People love to work for organizations in which there is a clear mission or purpose to their work, where employees are recognized for their contributions, and where there is a sense of caring from management. A company needs just one focal person to bear the flag, as a Civil War flag bearer would ride in front of a cavalry unit, showing the way into battle with a symbol of pride. Whether or not you like the simile of business as a battle, the comparison holds: Someone must bear the flag that represents the mission and purpose – the pride – of the organization and rally the troops around it. Who bears the flag in your organization? Could it be you?
I interviewed a colleague who recently voluntarily left his job because of two things: the flag bearer in his organization had resigned six months previously and because that person’s replacement had assigned a micro-managing and abusive new boss to my colleague’s office. The combination of these two elements was deadly: It took only 24 hours after the last time his boss yelled profanities at him for this successful professional to decide to quit his job. And, he got a new job offer within 2.5 months – all in this allegedly bleak job market!
My colleague described the role of the flag-bearer in his organization, who was the executive vice president (EVP) of the division. This EVP regularly traveled to and met with the employees in all the North American offices in the company. He communicated frequently with the employees through emails that clarified goals, purpose and vision of the organization. My colleague remarked, “There were no doubts or shadows left in his communications. Everyone knew where they and the company stood.” In addition, the EVP sent employees of all ranks personal thank you notes for their hard work, he made it his business to know about employee’s family situations, and helped individuals with their personal issues. He encouraged and made it possible for employees to get involved in industry organizations in order to give their time and assistance and be consistent in their service.
Once this EVP resigned, things went downhill quickly for my colleague. There was no formal announcement of the EVP’s resignation, and the replacement EVP did nothing to communicate her new vision and goals for the organization, either in person or through electronic means. She did, however, assign a new and inexperienced manager (remember the profanities that flew in a heated conversation) to my colleague’s office, and that was the beginning of the end. The lack of a flag-bearer in this organization ultimately caused my colleague to resign.
What does it take to be a flag-bearer? Can you be one? Any leader can influence those around and below her in the organization. In teasing out the lessons from this story, we learn that a flag-bearer must:
- Communicate the mission, vision and goals of the organization in multiple and repeated ways
- Show interest in the careers and lives of those who work for him or her
- Express appreciation for the employee’s hard work and accomplishments
- Encourage workers to volunteer for worthy causes or charities outside of the company.
By following these simple-but-not-easy guidelines, you can be the flag-bearer in your organization. The results will be a more engaged workforce, less attrition of valuable employees and higher productivity in your workgroup. So, what’s keeping you from picking up the flag, waving it in front of your workers and colleagues in the charge, and keeping their eyes on the purpose and vision of your company?
The flag-bearer leader is also known as an integrator/inspirer, or level five on the seven levels of leadership consciousness. To learn more about the seven levels of consciousness and how it can help your organizations and the leaders in it achieve outstanding performance, please send us a note stating “more info about values”.
