Welcome to the (2012) Walk-The-Talk blog. This blog was created and launched in 2007. Aimed at graduate students participating in the MBA and Organizational management Leadership programs at Colorado Christian University (CCU), this blog has been developed as a change agent community, praxis research project. The idea is to share your individual and collective experiences, wisdom, understanding and knowledge in an “open” public forum, touching other people’s lives outside the university system with a goal of impacting public opinion and influencing positive pro-social change. You are invited to join this ongoing “Action Learning” discussion to share your personal or professional viewpoints and real-life experiences as a lifelong learner (student) about business in America. Some questions to consider; Are we seeing more business as usual or is there hope for America’s free enterprise market future? How did we get here? Where do we go from here?
This of this blog is to provide an “open” public space for knowledge sharing and Spirit learning. The posts are monitored and so you will need to register and set up an account. When you register, please use a nickname, not your real name. You must use a current “active” email address and once your initial post has been approved by the system admin, me, you will be able to make additional posts without delay. If you would like to become a walk-the-talk contributing editor and have posting/editing privileges, just shoot me an email and I’ll be pleased to set you up. In the meantime, enjoy blogging.
In His service,
Principle 2 - Promises are to be kept; keep your word, tell the truth, be honest in all things (dishonesty cannot be tolerated within the company or in outside relationships, as it is ultimately destructive)
There are a couple of parts to this belief: First is keeping promises. Again, a principle that seems easy enough, but in reality it requires discipline to keep promises. If you do not intend to do something, do not promise to do it. In today’s busy work environments, a great deal of discernment is required to sort out plans. Another part of this discipline is to work as hard as you can to keep your promise. It may not be easy, but it is essential to living by this principle. Often, it is the way you keep your promises that brings glory to God.
The second part is simply being honest in all things. Honesty is an imperative part of any successful business. There is only one True North on a compass; just like there is only one measure of honesty. Some people only view honesty in business when it comes to accounting (and it definitely needs to be there), but it is an essential part of all business.
Real life: Last year, we discovered that we had not properly followed some conformity procedures that we are required to follow in a market where we sell our product, and we had to figure out a plan of action to remedy this error and be able to continue to sell into this market. The route of being completely honest and forthright with this governing body was our only choice. Yes, we had to “face the music” by some loss of business, a fine and the embarrassment of telling our distributor for that market that we had made a mistake that was going to cost both of us. But, we believe that the Lord has protected us in this exercise. It has not been an easy experience, but it has made us a stronger company by helping us develop better conformity procedures and strengthening this part of our business. Not only were we honest with the outside agency, we were also honest with ourselves–we needed help in this area, so we added a conformity engineer to our staff. Had we not been honest in this process, we believe it could have been much more destructive to our business.
Although there are major events in business that focus on honesty, the truth is that it really is a minute-by-minute challenge. Be honest in ALL things (not just the big things). One other note here: To effectively practice this principle, you also need to do your best with details. Forgetting something is not a sin, but not giving full effort when it comes to the details of a situation (when you have the capacity to do so) is not honest.
Scriptural Root to the Principle: There are a number of examples throughout the Bible where honesty is tested and God’s people either pass or fail (Annanias and Sapphira, David, and Samuel), but one of the most vivid is the story of Achan in the book of Joshua. When Achan withheld an ingot of gold, a few pieces of silver and a garment after being instructed to take nothing, it not only cost the Israelites a battle (and a number of lives), but it also cost Achan and his family their lives. Christians must believe and follow the clear instructions from Scripture about honesty–even in business.
After yesterday’s post, our company President, Bob Walker, and I were talking, and he mentioned how our style of manufacturing contributes to the stability of families, and he is absolutely correct. I had hoped to develop the “level manufacturing” discussion later in the blog, but it really does belong in any that discusses employees . . . so, here goes:
Because our product is seasonal (riding lawn mower), popular manufacturing and employment practices would call for seasonal help, temporary work and extended layoffs when demand has suppressed. We have chosen to work as a level manufacturer where we try to make the same number of machines each day throughout the year. To be sure, this is a considerable monetary investment (risk), because at a high inventory part of the year, we may have millions of dollars in equipment on our racks ready to meet the spring demand, but it is an investment that allows our people the stability of year-round employment. Our employees have “full-time” lives, so they need “full-time” work.
Another benefit of full-time employees is consistent quality of work. When thousands of manufacturing processes are being completed each week, the value of consistent employees cannot be overlooked. Some companies use temporary work to increase production, but we have chosen to offer our employees an overtime hours schedule (within a set time period) to meet our high season demand. This extra expense is put into the pockets of our employees–the ones that are doing the job with excellence all year long.
