I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.
—Albert Schweitzer
As the story goes, a young man bought a horse from a farmer for $250 and arranged to get the animal the following day. The next morning, the farmer arrived at the young man’s house and said, “Sorry, son, but I have some bad news. Your horse died last night.”
“That’s all right,” the young man said. “Just give me back my money.”
“Well, I can’t rightly do that seein’ as I’ve already gone out and spent it all and fact bein’ she became yours when you bought ’er yesterday,” replied the farmer.
The young man said, “Okay, then just bring me back the dead horse.”
Curious, the farmer asked, “Whatcha gonna do with a dead horse?”
“I’m going to raffle ’er off.”
“You’re joshin’! You can’t raffle off a dead horse,” the old man said.
“Why, sure I can,” said the whippersnapper. “I just won’t tell anybody that the horse is dead.”
Several weeks later, the farmer ran into the young man in town and asked what had happened with the raffle and dead horse. With a Cheshire-cat grin on his face, he leaned in to the old farmer and said, “I did what I said I was going to do. I sold five hundred tickets for five dollars apiece and made a profit of $2,245 after backing out my loss to you.”
The farmer appeared puzzled. “Well, didn’t anyone complain about the horse being dead?”
“Nobody knew but the guy who won the raffle. When he got upset about the horse being dead, I just gave him his five dollars back.”
They say the same young man is now a member of Congress.
The young man was cunning, deceiving others to extract value through his equine ruse. Some may praise him for being shrewd in recovering his losses, but he was nothing more than a charlatan. In retelling the story, I am not attempting to cast aspersions on political leaders in general. I know many public servants at various levels of government who serve the public well and are individuals of stellar character. Unfortunately, there is a stereotype that far too many politicians serve out of self-interest or on behalf of special interest groups. And every stereotype is founded on some semblance of truth. Partisan politics and bureaucracy create little value. Those who are inclined to do so may use the system to serve themselves and abuse others in the process. What is true in politics is also true in business. Self-serving leaders create little value for their constituents.
The ranks of corporate circles are filled with individuals who demonstrate edgy business acumen, have charismatic personalities, and know how to strategically align people and resources to garner good returns for shareholders. But far too many produce those returns by raffling off whatever it is they are hawking. They extract time and talent from those who have been enlisted to serve their “cause,” all while offering the hope of greater returns for those who have invested to make it possible. Many of these executives know how to turn a profit, but often few others beside themselves benefit from their endeavors. Should the organization begin to wane in its vitality, many are prone to pull the cord and float away with a golden parachute, leaving everyone else to deal with a dead horse.
The good news is that there is a growing sense of corporate responsibility and an increasing number of leaders who serve beyond themselves. More and more leaders are returning to solid ethical practices as well as embracing social and environmental responsibility. Organizations are holding leaders more accountable, and the best are those who recognize and reward the contributions of their team members by allowing them to share in the profits that their efforts have produced. Chobani Yogurt is just one example of a company that has done right by their people.
