I don’t know about you, but I am highly motivated to get better as a leader. I’m constantly reading books, attending seminars and trying out new things. I’m on the hunt for something cutting edge, something fresh and built for my 21st Century professional life. However, it just dawned on me… Is it possible that I’m looking for something new and shiny and, in the process, overlooking some old-school wisdom? My recent trip to the Polynesian Cultural Center really got me thinking. 

I just finished the book Leadership and Self-Deception. While it was a bit over the top in terms of the dialogue, some of the concepts really resonated with me. At the core of the book is a discussion on how we view people as leaders. Do we see people as tools to be used as we achieve our goals? Are they impediments or obstacles to those goals? Or are they merely distractions that pull us away from the work that we need to be doing? I have to admit, at one point or another, I have viewed individuals in the workplace in each of these ways. On a side-note, that is my default view of people when I am driving in traffic (obstacles and annoyances mostly).   

The book makes a long and powerful argument that we, as leaders, should see those at work as people. We should recognize their dreams, their perspectives and their feelings. In doing so, we don’t lose our ability to hold them accountable, have tough conversations or coach to results. On the contrary, we have those conversations with real pathos and, as a result, incredible effectiveness. We build loyalty and trust through that process and performance improves. 

The other week, I visited the Polynesian Cultural Center on Oahu’s North Shore. I highly recommend it if you have not visited. It is truly an inspiring place for so many reasons. In the course of my day, I learned an ancient Maori (indigenous Polynesians of New Zealand) proverb that is at the heart of their management philosophy. 

He aha te mea nui o te ao?

He tangata

He tangata

He tangata

What is the most important thing in the world?

It is the people

It is the people

It is the people

Simple. Elegant. Powerful. And completely aligned with the principles of Leadership and Self-Deception! Leaders at the Polynesian Cultural Center pride themselves on knowing their team. They view leadership as a privilege and an important mission to inspire and foster the growth of their team members. They all share a passion for Polynesian culture. The beauty of this approach is that it aligns with their view of the customer, or guests, as they describe them. They view their guests as people, not ticket sales or concession opportunities. They connect and share on a human level as a rule, and it is one of the reasons that the Polynesian Cultural Center is so incredibly successful.

So, out with new and in with the old. Now if only I could get some Maori proverbs on Audible…