#112: Thank You Jim Collins!

Two weeks ago, we spent a few days in Seaforth, Simonstown. It is a small suburb that hugs Boulders Beach sanctuary, home to the African penguin. You know that you’re in a special place when the instructions for the rental property include the request “Before driving, please check under your car for penguins.”

Simonstown has those soft yellow streetlights that seem to be standard issue for coastal towns. The kind of light that ripples in the sea breeze. Each night a penguin or two would appear out of the darkness. They’d pause on the fringes of the light; heads slightly cocked and then confidently waddle forward to reclaim the suburban streets for a few hours. It really is one of the best sights in the world. To start your day with a smile, click here to watch the lockdown penguin patrol.

It was magical to spend a few days resting. It is easy to forget how powerful short breaks can be.

We’re nearly halfway through the year, what short breaks do you need?

When you visit Simonstown, be sure to stop at Korean kitchen, Minari. The sweet crispy chicken. The spicy rice cakes. The sweet potato noodles. Delicious. Here is their menu.

Whilst on the topic of delight, here is some magic for your eyes. Over the last two years, I have been increasingly drawn to ceramics. Jan Ernst and Shirley Fintz are two very different but equally amazing artists. I love Ernst’s womb pendants and Fintz’s latest collection for the Southern Guild Gallery is marvellous.

/ STRATEGY

You know that I generally use the strategy section of this newsletter to share examples of businesses or leaders that provide some inspiration for our leadership journeys.

Over the last six weeks, I have stepped off that path. Instead, we’ve explored the architecture of organisation, the supporting processes, and systems that constitute the scaffolding of building a sustainable business.

We’ve explored excellent execution, strategic cost management, connecting with customers, the transforming nature of work, and creating culture.

I’ve been slightly puzzled why my writing suddenly took this path. It wasn’t an entirely conscious decision. Of course, they’re important topics, they’re topics I know well, but they’re not quite ‘on brand’. So, as I’ve been doing my mountain walks, I’ve been looking for the note behind the note, the reason behind the reason, in order to understand why my writing took this turn.

It comes to this. The leaders I work with are confronted with a fundamentally new world. It is even more difficult because the fact of the newness is ambiguous. Aside from masks and vaccine certificates, the world looks mostly the same. Many of its demands are mostly the same. Yet, it is different. What people want has shifted. For many, their energy has shifted as they navigate the long-term effects of ill health. Same yes, but also different. Ambiguous.

And so, my writing has shifted because I have been intuiting that what we all need at the moment is a return to first principles. Our businesses, indeed our world (but that’s for another day), need ‘re-founding’. And to be a re-founder we need to be reminded of core concepts. To my mind, there is no better exponent of this topic than Jim Collins.

Reed Hastings says that he read Jim Collins and Bill Lazier’s Beyond Entrepreneurship six times in the first few months of founding Netflix, and he’s re-read it every year since. Reading the latest books is always useful (and fun!), but there’s real power in marination.

In Chapter Six of Beyond Entrepreneurship 2.0 Collins distills his thirty years of research on what makes great companies into a map of four input stages and thirteen fundamental concepts. The inputs are the path to creating a great company. The four stages are:

• Disciplined People
• Disciplined Thought
• Disciplined Action
• Building to Last.

Did you spot the common word? Of course, you did.

He writes “True discipline requires the independence of mind to reject pressures to conform in ways incompatible with values, performance standards, and long-term aspirations…To build an enduring great organization you need disciplined people who engage in disciplined thought and take disciplined action. Then you need the discipline to sustain momentum over a long period of time.”

Being human, the temptation here is to sigh deeply and think ‘if only I was surrounded by disciplined people’.

Collins’ first fundamental principle plonks us in front of the mirror.

His research shows that the first step is to cultivate ‘level 5 leadership’. He describes this leadership as ‘a paradoxical blend of personal humility and indomitable will’. Importantly he notes that “Level 5 leaders can come in many packages, they’re often self-effacing, quiet, reserved and even shy. Every good-to-great transition in our research began with a Level 5 leader who motivated more with inspired standards than inspiring personality.”

There’s no way I can do justice to all the detail here. Buy the book. Turn to that chapter. Read it. For each one rank what you’re doing in your sphere of influence, whether it is a team, division, or whole company. Note the actions that you’re doing well. How might you strengthen those? Identify what you’re not doing. Decide what you will do, by when, and with what resources and partnerships to make a difference. Get started.

If that feels too much, schedule 90 minutes in your diary. Title it “Meeting with Jim Collins”. Don’t you already feel more competent?

On that day, sit down and click here. Collins has kindly published the map online and has linked extracts from his research to each of the core concepts. You will be a better leader at the end of that meeting.

Of course, for each area that Collin describes there is a lot of complexity and a few thousand books, but you’re smart, you’ll figure that out as you go.

My thinking today was that it’s easy to get lost in the swirl of daily demand and all the new books. If you keep returning your attention to these central signposts, you should stay on track. I really do like Hastings’ approach. Repetition drives remembering.

If you know someone who is feeling overwhelmed by the complexity of the current moment, pause here and send them this letter. It may help them.

/SELF

As you read Collins, inevitably negative memories will surface. That’s to be expected. Life is complex. Write about them. I know that might trigger memories of awkward teenage diaries but seriously, write about them.

Harvard psychologist Susan David’s review of James Pennebaker’s research is a useful guide about why we should do this.

She writes that “In each study, Pennebaker found that the people who wrote about emotionally charged episodes experienced marked improvement in their physical and mental well-being. They were happier, less depressed, and less anxious. In the months after the writing sessions, they had lower blood pressure, improved immune function, and fewer visits to the doctor. They also reported better relationships, improved memory, and more success at work.”

And, over the medium term, people who had engaged in the writing reflection took more effective action. The writing helped them develop insight into what meaningful action they could take. Give it a try.

/ SOUL

Whilst we were in Simonstown I read Akwaeke Emezi’s The Death of Vivek Oji. It was a gift from my parents. They always find the best books for me. It is gorgeous, heart-breaking, and soul-opening.

On the second page, we’re hit with this description of Vivek’s father “He had looks that should have lived forever, features he passed down to Vivek – the teeth, the almond eyes, the smooth skin – features that died with Vivek.” In that sentence, we feel the loss that will echo through generations.

At the book’s end, Vivek’s mother makes a decision about his gravestone. In doing so, she shows that there is always hope for some healing. The healing may never be complete. Indeed, any healing leaves a scar, but it can be better.

The final line reads “Somewhere, you see, in the river of time, I am already alive.” It is a powerful reminder of how we are all connected to those who have been and to those who will become.

I hope that you have a beautiful Sunday.

Much love

Karl

PS: You will also find me on LinkedIn and Instagram. You can subscribe to this letter here and learn more about my coaching practice here.