According to their website, Chobani is committed to the planet and its people. At Chobani, they believe business can be a force for good and living their guiding mission of better food for more people extends far beyond their products. From humane treatment of cows on their dairy farms to responsible manufacturing practices to being active members of the communities in which they live and work, they are passionate about democratizing good and helping to accelerate universal wellness. One of their priorities is to help small companies with big hearts and ideas challenge the food industry, improving broken systems and making a positive difference. The Chobani Foundation exists to strengthen the communities they call home, improve childhood nutrition and wellness nationally, and help those in need wherever they may live.1
Hamdi Ulukaya is the owner, founder, chairman, and CEO of Chobani. Originally from a small dairy-farming community in Turkey, he immigrated to the United States in 1994 to study English and take a few business courses. With the encouragement of his father, he started a modest feta cheese factory in 2002. Three years later, he took a major risk in purchasing a large, defunct yogurt factory that had been closed by Kraft Foods in South Edmeston, New York. It was located in a region that used to be the center of the dairy and cheese industry. By 2012, Chobani had become the world’s leading yogurt brand. Due in no small part to the popularity of the brand, the market share for Greek-style yogurt in the US grew from less than 1 percent in 2007 to more than 50 percent in 2013. Ernst & Young named Ulukaya the World Entrepreneur of the Year in 2013.2
According to Ulukaya, higher wages for workers lead to greater corporate success. He promotes not only the position that companies can succeed when they pay their workforce more but also that they have a moral obligation to do so. According to Ulukaya, “For the sake of our communities and our people, we need to give other companies the ability to create a better life for more people.”3
In an interview with Ernst & Young global chairman and CEO Mark Weinberger, Ulukaya said business leaders should promote a sense of purpose in their corporate culture to create a climate of positive change in business and the world. He shared the firm conviction that companies should focus on humanity and not just on their bottom lines. “Business is still the strongest, most effective way to change the world,” Ulukaya told Weinberger.4
Since the establishment of Chobani, Ulukaya has given 10 percent of his company’s net profits to charitable causes and to individuals and organizations dedicated to working toward positive, long-lasting change. In April 2016, he gave his employees a 10 percent share of the enterprise, announcing, “How we built this company matters to me, but how we grow it matters even more and I want you not only to be a part of this growth—I want you to be the driving force of it. To share in our success, to be rewarded by it. . . . This isn’t a gift; it’s a mutual promise to work together with a shared purpose and responsibility. To continue to create something special and of lasting value.”5
Ulukaya is compelled by a deep sense of passion and purpose.6 He is committed to utilizing his resources to work with refugees around the globe, alleviate suffering and hunger, and strengthen the communities in which Chobani has a presence by providing gainful employment. His wake is immense, and his legacy will be long lasting because it rises above self.
When it comes to communicating his company’s values to the world, Ulukaya is passionate. His advice? “Just be real.” Perhaps it sounds overly simplified, but when a company treats its employees, customers, and community with respect, it’s not so difficult.7
Grounded Leadership
Leadership must be about something beyond self-interest, greater than self-promotion, and more noble than self-service. Leadership, at its best, has several essential qualities that constitute what I call a grounded leader. The term grounded refers to someone who is emotionally mature and stable, firmly rooted in convictions and steadfast in determination. Someone who is grounded is practical. Grounded leaders deal in reality and are fully dedicated to garnering significant results. They are also heavily relationally focused and see their role as one that empowers others. Grounded individuals have a profound sense of rootedness because they are comfortable with who they are and act from their core values. Thus, they are not easily swayed by the winds of popular opinion, but live their lives with the mission to serve a noble cause.
Let’s look at the characteristics of a grounded leader and parse out those qualities that make them so influential.
Grounded leaders operate in truth. They have the capacity to analyze issues and situations objectively. Truth is what it is. They have a keen awareness of what is. They don’t allow themselves to be heavily influenced by those who spin, hedge, or twist the truth. They have a deep sense of conviction and trust their intuition. They are discerning and able to separate fact from fiction. They don’t jump to conclusions but watch circumstances unfold with keen perception and then deal with each situation according to its merits.
They know that whoever is able to most accurately describe and address reality will emerge the leader, whether or not they were designated. Therefore, they don’t deal in half-truths or allow themselves to get swept away by the current of politics. Nor do they become distracted in the court of popular opinion. They call things as they see them and do so with grace and sensitivity. They do not engage in petty debate, knowing that arguments never settle differences. They simply speak the truth and let the consequences take their course. They do not force their will on others or attempt to manipulate people or situations to meet their agenda. They speak and act decisively. They influence others because they garner the trust that comes from aligning themselves with the truth.
They are mature enough to realize that reality always shows up.
And when it does, those who have recognized and addressed it appropriately will influence others significantly. While some may attempt to interpret or twist the truth to conform to their self-serving agendas, grounded leaders align themselves with the truth to serve others. They do what is right and speak what is true. Consistently.
Grounded leaders operate from the core of who they are. They are committed to their values and convictions. They remain true to themselves and do not morph to match their environment. They are not chameleons. They are emotionally healthy, balanced, and centered. They are centered in the sense that their perception of reality and their response to it revolve around an axis of deep, personal values. Grounded leaders are solid and secure in who they are and what they believe, so their values govern their behavior. They are balanced and emotionally healthy in that they neither suppress their emotions nor allow their emotions to hijack their capacity for reasoning. Their emotions alert them to potential danger or enhance their perceptions, but they do not dictate their understanding of reality. Rather, grounded leaders combine reason with the reflective capacity to gain insight from each emotional reaction in order to respond appropriately.
