Trust men and they will be true to you; treat them greatly and they will show themselves great.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
Apple does not like to hire arrogant techies who think they know it all, because as star employees will tell you, you can’t know everything. Just when you think you have it figured out, the demanding Apple customer will throw you a question, concern, or situation you simply haven’t prepared to address. The goal is not to impress customers with knowledge. The goal is to leave customers feeling special and to enrich their lives.
Apple looks for personality and for those who can handle “ambiguity.” If an employee has internalized the vision, knows the messaging, has engaged in fearless feedback, and trusts her team and her managers, she will be much more effective in dealing with unexpected questions, demands, and concerns. She will confidently make on-the-spot decisions for the good of the customer relationship.
Although Apple does not require that its managers read Speed of Trust by Stephen M. R. Covey, I’ve met several managers who are familiar with Covey’s thirteen behaviors of “high-trust leaders” and try to instill these behaviors in their teams. “The ability to establish, grow, extend, and restore trust with all stakeholders is the key leadership competency of the new, global economy,”1 writes Covey.
According to research cited in Covey’s book, only 51 percent of employees have trust and confidence in senior management, and only 36 percent believe their leaders act with honesty and integrity. A low-trust environment is a recipe for disaster. “Low trust causes friction, whether it is caused by unethical behavior or by ethical but incompetent behavior,”2 says Covey. “Low trust is the greatest cost in life and in organizations. Low trust creates hidden agendas, politics, interpersonal conflict, interdepartmental rivalries, win-lose thinking, defensive and protective communication. Low trust slows everything—every decision, every communication, and every relationship.”
Apple managers work hard at building and maintaining trust and, yes, restoring trust when it is lost. Managers strive to create a trusting environment where employees feel confident giving and receiving feedback and making their customers feel valued. Here are Covey’s thirteen trust behaviors with explanations and how they apply to the Apple experience. If you do not practice these behaviors as a leader in your organization, you might want to start. You will never develop an exceptional customer service strategy without developing trust.
Straight-talking managers let employees know where they stand, and they use simple, clear directions. Remember the question that hiring managers at Apple ask themselves: can this person go toe-to-toe with Steve Jobs? Jobs appreciated creative ideas. His first response might have been “It’s shit”; but after thinking about it, Jobs would come around to good ideas. Isaacson confirms that Jobs allowed, even encouraged, people to challenge him. Although employees could challenge Jobs, he demanded clarity from the conversation. Obfuscation was a direct path to getting fired or getting your head bitten off. If a fearless Apple store employee believes it’s in the best interest of the company and its long-term relationship with a customer to replace a broken device that is past the warranty period, the employee might win the argument. But he had better have a good reason he can articulate simply and clearly to his manager.
Straight talk also applies to the interaction between employee and customer. If a customer wants to save $200 by purchasing a computer with less power, but the Apple salesperson knows—after asking probing questions—that the customer will regret the decision, the salesperson must speak clearly and bluntly. For example, a straight-talking salesperson might say something like, “I’m not on commission, and I’ll sell you that machine if it’s what you want. But I’m letting you know, based on what you’ve told me, that you’ll be back here to buy a new computer in two years. But if you spend $200 more today, you’ll have no problem for the next five years.”
A respectful manager genuinely cares about her employees and her customers. She respects the dignity of everyone on the team. Steve Jobs surrounded himself with a small group of A-players. But in a retail environment with 35,000 employees, the reality is that some B-players will also be on the sales floor. Managers must show kindness and respect to everyone on the team, even a player who is not living up to his potential. Employees have a way of raising their game when they are given praise and positive feedback and are treated with dignity.
Transparent managers are open and authentic. They disclose information if the information improves the customer experience, and they expect the same from their employees. For example, one fearless Apple manager asked an employee how things were going on the floor. The employee responded, “Fine.” The manager asked the question again and added, “Be open and honest.” The manager got an earful, but it was feedback he needed to hear.
An employee also needs to trust a manager enough to be open. A specialist on a busy Apple floor might have to say, “I’m overwhelmed in this section right now.” The manager can replace that person in the section, move the person to another section, or give the person the right tools or resources needed to serve the customer better. But if the employee doesn’t trust the manager, the employee might stew about it and get frustrated, which could lead to deteriorating customer interactions. You will learn more about developing an effective feedback loop, which is a result of established trust, in Chapter 5.
