A Humanistic Approach to Leadership and Sales
If you ever watched both a British comedy show and an American one, you’ll know how different those two styles of humour are. There are subtleties that change the tone, timing and style of humour. Sometimes it’s hard to put your finger on why one style appeals more, or you laugh more at one than the other. There’s a lot of nuances in the culture of these two Western, developed, English-speaking countries, as well as a lot of similarities. The same could be said for Australian and New Zealand entertainment – same, same but different!
The point is that even when things look the same on the surface, in communities, countries, circles of friends, cities and collectives, there will be a lot of similarities as well as subtle differences in what’s funny, what’s valued, the meaning and impact of certain words, and ways of connecting that aren’t stated nor labelled.
What does all this have to do with you, your business or your growth ambitions?
It’s a reminder that business isn’t business-to-business or –business-to-consumer, but really it’s human to human. We strive, and want you to too, to really understand what style and approach is best for leadership and in sales, not just generally, but as appropriate for the context.
One of the reasons for founding Bolstur, for investing thousands of hours of time and effort into developing a sales framework and competency model, was to develop one that was globally relevant, but also, had strong resonance with Kiwis.
Most of the sales research, literature and models out there have been heavily based on the American ‘go getter’ style. Something that down under, we don’t buy into, in fact, that approach is more likely to get Aussies and Kiwi’s backs up, we get all prickly and start edging backwards feeling like we’re being smacked in the face with a ‘Imma gunna push you into buying crap you don’t want’ sign.
What’s that all about? Well we think it’s about how we like to do business. We’re really humanistic at the bottom of the globe.
“Humanism is a philosophy that recognises the dignity and worth of each and every human on the planet. We treat people with respect and compassion. We strive to be ethical, responsible and compassionate in everything we do.” - Jennifer Hancock
That means we’re interested in each person and their diverse needs, doing what’s right, and treating people fairly.
Let’s look at the Brits and the Americans in more depth (acknowledging that these are sweeping generalisations and based on psychological and business models arising from the command and control era).
World Business Culture say that the American management style can be described as individualistic in approach. They are more likely to disregard the opinions of subordinates.[1] That American managers are assertive, aggressive, goal and action oriented, confident, vigorous, optimistic, and ready for change. They are capable of teamwork and corporate spirit, but they value individual freedom and their first interest is furthering their own career.
The style in the UK is typically more formal and Business Insider report that British managers are diplomatic, casual, helpful, willing to compromise, and seeking to be fair, though they can be ruthless when necessary. Unfortunately, their adherence to tradition can result in a failure to comprehend differing values in others.[2]
When it comes to sales specifically, using models designed to succeed in these environments will likely only work in these cultures, and may mean you have to adopt an approach or style that isn’t authentic (a big no, no in our books), and will be hard yakka for you.
The Top 20 books on leadership and sales are all based on data and examples from the American and British cultures and their advice, tactics and models don’t take into account multi cultural businesses or communities.
They certainly don’t embrace the ethos of guanxi which is significant in Chinese culture, the cooperative, egalitarian and practical nature of Scandinavian business leaders, the importance of dress and hierarchy in Brazil, or the polite etiquette of Japanese engagements.
Kiwis do business often based on recommendations, word of mouth and we like building relationships with those we buy from and sell to, or partner with. We’re humanistic. We value who someone is, what they care about, how they treat others and how they engage with us. We need new business models, new frameworks for leadership and new approaches to sales that allow us to build on these strengths and adapt as needed to win in all kinds of different cultures and contexts. That’s what we’re driven by – getting these tools, based on proven research, into your hands quickly, easily and at an affordable price.
For now, let’s reflect on this post by Jordi Alemany who created this acronym for Leadership, using humanistic values in her post titled “The 10 Commandments Of Humanistic Leadership” – we really like this as a simple model for outlining what we really want to emulate as leaders and sales professionals:
# 1. Listening:
The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood. The best way to understand people is to listen to them. — Ralph Nichols
# 2. Empowerment:
Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do, and they will surprise you with their ingenuity. – General George S. Patton
# 3. Appreciation:
Make it a habit to tell people thank you. Express your appreciation, sincerely and without the expectation of anything in return. Truly appreciate those around you, and you’ll soon find many others around you. Truly appreciate life, and you’ll find that you have more of it. – Ralph Marston
# 4. Devotion:
The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones. –William Faulkner
# 5. Empathy:
Whenever you are about to find fault with someone, ask yourself the following question: What fault of mine most nearly resembles the one I am about to criticize? – Marcus Aurelius
# 6. Respect:
This world of ours… must avoid becoming a community of dreadful fear and hate, and be, instead, a proud confederation of mutual trust and respect. –Dwight D. Eisenhower
# 7. Simplification:
Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand. –General Colin Powell
# 8. Honesty:
As I have said, the first thing is to be honest with yourself. You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself… Great peacemakers are all people of integrity, of honesty, and humility. ― Nelson Mandela
# 9. Inspiration:
The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires. – William Arthur Ward
#10. Perseverance:
Adhere to your purpose, and you will soon feel as well as you ever did. On the contrary, if you falter, and give up, you will lose the power of keeping any resolution, and will regret it all your life.” — Abraham Lincoln
Read the full post here.
Now that you have an appreciation for the differences in cultures, be mindful of the approach you take and check if it’s right for the context you’re working in. Watch this space in 2019 as we share more human-centered sales and leadership tools and be sure to check out the free stuff we’ve already got ready to roll.
If you have any questions about what sales approach, models, books etc might work for you, we’re happy to help – flick us a message and we’ll do our best!