In other words, grounded leaders demonstrate a high degree of emotional intelligence. They are masters when it comes to understanding their own feelings and are deeply empathetic to the feelings of others. This ability to sense and interpret emotions in a mature way allows them to feel deeply with others while interpreting and harnessing their own emotions in productive ways. No matter how intense a situation may become, they do not shut down or withdraw emotionally. Nor do they let their emotions run amuck. Because grounded leaders have mastered the ability to harness their emotions, they can remain clearheaded, calm, and in control. This serves the grounded leader well in navigating even the stormiest relational seas. Ultimately, their values serve as the keel, running deep and keeping them upright and afloat, even in rough relational waters and against strong emotional gales.
Relationally Rich
Grounded leaders put a premium on healthy relationships. They understand that helping others grow toward maturity is the highest priority of living in community. This community begins in the home and works itself out through the concentric circles of family, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances. Grounded leaders move in their relational spheres, influencing and encouraging others by their example of open, honest, and transparent living.
Those who are grounded have learned how to address and resolve conflict effectively. They do not settle for simply managing differences by sweeping them under the carpet. Nor do they engage in counterproductive debate. Instead, they speak with truth and grace. They are not unnerved by tension but realize it can sometimes be healthy, forcing both parties to reconsider their positions and come to a mutual understanding. They know that the healthiest relationships are not conflict-free. But relationships in which both parties have dealt with and resolved conflict well produce growth for all involved.
Beyond seeking resolution to relational conflict, grounded individuals are also quick to forgive. They know that holding a grudge is not beneficial. Once issues are resolved, they release them emotionally and do not let them hinder progress in the relationship.
Those who are grounded also have both a depth and breadth of relationships. These relationships serve to sharpen them and allow them to invest in the growth and development of others in a way that is mutually beneficial. They know relationship catalyzes growth, so they invest heavily in moving their relationships toward maturity. Sometimes this happens through casual conversation. Sometimes it takes the form of a mentoring relationship. Sometimes it’s more directive, as in a coaching conversation with a direct report. Or it may be a disciplinary conversation in which acceptable boundaries are established. Whatever the case, grounded leaders recognize that people grow into the conversations that are created around them and are conscious of building healthy relationships through substantive conversations.
Results-Oriented
Another key characteristic of grounded leaders is that they can be counted on to get the job done. They possess the drive and determination that lead to accomplishment. While they are relationally rich, they are also intent on doing good for others and making a difference. This means they thrive on collaboration and are energized by rallying resources and people to do a job well. They have experienced the satisfaction that comes from being able to synergize people to accomplish more collectively than they ever could have individually.
Grounded leaders are resourceful and responsible. They demonstrate a high degree of competence and evoke confidence among those they lead. They are consistent and can be counted on to follow through to completion.
Grounded leaders are servant leaders. They see their role as one that serves others, often in a self-sacrificial way. They understand that the way to success is to make those around them successful. And that all the good they want in life is a by-product of creating value for others.
Their life and leadership are rooted in the fact that fulfillment and satisfaction are found in seeking to produce value for others rather than extracting value for self. Therefore, grounded leaders always take into consideration what the other person may need from them in any given situation. They make a conscious effort to create the greatest value for all involved in each situation.
Mission-Minded
Grounded people don’t simply have a mission—they are on a mission. They live on purpose, for a purpose, and with purpose. They have a deep desire to leave a positive wake of good in the world. They are keenly aware that the greatest contribution they can make may be found not in what they do but rather in how they do it. Regardless of what vertical or industry they find themselves in, they impact lives positively by simply living and leading in such a way that they seek to make the lives of those around them just a little better.
Grounded leaders know that life is bigger than self. They want to leave a mark that cannot easily be erased. So, they give when others take. They notice what others ignore. They engage when others simply walk on by. They spread kindness. They inspire hope. They create value for everyone they encounter. And they encourage everyone else to do the same.
››GAINING TRACTION: Questions for Consideration & Application