The Union Club of Cleveland’s Lawrence McFadden, CMC, GM/COO, takes simple advice from Hudson Taylor and shares how it applies to leadership.
Recently in my reading of Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders, he cites a letter that Hudson Taylor wrote that remarks on worthy tasks of leadership. Each task caused me to think about the ways in which I lead as the General Manager of the Union Club of Cleveland.
His kind, approachable principals have assisted me and our team with sincere effective direction.
1. Improve the character of the work
This is paramount for a high-functioning organization. Gant charts, milestones and goals all help to identify which departments are struggling or excelling. Personel reviews can define soft performance, but inconsistently spell out the actions required for remedy. Changing job descriptions, reviewing reporting structures, or even enhancing lines of communication will collectively impact the character of the work.
2. Deepen the piety, devotion and success of the workers.
The Ritz Carlton organization believes “our ladies and gentlemen are the greatest resources in our service commitment to the guest.” As club leaders, we must put for continued investment in our staff with our actions, accountability, and support. This builds trust within our teams and that trust spills over into how our teams treat our members and guests. Without trust, the guest experience will never reach its potential, no matter how much money is spent elsewhere.
3. Remove stones of stumbling, if possible.
Nothing frustrates a staff like systems that don’t work or a process that can’t be adjusted. Allowing your staff to be involved in the work that affects them is the perfect strategy for uncovering any “stones” in the club. If your “stones” are processes, they need to be addressed as quickly as possible. If the issue is an employee, a review of the facts or data must be thorough.
Of course, both the process and employee should be treated with respect and care. They can’t be ignored.
4. Oil the wheels where they stick.
It’s important to have a good rapport with your staff. Be kind to them and show warmth.
Too often, young insecure leaders want to administer the duties without empathy for the staff only to discover that having empathy and being a caring, strong leader will better define their success. In handling people, a wheel that can be “oiled” with warm positivity is much more effective than a wheel oiled by an acid bottle filled with cold directives.
5. Amend whatever is defective.
Great leadership relies on this key step.
Creating problems is easy. But solving them with all three stakeholders (owner, member/guest, and employee) is a far more thoughtful approach. This is perhaps the greatest part of leadership. A leader must own the problems and follow through until the solution is reached.
Last week, one of our young managers asked me if I would ever just want to have a job without responsibility to others. I told this manager that I cherish the responsibility of solving problems and changing people’s lives.
6. Supplement, as far as may be, what is lacking
Criticizing plans is always easier than creating them. Leaders must set goals clearly, plan imaginatively, and employ the tactics that lead to success.
Success is being a taskmaster of self and others, as there is a shortage of those who want to be truly involved.
Shortly after I started at the Union Club of Cleveland, our leaders’ meeting began to adopt a more proactive approach. Managers in the meeting would identify problems while providing solutions in a team-centric atmosphere. This was impactful on the club and our future and it continues today.
Scott Nasser, a former General Manager I greatly admire, would often take an unorthodox approach to finding solutions. When we discussed a problem in his office, he would invite the person in question into the conversation. Inviting that person into the conversation allowed for us to identify immediate solutions. His subliminal accountability message was clear—you had better know the facts, have a solution and have a desire to work it out as a team before criticizing.
One last thought for young leaders: Resist the idea of leading from the rear. True leadership is always out front.
For thirty-five years I have led others and learned that problem solving, defining positive team dynamics, and mentoring accountability have been some of my greatest joys.