How an Organization Can Have Outward Success as an Inside Job w/ Bobby Albert

I. Was. On Bobbie Albert's podcast, a few, months, ago and I, don't actually know if the episodes, released yet but we went in depth on sales. And cold email all the traditional, stuff that I constantly, am asked about on, podcasts. But I'm impressed by him because he, has grown, and sold several businesses, will do the bio in a second very impressive dude and he grew up a couple hours from Dallas which is where I went to high school so, we had a lot of stuff to talk about in that, but, the main thing we talked about in this conversation is culture. And leadership. Basically. How to turn your business into, a. Cult, you know everyone's, working, for one big goal how, to create, that type of environment where people actually want to work together to, succeed, that is what bobbi specializes. In and that, is what we wanted to talk about he also went through some questions to, ask to find your purpose, in life or to find your key things and I did that exercise on this podcast as, well might, be interesting for you to go through so, here it is my full, conversation with, Bobby Elbert you can also grab this on Spotify, or iTunes search. Alex Furman podcast and you can grab it there also I'd love to know do, you like these longer episodes or do you want more of a condensed, best of leave it down in the comments, and I'll, be happy to oblige, whatever. Whatever, delivers. The most value so here's my conversation, with Bobby Elbert let's jump, into it Bobby Albert is the current president of values driven leadership, LLC, his passion, is to help other leaders build inspiring workplace, cultures, through values driven leadership, he recently had me on his podcast he. Also has written two books principal, profits, outward success is an inside job and his, second book TrueNorth business, is scheduled. To release in April, 2019. Abby uses. A values, driven approach, and he's. Created, a unique and special workplace culture the, best 100 companies to work for in Texas awarded their coveted designation, to the Albert team for the first two years they applied for consideration, welcome. To the podcast. Bobby Albert yes thank, you Alex, it's a pleasure, to get to talk to you again. And and, just, - the audience is somewhere to go what was the name of the podcast that you do know it's called Li to grow lead, to grow and one, of the reasons I wanted to have you on this podcast is, because and, you guys go ahead and listen to the, interview bobby did of me as well but on that interview i was talking the entire time and i, I just I know there's so much that, you could share Bobby so I just wanted to sit down and, ask. You about you. Know values, let's talk - values driven leadership. Okay, well man, that's a boy, that's a something, I have a really a passion for. You. Know today, we have, this brave new workplace. Where. We've got the baby boomers, on one in and, the Millennials, on the other end and, and, and you know Alex you you, you live in the digital, marketing, areas. So you know how. Technology. Is really. Chain. Brought, changed. Into the workplace, at, warp speed change. And. Its really redefining. Loyalty. In the workplace, and those, organizations. That engage. With. Employees. In this brave new workplace. Will. Thrive but. I have to admit those. Who fail to adapt, will wonder. What. Happened, as. Their, employees, leave and, their. Profits, shrink, and that's a reason why I want to talk with you today about outward. Success. Is an. Inside. Job. One. Thing that I have found is, that. Is. Has. To do about workplace culture. Often. I get asked Bobby what is what. Is workplace. Culture, well there, are some formal, definitions, out there but be, honest we you sometimes they they. Can become kind, of confusing. But. The the, thing that I, have. Found about. Culture. Is. If. I can use this, example. I, live, in Texas and, the. Wind. Blows. A lot outside, and I do a lot of bicycling. And so I'm always concerned about the direction. Of the wind and. And the, velocity, and all those kind of things so. But. One thing is about, culture, is that. It's. Like the wind has. Anybody ever seen the wind no no one's ever seen the wind but. What we see are the effects. Of the, wind and what. If I went outside right, now I'd see the you. Know the tree the leaves in the trees. Moving. I can see the bushes shifting, back and forth because of the wind what I'm seeing are the effects, of the wind and culture, is a lot, like that and one, thing I found about culture, is workplace.