As a final note, we also work only one shift. We believe this single day shift allows our employees to be a consistent part of their families and other interests they may have.
We will develop the reason for this style of manufacturing a little bit more as we go through some of the other principles . . . stay tuned.
This is our first business principle, and just like many others, it seems easy enough on the surface (be fair, be nice, etc.). Well, those are good ideas, but we believe to fully live this principle, you have to look past the interests of the company and give primary focus to the employee. This may sound a little crazy in today’s competitive world–why would you “sacrifice” any opportunity to be profitable in favor of your employees?
You are correct, this thinking is a little backwards when you look at profits especially in our business environment, but we believe that strong companies are built by strong people from strong families. Did you see how that worked? Strong companies are a result of strong people with strong families. No employer has the benefit of hiring only strong people–they may have that initially, but it has to continually be nurtured to expect any type of sustainability.
As an independent, family-owned company, we have been blessed to be able to make decisions that help nurture our employees (typically with a monetary cost) without having to answer to shareholders who are only interested in how much money they will be taking home at the end of the year. And, the further you move into corporate America (where only money tends to matter), the harder it is to find companies that believe treating employees’ interests higher than their own will actually result in a profit.
Let me give you a real life example (well, as real life as prime-time TV can provide). You may have seen CBS’s hit show Undercover Boss–the one where corporate CEO’s go undercover in their organization for a week to vicariously see how they can improve their companies. I have enjoyed watching it, because I continue to see unavoidable examples of how employers must work to operate by principles that are optimum for employees and their families. I have yet to see an episode where the CEO has not been touched (I believe it has mostly been genuine) by at least one employee who is just a hard worker and is good at what they do. There have been some real personalities and examples of hard work, but even greater than these people is that there is always an example of how their job affects their family (someone working hard to provide for their family, single parent, special needs, extreme circumstances, etc.). I know it is Hollywood, and it is well executed, and I am a sucker, but I also know that we have seen some of this reality here at Walker, and if your company is not prepared to meet these people where they are at, they may never be able to give you everything they have when it comes time to work (that is an investment in profitability). After Mike White, the Chairman of DIRECTV spent an undercover week in his company, he said he now finally realized what his father had meant after all of these years of telling him: “People are people”. He went on to say: “When I started this journey, I really thought it would be an opportunity for me to continue to learn about our technology–actually, that was the least of the experience. I mean, at the end of the day, it’s about cherishing our employees and being committed to their growth because they are so vitally important to our success.”
So, what does Walker do to Walk this Talk? We try to offer a genuine and inviting atmosphere for our employees. We do not pay the top wage in the area, but we are competitive, and we believe that the benefits we offer help add to the “bottom lines” of our employees.
Besides the statutory obligations (Social Security, Medicare, Unemployment, Worker’s Compensation, etc.) and some of the voluntary benefits we provide (Medical Insurance/PPO, Supplemental, Life/Accidental Death/Dental Insurance, Deductible Reimbursement, 401k, Paid Vacation/Holidays, Flexible Spending Account, Direct Deposit, etc.) here are a few other benefits that are offered:
- Production employees who are on time every day are paid 1.5 additional hours of overtime for that pay period–this can mean close to an extra $1,000 a year for even our lowest wage earner
- Weekly payroll - this seems like an unnecessary expense, but we believe that it keeps the company current with the employee (another example of increased expense, but we believe the payoff by far offsets the cost)
- Annual profit sharing bonus–typically between 5% and 10% of annual pay
- Spouse Travel - for any employee who is traveling on business for three nights or more, Walker will pay for your spouse to go with you
- Walker Family Resources - a company-sponsored initiative that includes an on-staff Chaplain and programs for marriage counseling/enrichment, parenting/family seminars, dependency/addiction, and financial assistance (with the help of the Salvation Army)
- Bi-Weekly Chapel
- Resource Library containing books/videos/group studies to promote spiritual growth
- Length of Service Awards at 5 years, 10 years, 15 years, 20 years ($10,000), 25 years ($5,000), and 30 years ($7,500)–Walker pays the taxes for all of the monetary awards
- Mower loaners and purchase program for employees at a reduced rate (including parts)
- Adoption assistance
- A number of other items like: Thanksgiving turkeys, Christmas party, Company picnic and other annual contact from the company to families
Sorry for the long list, but this is not something that was developed overnight–this is a reflection of years of trying to treat our people properly and what it takes to really put your “walk to your talk”.
Real life: Last year, our business slowed down with the economy (- 38%), and we were faced with some tough decisions. So, as our employment base outpaced our equipment demand, we were able to send some of our employees out to do community service projects. We were blessed to provide about 590 hours of community service from our employees that was performed on company time. It was a great way to reach out to our community and it built and strengthened many employee relationships.
