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                             Talk the Talk, Walk the Walk

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Talk the Talk, Walk the Walk is a phrase that advocates holding and carrying what one says, not just with words, but also through actions. This is in steady with what you claim failing which results in loss of credibility and trust.  The phrase is a great personal trait, a rarely exhibited quality that requires immense self-discipline. It requires patience and commitment to follow your values, life principles and ethos.  How are you going to inspire confidence, drive, and trust among your family members and colleagues at work, if you yourself happen to be lacking in obeying what you advocate them to do? “Do as I say to, not as I act to” is generally found an unwritten code and a self- character. Believe me your family members and colleagues understand this and criticize you at your back. They take out their frustrations by laughing and bitching around and keep wondering whether it is an unwritten perk seniors/ elders are supposed to get. For example,

 

A friend of mine the other day while casually discussing importance of the above phrase told me isn’t’ it a mockery that our parents and senior executives at work advice every now and then to ‘walk the talk’? He continued, it appears more of an academic interest. Even “Bhushan, you keep advising it but how much you practice the principle by yourself?”  I really got fumbled and stunned and told him yes perhaps he was largely spot on. I continued that “by talking/sharing/ writing about the advice, I was not only sharing my concerns with readers but equally sending reminders to my mindset to try and be a change implementer instead just be a consultant.”

 

I recall the legendary Jack Welch former CEO, of GE who had developed and introduced the concept of open access system with no organizational compartmentalization.  Each GE employee irrespective of levels would be free to brainstorm and throw ideas without prior clearance and approval of senior leadership.  Welch didn’t just ‘Talk’; he implemented it to the delight of several thousand GE employees by his ‘Walk’ as well. His teams were always willing to follow his lead, because people within knew that he always kept his word. It wasn't just talk, and it didn't take his team long to figure that out. I remember when Maruti Suzuki came to India in eighties; the Japanese made it a point to bring their work culture along. Apart from other interventions, they made it a policy that every employee from a workman to CEO will use the same wash room and eat together in the same cafeteria and base uniform of every one would be same. In my long corporate career, I have mutely observed that every other person in a leadership role and even owner managers  mostly pretend as if they are   the real practitioners of leadership ethos, tenets and beliefs and supporters of above phrase.   I often found them giving sermons to their team members and others of which they were least followers themselves.

 

Some professionals do practice leadership ethos and culture to a certain degree but only a few selected professionals carry and develop it to their fullest potential. In fact, a sizable number of senior professionals across organizations as also family elders don’t lead by example. I am sure you continue to be a mute observer of politicians during election campaign who keep promising moon. But unfortunately when elected, they just fail to remember their given word. 

You have to set the tone and roll out actions by creating a culture of trust, reliability, steadiness, uniformity and faith. The onus lies on you to initiate appropriate changes in the culture, and the essence of following ethos and ethics in relationships.

 

The true essence of ‘Talk the Talk, Walk the Walk’ has been portrayed by Maxwell, an American author who once said that, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way”. The nucleus and theme therefore is the change to be initiated by the organization’s leadership/family elders by tackling their own behavior first before making it dribble down to others.  You are not only expected to walk the talk but in essence ‘lead by example from the front to inspire, encourage and motivate others’. But unfortunately in reality their actions rarely match the perceptions going around. Most of them have arguably double standards, one for themselves, their own cronies and the other for the rest of individuals. For example,

 

Suppose a    manager who insists on an 8-hour work day, yet leaves for an early lunch and isn’t available till 3 pm. Such behavior dents team member’s morale significantly, he may feel that those at the helm don’t appear to take the work seriously.  Similarly if the parents have a ball every second day and children aren’t allowed to watch even a movie at home or call on their friends, you can expect their feelings and negative behaviors. 

 

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Steps to Reactivate Yourself

 

“Do as you are instructed to, not as I do” possibly would have struck a note for both parents and strict leadership yesterday, but not anymore. Leadership by demand or for that matter strict day to day parental control is not any more tenable. Team members at work and surely children back home want to see you lead by example. When your actions actively work against the things you say (whether in direct/indirect conversation), you in all probability will be viewed as a problem boss/ parent -- and maybe even a venomous one.

 

1 Never promise your team members at work say a salary hike or some other benefit that you aren’t sure can be done. If you even say “OK or I will try”, the team members will get assured that something will happen. Similarly try to avoid giving promises to your spouse/children/friends for anything that you are not sure to provide/execute. This will damage your creditability. Be honest and convey gentlemanly but firmly that it is not possible or depending on the situation just smile and excuse you. This will help build image of straightforwardness and firmness on your part.  However, should you make a promise, ensure that you ‘walk the talk’? There is no better way to hurt your credibility and self-esteem than to say one thing and do the opposite.

 

2 It will make you learn that there is ‘as much in giving as there is in getting’ by believing and obeying that ‘Your Walk’ has to match ‘Your Talk’. Don’t be in the illusion that just because you are in a leadership position/head of family, courtesy, ethics, and good manners don’t apply to you.  Your personal reputation is build up by seeing how you behave on a daily basis.  “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. 

 

3 The theme of “Talk the Talk and Walk the Walk ” is essentially, tackle your own behavior first, before communicating changes to others. Changing habitual practices, routine, behaviors isn’t as easy as simply making a decision. The resolution must be supported by conscious attention, commitment and will to change.

 4 A strong ‘YOU’ is built on the potency of your personality attributes and a firm pledge to do the right things, at the right time, for the right reason. Leading by example is a memento and legacy you leave behind  if your  team / children realize that you'll also do whatever you expect from them, they'll likely work hard, be more cooperative and trustworthy and take you as their role model.

 

5 As a sturdy ‘YOU’, paying attention to team /family members and actively listening to them often assumes more importance than instructing them what to do. At times you may have to put your commitments aside to allow them to freely communicate what is bothering them and is hovering on their mindset. It is an opportunity to learn more about the group dynamics.

 6 Don’t expect your team members to do your personal odd jobs. Some of them may gladly do because they need the job and want to keep   you happy. Imagine the amount of anguish and distress it creates in them and soon word goes around about improper behavior on your part. For example,

 

When I started my career as an executive in the corporate office in one of my earliest organizations, I would invariably watch organization’s administration officer ferrying chairman’s dog in the car. I took pity on the person but I guess he was not doing it out of pleasure but poor guy needed the job.

 

Similarly don’t expect your children to go out of home every now and then to fetch small stuff from the market at odd hours.

 

7 Generate an aura of attributes, benefits, leadership skills, parentage and perception by your ‘Talk the Talk and Walk the Walk’ and create an image of no nonsense and responsible individual which would attract members towards you after brief initial hesitation.

 8 As and when you receive telephone calls from employees / customers/family relations, be gracious enough to return the call. Similarly respond emails timely even if the sender is not an important individual.  It is not only a commitment but also an etiquette to keep your appointments on a regular basis and don’t forget to show up or abruptly cancel a meeting without notice if you have an unexpected change of plan. 

Bhushan Kachru

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