Equation: Personal Growth + Leadership = Teamwork
A driving force behind the Zebras & Cheetahs (Z&C) Model is the whole person theory. In essence, this states that a Leader must cultivate the four parts of a person—the body, mind, heart, and spirit—in order to truly develop his or her latent potential.
Here is our simple interpretation of this philosophy, which provides a perfect formula for coaching up your tribe members:
1. For the body: Pay me fairly. Though some skill sets are inherently and obviously worth more than others, we can assume that people are working where they can maximize the value of their time spent; i.e., if they thought they could make more doing another attainable job, they’d be doing it. An organization can alleviate the distraction, concern, and wonder inside the mind of an individual about whether she or he is indeed maximizing her or his earning potential by paying that person a fair wage.
2. For the mind: Use me creatively. Few people are so cognitively limited that they cannot find ways to at least incrementally improve their jobs’ processes and products if they have enough time. Granted, these ways aren’t always managerially, strategically, or economically sound, but a single golden brainstorm from someone on an assembly line is sometimes all it takes for an organization to vault itself into the market’s limelight. And sometimes the slightest push of encouragement in that direction is the only thing you need to make that happen.
3. For the heart: Treat me kindly. Most people have been encouraged by someone in their lives from a very early age to practice this age‐old principle. We’re here to reinforce that principle to you and remind you that, as a Z&C Leader, you can be simultaneously strong and kind. Remember the wisdom of the proverb that states, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but harsh words stir up anger.”
4. For the spirit: Use me in principle‐centered ways. Though discussions of a person’s spirit are commonly (and rightly) attached to religious principles, we’d like to broaden your interpretation of a person’s spirit. Think of the spirit as the avenue for leaving an impact and legacy and a vehicle for having impacts that matter (which certainly still fits within the religious paradigm). With that in mind, we think you’ll immediately see the broader impact of this element.
Only through addressing these four essential elements of the whole person can Z&C Leaders truly maximize their tribe members’ full potential. Although the capacity for greater things exists within most people, and will allow them to be better today than they were yesterday, that capacity is useless unless successfully tapped. We once heard a comedienne discussing the use of the word, potential, in describing assessment of prospective dating partners who “had potential” in this manner: “The word potential means they ain’t doin’ nothin’ now”! Grammar aside, we tend to agree, and while Z&C Leaders are responsible for changing that condition, they must find ways to appeal to the whole person if they expect tribe members to make a permanent shift.
Employees will not give themselves wholeheartedly to a cause in which they don’t believe. They might temporarily perform through goodwill and compliance, but that participation won’t be based on creative excitement. These employees doubtless will leave the organization after a certain period of time, because highly motivated people who exist in a de‐motivated culture will bolt in search of a place that values their contributions.
Z&C Leaders understand that everyone is passionate about something. They also know that if someone is forced to work in an area for which he or she lacks passion, his or her performance will be mediocre at best. Sometimes leadership erroneously attempts to force people into being
good at something they dislike. This will never, ever work. Z&C Leaders should ask employees where their deep passions and natural talents lie, then seek to better utilize those assets while creating an enjoyable working atmosphere.
Excerpted with permission of the publisher, Wiley, from “Zebras and Cheetahs: Look Different and Stay Agile to Survive the Business Jungle” by Michael J. Burt and Colby B. Jubenville. Copyright (c) 2013. This book is available at all bookstores and online booksellers. For more information, visit www.zebrasandcheetahs.com.
Micheal J. Burt represents the new age leader: the Zebra and the Cheetah. Part coach, part entrepreneur, and all leader, Coach Burt is the go-to guy for entrepreneurs who want to become people of interest, salespeople who want to be superstars, and managers who want to be coaches. He is a former championship coach and the author of eight books. His radio show, Change Your Life Radio, can be heard globally on iheart.com (WLAC). Follow Coach Burt at www.coachburt.com.
Colby B. Jubenville, Ph.D., holds an academic appointment at Middle Tennessee State University and is principal of Red Herring Innovation and Design (www.redherringinc.com), an agency specializing in teaching people and organizations how to compete on unique perspective, education, and experience in order to create unique value. He regularly speaks on his philosophy, Collective Passion, a model that illustrates how to meaningfully connect organizations, customers, and employees.