Unfortunately, we also had to do two layoffs in the spring time, but we were forthright and honest with our employees, and we are able to look any of them in the eye even today. (I am happy to report that we have recently been able to hire some of them back).
Scriptural Root to the Principle: Ephesians 6:9 says (Amplified Bible): You masters, act on the same [principle] toward them and give up threatening and using violent and abusive words, knowing that He Who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no respect of persons (no partiality) with Him.
Remember, earlier in this passage, employees are encouraged to work as servants of Christ doing the will of God heartily and with your whole soul; Rendering service readily with goodwill, as to the Lord and not to men. Knowing that for whatever good anyone does, he will receive his reward from the Lord, whether he is slave or free.
We believe that if the “master” is doing the right thing, the “servant” will then be able to work heartily and with their whole soul–the company has to set a stage for employment that allows people to be strong. The concrete results are that employees are able to keep the commitments to their families that are also scripturally based (read the first part of this same chapter).
So, what has Walker received from all of this? We benefit by having good employees–not perfect, but good. We also benefit by an increase in employee loyalty (our average term of employment company-wide is almost 11 years, and our annual turnover rate is less than half of the national average). The other results (sales, quality, etc.) tend to take care of themselves–this is not because we are so smart (we make plenty of mistakes), but we can only say that the Lord has been gracious and blessed us beyond measure. All we can do is rely on His help and guidance as we continue to invest in the lives of our employees.
Concluding Thought: Long-Term Thinking - As we go through our operating principles, you will often hear me refer to “long-term thinking”. Investing in employees over profits is long-term thinking, because you may not see immediate results, but you have to be willing to stick around long enough to realize the investment in your employees. Some people may say that we are blinded by our own rose-colored glasses, but this is the risk you run when you believe in people. Yes, we have been let down by some people, but, I would quickly tell you that we have also seen lives changed, people come to Christ, marriages saved, adults and children rehabilitated from the dregs of addiction and families strengthened in ways none of us had ever imagined. As Christians, that’s what is all about–right?
By way of introduction, my name is Tim Cromley, and for the last 16 years, I have been blessed to work at Walker Manufacturing Company in Fort Collins, CO. My current position is Sales and Marketing Manager. Walker is an independent manufacturer of commercial grade riding lawn mowers, but more importantly, it is a company owned by a Christian family and built on Christian principles.
It is an honor to have been asked by Dr. Aldridge to contribute to a blog about real world experience that we have learned over the years here at Walker.
In the coming weeks, I will be posting on beliefs that we have lived in, learned from, and stood by. These are derived from our “What we Believe at Walker” card (given to each of our employees when hired) that lists 18 principles of business we have lived and then put into written form. We believe that many companies write down how they should live and then try to be a company they are not, or even worse, turn into a company that is opposite of what they believe. Are we perfect? No, but we do have some experience that we hope can help as you step into the business arena.
In the meantime, I would encourage you to get to know Walker Manufacturing Company a little better at walkermowers.com. Be sure to read about the company history and philosophies–you can also view our 18 principles of business in our Philosophy section.
From students in the classrooms to business professionals in the boardroom, everyone appears to be “staying in the know” using their PDAs and iPhones. Although social technology and collaborative software advancements continue to evolve, leadership practices, on the other hand, appear to be stuck in the epistemic mire of the transactional-transformational charismatic preaching caveat emptor in a business as usual corporeality creating significant barriers to market entry. It is indeed unfortunate but management’s reception to collaboration and socio-technology thus far, appears to have been approach-avoidance, at best, diminishing opportunities for innovation other than clever recordkeeping. Further complicating the advancement of collaborative technology is, not all collaborative platforms are true Socio-technical systems. True STS are self-regulating systems and this approach threatens the current leadership paradigm. As such, to date, the adoption of collaborative technology is often closely regulated by management. And strict regulation inhibits buy-in and participation from organizational members. Accordingly, socio-technology disrupts the generative dance of leadership’s sublime endeavor; pursuing personal power, authority and wealth. Nevertheless, socio-technical systems are not a socialistic ruse for redistributing wealth but rather, STS present brilliant opportunities for organizational learners to co-create a cycle of sustained innovation for competitive advantage. The twenty-first century organizational leader will need to acquire skills that align with the social-technical environ; These skills include a commitment to authentic, honest and open evaluation, communication, education, collaboration and innovation.
What do you think?
Open discussions on current issues: According to the Daily Report news article published in 2008.
Companies from Detroit-based General Motors Corp. to Zurich, Switzerland-based UBS AG have fallen into the subprime sinkhole.
