from my wife Katie’s battles with breast cancer in 2003 and advanced ovarian cancer in 2004 (today, Kate is cancer free).

Being at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center was inspiring and humbling. MDACC is the top-rated cancer center according to U.S. News and World Report. The people there think of themselves first and foremost as healers. Being with people who serve a cause greater than themselves always moves me.  Yes, they have to keep an eye on econonomic matters, too, in order to make their work sustainable, but money is not what motivates them.  This is an important distinction that makes a difference to affordable delivery of healthcare, as Atul Gawande noted in an excellent New Yorker article he wrote entitled “The Cost Conundrum.”

During our presentations at M.D. Anderson, we shared  the research and ideas in our book, Fired Up or Burned Out. We firmly believe that creating a culture that is intentional about developing both task excellence and relationship excellence is the only way organizations can achieve sustainable superior performance.  In the context of healthcare, research is showing that culture and relationships affect patient outcomes.  A recent article that appeared in the  Annuls of Internal Medicine, entitled “What Distinguishes Top-Performing Hospitals in Acute Myocardial Infarction Mortality Rates? A Qualitative Study,” supports our view.

Hospital cultures should be life-giving but the irony is that most are not.  We are human beings, not machines, and recent research shows that workplace cultures that are hostile or indifferent to human needs shave years off our lives.   We hope that more hospitals will get this important message and do something about it, like our friends at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center are doing in their pursuit to make cancer history.

Happiness is much sought after these days. Book stores and magazine stands are full of titles that promise to unlock the secrets of happiness.  Positive psychology courses are all the rage on college campuses across America. Recognizing that happiness gets attention, I recently decided to title a chapter I’m writing “Should Leaders Care About Employee Happiness?” The chapter will be included in the American Society for Training and Development’s new Handbook of Management.

In my view, the primary reason happiness is on the decline in America and in many market democracies around the world is that we’ve become “achieve-aholics” who, as a result of our achievement-seeking lifestyles, lack sufficient human connection.  Lacking connection, we eventually dysfunction. As achieve-aholics move through adulthood, they feel a sense of boredom, emptiness and meaninglessness.  Many are mis-diagnosed as having depression when in fact they are just lonely (I wrote about this in an earlier post on the rise of loneliness in America). To feel better, achieve-aholics oftentimes seek illegitimate thrills (e.g. sexual affairs, pornography, extreme sports and extreme business risks) or they self-medicate to numb the pain, which leads to substance abuse. In my opinion, this is why America, with a mere five percent of the world’s population consumes half of the mood-altering pharmacological medications and two-thirds of the world’s illegal drugs (a point that Joseph Califano, head of the National Center on Substance Abuse at Columbia University, made in a video interview on the Atlantic’s website).

The bottom line is that we are human beings, not machines.  As I consistently present on this blog, and all the science makes it abundantly clear, we need human connection to thrive. This point is underscored in another fine Atlantic article written by my friend Joshua Wolf Shenk entitled “What Makes Us Happy?.”   Josh’s article is about the 70-year long Grant study to understand happiness and flourishing in life by following the lives of 268 men who graduated from Harvard in the late 1930s.

Dr. George Valliant, the psychiatrist at Harvard who heads the Grant study, summed it up this way:  ”The only thing that really matters in life is your relationships…”  As for happiness, Dr. Valliant concludes in the video interview: “happiness is love.”  I agree, for the most part, that happiness is relationships and love.  I would add meaningful work to the equation and phrase happiness in a slightly different way.   In The Connection Culture Manifesto and Fired Up or Burned Out, I present the case that meaningful relationships AND meaningful work are both important to experience joy and contentment, and to flourish over the course of one’s life.

Balance is key. But getting the balance right isn’t easy.  It’s a recurring issue in my own life.  Recently, a friend of mine who heads leadership training for a prestigious hospital system in New England, asked me try out the Hartman Values Profile as a possible tool to use in my work coaching leaders.  It indicated I’m flourishing in most areas of my life but still I work too much and don’t take sufficient care of myself. Now I’m thinking through how I can make changes to keep from drifting to a state of imbalance.

What do you think?  I hope you’ll take the time to read the links in this post and share your thoughts in the comments section below.  Do you agree with what I’ve said?  Are you getting the balance right?  Do you have advice you can share here about how to balance work and life outside of work?

Apple is now the most valuable company in the world in terms of market capitalization and U2’s recent tour just became the highest grossing of all time, crushing the previous record held by the Rolling Stones.  Learn about Apple’s remarkable rise in market cap in this New York Times article and learn about U2’s claim as the greatest band of all time in this article from the Atlantic magazine’s website.

Apple and U2’s continued success begs the question, “what’s their secret?” One reason is the people who work at Apple feel connected to Steve Jobs and the members of U2 feel connected to Bono. The members of both groups also feel connected to one another as part of a “Connection Culture” that we wrote about in Fired Up or Burned Out. Learn more about how Steve Jobs connects by reading this interview I did with The Wall Street Journal’s Live Mint entitled “‘Think Different’ Makes Apple Stand Out”. To learn more about  how Bono connects with his band mates read  “To Boost Productivity, Connect with the Core.” Jason Pankau and I wrote it for the Leader to Leader  Journal.

Update: Next week, Jason and I will be speaking about Connection Cultures, leadership, employee engagement, productivity and innovation at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.  Next month I’ll speak with CNO Admiral Vern Clark, the former Chief of the U.S. Navy, at Wharton and Harvard Business School events in D.C.. In the coming months we will be speaking and teaching workshops at the NASA Johnson Space Center, TCU, the Connected Church Conference,  Greenwich (Connecticut) High School, Scotiabank and the Young Presidents Organization.  In addition, we will be teaching webinars for Scotiabank and McKesson Corporation.  The word about Connection Cultures is spreading.  Already we’ve committed to teaching nine workshops in 2012, five in the U.S. and four in Europe, for the Institute for Management Studies.  Many thanks to those of you who have told others about our work and emailed the Connection Culture Manifesto to family members, friends, and colleagues at work. We estimate that it has been downloaded by more than 20,000 people worldwide and praised by thought leaders such as the tech guru and venture capitalist Guy Kawasaki and William J. Holstein who writes for The New York Times and Business Week.

Here’s a link to an audio interview Jason Pankau and I did with Jeremie Kubicek, CEO of GiANT (GiANT Impact, Catalyst and Chick-fil-A Leadercast).  Jeremie is the author of a great book entitled Leadership is Dead: How Influence is Reviving It.  During the interview we discussed how leadership affects employee engagement, strategic alignment, productivity, innovation and organizational performance.  Check it out at this link.

Today, Roy Saunderson and S. Max Brown of Real Recognition Radio are featuring an interview we did about Connection Cultures, leadership, employee engagement, employe recognition, productivity, innovation and achieving sustainable superior performance.  Roy and Max are both knowledgeable experts on employee recognition and they are delightful individuals to engage with in conversation.  I hope you’ll check out our interview at this link.

Last month, I appeared as a regular guest on Jim Blasingame’s nationally-syndicated radio program focused on small business owners.  Unfortunately, I forgot to post a link to the recording of the interview posted on Jim’s website.  You can listen to it here.