The Evolved CEO: Sink or Succeed

“Have you ever heard of workers fighting for a CEO?” 

Those are the lyrics to a protest song written by the employees of Market Basket, a supermarket chain in North-eastern U.S. In August 2014, thousands of Market Basket’s employees—produce managers, truck drivers, warehouse workers—descended on the streets of Tewksbury, Massachusetts to protest the dismissal of Arthur T. Demoulas as CEO.  

Artie D, as he is fondly known by his employees, was fired as CEO of Market Basket as a result of a long-running family feud. Upon hearing news of his dismissal, Market Basket employees were so enraged they took to the streets in protest, with the support of the local community. The idea of daily wage earners fighting on behalf of the CEO was so novel, it grabbed headlines all around the world. In the words of Michael Dunleavy, the manager at the Market Basket’s Somerville branch, 

"Most companies try to get rid of their CEO. I think we're one of the first companies ever to try and bring our CEO back. It's unprecedented." 

Which begs the question, why was Demoulas so popular?  

Demoulas was an evolved leader. He treated his relationship with his workers with incredible importance. He attended their weddings and funerals, went out of his way to check on anyone who fell ill, and apparently, could remember the name of every single one of his 25,000 employees. More importantly than weddings and names, Demoulos fought for the rights of his employees. Wages at Market Basket start at $12 per hour, well above the national minimum at that time, and all employees are on a profit-sharing plan. Employees also receive healthcare, paid sick leave and other benefits, as a matter of course. Under Demoulos' leadership, Market Basket had gained a reputation for having little employee turnover, with staff opting to work at the organization for decades at a time.  

The lesson to be learned here isn’t to remember the names of all your employees or attend all their birthdays. Not everybody works the same way or commits to their employees in the same style. The lesson here is, find the metrics of employee engagement that work for your organization, and commit to following them to the maximum. In the following article, I am going to discuss some of the best practices that leaders today have adopted in order to engage with their employees and build a relationship with them. 

Skill. Experience. Loyalty.  

Leaders can build mountains on these pillars. Teams lacking in expertise or a willingness to learn will falter immediately. Without engagement or excitement in the work, loyalty won’t be achieved, nor will the company’s longevity. CEOs cannot focus only on the bottom line or the client’s needs. It always starts with the team first. As a leader, it is your duty to design a company culture synonymous with employee engagement and satisfaction. For this to happen, the first misconception you need to clear is that long working hours equate better productivity. Recent studies have shown the destructive effect of burnout not only on morale but also on creativity and innovation. Clocking in more than 8 hours, responding to late-night emails, and giving up holidays are no longer held up as mandatory traits of a star employee.  This is the era of smart work, collaboration, and innovation. 

 Here are some unique ways some leaders made work more meaningful and exciting for their employees, to help them believe in themselves as well as the company’s vision. 

The Hidden ‘Gateway’ To A New Purpose 

On some levels, most leaders already know that they need to reach out to the employees on a human level to keep them engaged. What they fail to do is convey it in an effective manner. They may roll out communications and spread messaging about their principles and mission to the employees, hoping to inspire them to give it their all. But statistics prove that the message isn’t really getting through. 

In one survey that involved senior executives from around the world, only 38% of leaders could claim that their staff had a clear-cut understanding of the company’s core values. The data from US and Global Gallup backs this up by confirming that about 70% of employees are not excited or motivated at work. Another study reveals the unsettling truth that nine out of ten employees in the US feel that they are not utilizing their full potential at work. 

Bill Gates has been tackling this predicament since the 1990s with his transformational leadership style. He cracked the code of convincing employees to stay invested in the company for long by appealing to their individuality and interests. Microsoft has been enabling smart people to thrive on intelligence and chart their own success journeys for decades.  

And it’s working. Apparently, 98% of employees choose to stick with the tech giant for years, because they feel seen and valued. 

The ‘Nooyi’ Age Report Cards  

Positive reinforcement goes a long way when it comes to enhancing the employee experience. When employees feel appreciated, they feel empowered to start taking initiative to handle more responsibility and display accountability. Leaders need to help their staff experience the excitement of the company’s growth. It’s when employees realize that their actions make a real contribution, that they will truly commit to the role and the organization.  

When Indira Nooyi was announced the CEO of PepsiCo in 2006, she sensed her own parents’ pride in her achievements. This made her consider the parents of her own senior leaders and how they must feel about their children's careers. She decided to tell them of her gratitude; she wrote letters to each employee’s parents. 

And to her pleasant surprise, many of the parents wrote back, reinforcing the sense of emotional connection and loyalty the employees had with their leader and the company. 

The BFF: Boss Friends Forever 

When Meg Whitman became CEO of Hewlett-Packard in 2011, she immediately made a statement by getting rid of the executive suite of offices. Whitman felt that the very first step she needed to take as a leader was to knock down the walls that stood between herself and her employees. She refused to isolate herself at the top because she wanted all the communication channels to be direct, transparent, and quick.  

When leaders decide to become a part of the daily conversations and tasks, employees naturally develop the urge to get involved more and push their boundaries further. This is the age of the servant leaders who are self-aware, eager to share authority, open to delegation, and ready to shape smart, hybrid workforces. 

Cocktails and Dreams 

Casual settings are apt for ideation and conversations. Mark Josephson, the former CEO of Bitly, was big on engaging with his employees on a daily basis. But his trump card was the weekly Cocktails & Dreams sessions that were hosted in the company office, making way for carefree discussions and crazy ideas. Each week, a bartender would be nominated and the employees would share their progress and Josephson would announce the company updates.

As laid back as they were, these company gatherings acted as a safe space for employees to discuss potential project ideas, future goals, and their dreams in general. It also helped Josephson bond with every single member of his team, indirectly boosting employee morale and paving the way for a grounded, emotionally secured, and far-sighted team. 

The Employee Dream Trust Fund 

When it comes to empowering employees, Craig Handley, co-founder, and CEO of ListenTrust takes the cake. While most leaders work towards retaining talent in their company longer, Handley trains his employees to quit. He understands that no matter how committed an employee is to his company, they are bound to have dreams and desires of their own. Keeping this in mind, ListenTrust has designed a program that will eventually help the employee quit and pursue their true passion. 

According to Handley, there are six pillars that will help employees reach their goal: 

• Career 
• Relationship 
• Health 
• Wealth 
• Time off 
• Growth 

The employees are taught how to support each pillar and are also provided with a full-time coach to get on the right track to achieve their dreams. ListenTrust budgets about $3,000 a month to the dream trust to give employees the right push to fulfill their destiny. 

Conclusion 

Now let’s circle back to the Market Basket case. The employees unusual protest brought global attention to what was otherwise a medium-sized, family-run enterprise and after a six-week standoff, Arthur T. was reinstated to his position as CEO, and also gained majority control over the company. His reinstatement stands as a testament to the power and loyalty of a committed, engaged workforce, and the change that they can precipitate. 

2020 proved to leaders across the world that good employees can work from anywhere, anytime as long they have a computer and an internet connection. It’s not the hours that matter, but the effort put into them and the ideas that set things in motion. 

In understanding this delicate balance lies the success of a true leader.