At GM, profit plunged 90 percent during the first three months of 2007 because of mortgage losses at its 49 percent-owned GMAC finance company.
Swiss banking giant UBS said in May that it would shut its Dillon Read Capital Management arm after the hedge fund manager lost 150 million Swiss francs ($123 million) in the first quarter, partly on subprime investments.
Subprime originations fell 10.3 percent to $722 billion in 2006 from a record $805 billion in 2005, according to JPMorgan Chase & Co. Credit Suisse predicts a 40 percent to 60 percent slide this year. Based upon weakening price trends in many parts of the country and the projected number of resetting loans coming up in the first half of 2008, expect continuing increase in delinquencies and foreclosures.
I for one believe that this was a caveat emptor on the part of the banking institutions; a lock and flip strategy targeting minorities and first time buyers who could also qualify for prime loans yet, the brokers steered these buyers into a subprime loan. The scheme worked so long as interest rates continued to increase along with market value of the properties that secured the loans. So, the banks grew fat in this short sighted, quick fix, microwave strategy. If the buyers defaulted, the bank gladly foreclosed and resold the property again at an addition profit. But when the market collapsed the scheme fell apart. Should these banks be bailed out with tax payer’s dollars?
Many of our nation’s corporate leaders are talking the talk but are they really walking the talk? Public/government, organizational and faith-based leaders are struggling to stand fast in the light of core values in a time where the distinction between good and bad, right and wrong are a matter of opinion and morals have become blurred. You are invited to participate in this ongoing “Action Learning” discussion to share your personal viewpoint and real-life experience of leadership in America. Some questions to consider; Regarding the leadership crisis, how did we get here? Post suggestions, where do we go from here?
What is truth in advertising? How do you know when a manufacturer is over promoting a service or product? Caveat Emptor means “buyer beware” and it is the common mantra of organizational marketing and sales groups. There are countless examples of caveat emptor in the marketplace. Can we trust that the FTC is screening the ads we are exposed to? Is there anything wrong with pushing the limits of truth to close a sale? After all this serves the best interests of the stakeholders.
Worldview refers to the framework of ideas and beliefs through which an individual interprets the world around them and interacts with others. According to James Sire (2010) in his popular text, the Universe Next Door, some examples of worldviews include; theism, deism, naturalism or, humanism, nihilism, existentialism and so on. Most people don’t stop to think about their worldview, they just do and do and do, and, this creates a lot of do-do in everyone’s lives. A simple way to examine one’s worldview is to answer these three questions. Who am I? Why am I here? And what is my purpose?
Here’s a couple of real life examples of a persistent and unfortunate trend in worldviews I call, narcissistic nihilism; M-TV’s My Super Sweet Sixteen Birthday, and Sons of Hollywood. Spelling, Stewart and Weintraup are Hollywood rich kids with out a cause. To be sure, money is not associated with brains and spirit. Classic fools, they certainly entertain us. They do indeed cause us to laugh. I don’t think they realize they are the joke.
In another life, I was a recording engineer/producer. I launched a small vanity record label in the 70’s and owned a 24 Track recording studio. I was full of ambition, arrogance, proud and foolish. So, I know where these guys are coming from. I was someone just like them. Interestingly, while recording tracks “the artists,” I use that phrase loosely, would quip, “more me,” meaning turn me up in the monitors. Imagine five members of a band all asking to be louder. That’s because, it’s all about “me”. Seems these days just about everyone is looking for their next MTV “get rich quick” reality show deal. Everyone has a CD coming out party too. The “more me” culture.
The problem with narcissistic nihilism as a worldview is that one loves themselves so much they actually self destruct. They love themselves to death. I lost a lot of friends in the music business just this way. You don’t have to be in the entertainment business to experience narcissistic nihilism. Every field of endeavor has its traps. Here’s how it starts. Pride, control, self-confidence through self help ideology that plant seeds of vain imaginations. Believing man is god.
Truth is, you can’t believe what you hear, see or read anymore. Most especially with regard to advertising, music and entertainment news media. Take, for instance, music; there was a time in the “old school” analog days, integrity was held in check by the limitation of the technology. An artist had to overdub their vocals, for instance, or whatever tracks until they hit that note or riff and then the whole control room erupted with applause. These days, the Pro-Tools days, where technology rules, you just point and click to the pitch and there you go! Victoria’s Secret women are air brushed to perfection with Photoshop and, lets face it, entertainment news is NOT news.
I believe that the Sons of Hollywood and the many people who want to be just like them are really lost souls. They think they know who they are. Do you know who you are?
Post your comments and Christian worldview here.
God bless