Managers who right wrongs apologize quickly. They don’t let pride get in the way of doing the right thing. Everything in an Apple Store is about creating “promoters,” customers who are so happy they will recommend Apple products to their friends. Anything that gets in the way of that relationship must be addressed quickly. If a manager mistakenly criticizes an employee or, because he’s human, is having a bad day, it’s up to the manager to clear his head and apologize for his behavior. Righting a wrong quickly and authentically will restore trust among the team and even add a reservoir of trust that could benefit a supervisor in the future.
Loyal managers freely give credit to others and acknowledge the contribution of others. If they promise something, they follow through. They don’t break the trust. I spoke to the CEO of Griffin Hospital in Derby, Connecticut. Griffin is consistently ranked as one of the best places to work in the country. The hospital has committed itself to open and honest communications between management and staff. That commitment was put to the test in November 2001, when the first victim of what would become a deadly, nationwide anthrax attack was brought to the hospital. The governor of the state called the CEO, Patrick Charmel, and urged him to keep it quiet. Charmel had scheduled a staff meeting where he had planned to disclose the information. Despite admonitions from politicians and even the FBI, Charmel told his staff. He trusted them to keep the news confidential until it was made public. Charmel’s staff honors his loyalty every day by maintaining the highest standards of customer satisfaction in the healthcare industry.
A manager who delivers results accomplishes what he is hired to do. He makes things happen. If he should fail to meet a deadline or make a goal, he doesn’t blame his team. The buck stops with him and he takes the hit. After a disheartening loss for the San Francisco 49ers in the 2011 season, new coach Jim Harbaugh told the assembled press that the blame rested with him. He didn’t blame the players or the conditions. He had not prepared them enough for the defense they would face. In the first nine games of the year, Harbaugh had built a tremendous reservoir of trust and respect among his players. He wasn’t going to deplete that reservoir by assigning blame to anyone but himself. The 49ers reached the playoffs that season for the first time since 2002, losing the NFC title game in overtime. Many of the players said that Harbaugh was the most inspiring coach they had played for. In sports and in business, players need to trust their leader.
Managers who get better are constantly soliciting feedback, reading books, and learning new skills to keep up with the pace of change in today’s world. When Apple sends out a customer survey, its stores are “growing.” When an Apple Store manager asks employees for feedback, he’s growing. Apple managers are urged to tackle the sixty-seven leadership competencies discussed in the Korn/Ferry book, FYI: For Your Improvement. Some Apple Stores have several copies of the book available for their staff. No one expects an employee to master all sixty-seven competencies, but they are encouraged to improve in one or two areas a year as part of their ongoing personal and professional development.
A manager who confronts reality tackles tough issues head-on. She doesn’t let things fester. She shares bad news as well as the good news. She’s also quick to address “opportunities” to improve customer interaction. (Apple Retail employees seem to avoid the word problem.) For example, if a manager sees that an employee had a difficult time with a customer, she might address the situation by asking, “Can you tell me about that experience? I’d like to know your perspective, and then I’ll tell what I saw. Together we can work at creating an opportunity to enhance the customer experience.” Avoiding the word problem or other negative words helps establish trust, which will encourage the employee to provide feedback and communicate more openly (as you will learn more about in Chapter 5).
Trustworthy managers disclose expectations right at the start. They never assume that everyone knows what’s expected of them. Apple employees know that they are expected to walk through the Apple five steps of service (discussed in Part II).
Expectations must be set for customers, as well. For example, customers will often show up at the Genius Bar at an Apple Store to ask questions or have repairs made. If they show up without an appointment, an Apple employee might set expectations: “We can accommodate you this time, but if you come in next time without an appointment, we might not be as lucky. Do you know how to make an appointment online? If not, I’d be glad to show you.” I’ve seen customers walk into an Apple Store and complain that they can’t get served immediately (or they voice their complaint on their social networks, like Twitter and Facebook). I believe that if these customers had been served before without having expectations set for next time, they come to expect immediate service and they get angry if they don’t get it. Setting proper expectations can resolve these types of issues.
As discussed earlier, Disney is another brand known for creating a unique customer experience. Both Apple and Disney hire for attitude and personality, but both brands have very different expectations when it comes to a person’s appearance. According to Disney’s website, its Walt Disney parks have become famous for a friendly, classic appearance—the Disney look. The look is clean, natural, and unpolished and avoids cutting-edge trends or extremes. The Disney website has a long list of requirements that covers body alterations, hair, fingernails, and makeup. If you don’t care to adhere to the requirements, you need not apply. The expectations are clearly spelled out.
Accountable managers take responsibility for their section of the sales floor or their team members. They do not blame others when things go wrong. They take full responsibility for the behavior of their employees in a sales environment. Billionaire Warren Buffett once said that “when the tide goes out you see who’s swimming naked.” The same holds true for quarterly goals. When goals are missed, you see which leaders are fearless and trustworthy and which are spineless and untrustworthy. I recall working for a PR firm during one bad quarter when all the senior leaders started pointing the finger at each other and individual units within the department. It was discouraging and disheartening. Not surprisingly, the PR firm soon became known for uninspiring managers and disappointed clients. I left when I realized the firm did not meet my internal standards for excellence. Many of the other A-players left as well in the months to follow. People who are at the top of their game want to work for leaders whom they trust and admire.
Managers who listen take proactive steps to understand the needs and desires of their internal and external stakeholders: employees and customers. The Apple credo card states, “We value each customer problem as an opportunity to shine. We listen and respond immediately to all feedback, taking personal initiative to make it right. We encourage open dialogue with our people and customers to share ideas about improving our stores, our processes, and our performance.”3
Some Apple managers whom I’ve met are very humble when it comes to this trust component. “We don’t get caught up in the illusion that we know everything or have all the right answers.” In Part II, you will learn about the Apple five steps of service. Step four is to “listen” for any unresolved issues, concerns, or questions.
Managers who keep their commitments do what they say they are going to do. If a manager promises an employee that he will address a concern at the end of the shift, he’d better keep that commitment. Managers who overpromise and underdeliver will lose the trust of their team very quickly. This point goes with delivering results: managers who can deliver results are more likely going to follow through with their commitments.
Fearless managers extend trust. They don’t withhold trust because some risk is involved. Of course, they are careful, but they demonstrate a propensity to trust their employees. Covey offers the following advice: “Extend trust abundantly to those who have earned your trust. Extend conditionally to those who are earning your trust.”4 According to Covey, trust means confidence. The opposite of trust—distrust—is suspicion. “When you trust people, you have confidence in them, in their integrity, and in their abilities.” Trust is established when everyone on the team—the newbie, the part-timer, the veteran, feels like an important part of the team. “Smart leaders create an environment that encourages appropriate risk-taking, an environment that makes it safe to make mistakes,” says Covey.
The fastest way to lose trust—at Apple or any other company—is to violate these thirteen principles. Trust will be shattered if a manager fails to speak clearly, seeks personal gain at the expense of the team, withholds information, distorts information, or refuses to listen.
Integrity and trust together are an important competency in the Lominger Korn/Ferry leadership system applied at Apple and many other brands. “Integrity and trust are on almost every success profile we see. It is a basic threshold requirement to be a part of the team. Without it, almost nothing else matters.”5 The Lominger system recommends that if people don’t buy what you’re saying, you might want to try the following remedies. Note how closely these remedies follow the guidelines offered in Covey’s Speed of Trust:
In many ways, trust is the hardest concept to convey, and yet it’s also the easiest if you cut to the essence of what it means to be a trustworthy leader. Virgin entrepreneur Richard Branson might have said it best: “I try to treat people as human beings … if they know you care, it brings out the best in them.”6 Show your team that you care. Once you have clearly shown this, it will be easier to have open communication with them, and they will want to give you feedback that continues to keep the customer experience as memorable as it should be every time.
1. Invest in a copy of FYI by Lominger Korn/Ferry. It’s a development guide for learners, managers, mentors, and feedback givers. Study competency 29, Integrity and Trust.
2. Read Speed of Trust by Stephen M. R. Covey. It will give you another opportunity to explore the thirteen habits of trustworthy leaders and apply the habits to yourself and your team.
3. Make your approach more receptive and open. Avoid using the pronoun I when addressing issues that need change. Stay away from labeling experiences or issues as “problems.” Listen first. Changing habits take effort and focus, but it’s never too late to evolve the way you do things.