Culture, Is that, it's, the fruit, and not, the gold now. Alex. Sent you you, know you're, in that digital market, area and I'm you know because of where you're located. You're. Very familiar with, technology. Companies. And things of that nature and, often. I read about where. Technology. Companies, are, wanting. To make sure their people, are happy, so, there can be more productive and, the, thing I've learned about. Culture. Is it's not what I get out of my people, it is what I give, them. Without. Expecting. Anything, in return, and let, me just. You. Know give, you a fought. Here is that, I read, about often, that people think well if I provide all the, food and, beverage that people you, know willing, to eat and drink free I bring, in ping pong tables, have, allowed them to use skateboards. You know in the place of business you know all those kind of neat things and if they're happy they'll, be more productive and therefore, I'll make more money you're, quoting word-for-word a founder that, I used to know oh really. A. Party, and he had just bought a dartboard, and he's like yeah I heard you just buy him a dartboard and that's enough that's enough for culture like he literally said that exact thing you say well, so so. What happens, is that when. Someone, goes to that level it becomes the, goal rather. Than the fruit, you. Know if, you you. Know if you take a fruit. It's, amazing, it takes two, to five years before, a fruit, tree, will, produce beautiful. Fruit, but, what does a farmer do when they plant a. Fruit. Tree they, first, been, to, go through a great, lengthy, process over. Many years they. First say go, to great lengths of preparing, the soil then, they water the tree they cultivate, the tree they, they prune, the tree over all that time. By. Doing the right thing and eventually it. Produces. This beautiful. Fruit and what, I have found is. The. Roots of a tree comparing. To the, business, is is. What. I call, there's some essentials. That must, exist in, the business, and that is, the core values, like you mentioned, earlier the. Purpose, the, vision and and. What, a term, I use super. Objectives, in a non-profit. Or government it, may be related, to a mission, statement, and. The trunk of the tree R, is the effective. Leadership, and, when, those five. Essential. Components. Are there it produces. This beautiful. Fruit, which, is a culture, and when a culture. Every. Organization. Can have a culture, where people thrive. And profits, or buy. In. Today let's maybe just talk about one of the essentials, about the core values, so. I'm wondering so, I don't. Think even said this in the intro but, you sold our company to, a publicly, traded company right, in 2011, well that's true and I, if, here, in just a little bit maybe I can share, the. Kind of success, we had leading up to that sale yeah. Well I'm wondering after you sold so going. From this because you're really known for your leadership it seems like and building. This unique culture I'm wondering, how that changed after you sold well, the, the, it. It. Didn't really change it's, just that I'm. Living my second, half of life I'm enjoying, life. The company, that bought. Me they. You. Know financially. Blessed me to a point that I don't have to work anymore and I'm.

Just Doing this because, my. Purpose. Has been. About. Making, a difference, in people, for people and through people that's interesting how did you decide to, because. I don't want to say I'm in a similar situation but, it's like recently. I had this insight where it's like you can kind of do whatever you want. So. You're, definitely in that place how, did you decide to write a business book or like why did you decide to go in this direction it. Seemed like you could have done any number, of things infinity, things even yes well, a good, question, going. Way back, in the 90s, if you can amend that. People. Have had me speak, and oh workshops. At trade associations. At companies, and things and I. You know I'm just doing it because I am joy talking about these kind of things and people kept saying Bobby you need to write a book about this well I'm. Trying to think man I got a business, run I don't have time to write a book or you know talking about leadership, and, workplace, culture, and, and. So Wentz, once I sold a company it's. Like okay I've got time on my hands, and that. It's. Time to start, writing about this and it's hard to believe that I've actually have written about. 200,000, words and I'm, not a writer because B honestly I don't enjoy. Really. Writing but I've had to learn, the discipline, of writing on. A regular, basis, that's. Interesting, so what led you to if. You don't enjoy the day-to-day what. Led you to write. The book well, what, led me to is, that I. We. Experienced. Such success. In our company, and in. My industry, we had profits, way, over. What people. Would even expect, and. So. I felt like I had something to share to, make a difference, in people and, there. I. It's you. Know I'm all about not so much about success. As I am about significance. And I'm trying to I would love, to build the chief significance. By making a difference in people yeah, everything. Thanks, let's let's talk a little bit about that okay. It. Is perhaps, a, starting, point was to talk about core values because, we saw. Something, very significant. Happen in their company. When. I, introduced, our core values. You. Know the author. Call. His name's Jim Collins, he wrote a book called the degrade, he's pretty, well known about that and, one. Thing that in his. Book and he, also wrote another early book called a, bill, to last is that. He. Took public traded, companies, from. 1926. To, 1990. And what. He found during that time period is. They, was a group of companies, that outperform. The average stock, market, two times now, you know today we, would have probably like to have invested. In those companies, but, he also found, a small group of companies, that outperform. The stock market, by fifteen times, I mean, that's so. Incredible. That, it's almost like is that is that really true and, things and so they dug deeper. Into research. And Jim Colin mainly, is a researcher. But he writes well as to, how, did, those companies, come about, to. Outperform. The stock market, 15, times during that time period many of these company, had been in existence for over a hundred years so. What was unique about, him and not, only that during, that time period there was a depression. There was multiple. Recessions. You know the economy, going up and down they had multiple wars that, took place during. That time pair how did those companies. Were. That successful, and. What, they found was two, simple. Components. Of those companies, and he used a term to preserve the core stimulate. Progress. Preserve, the core and stimulate. Progress, and what, he was talking about is to on preserve. The core was. That there was two pieces of that and that was the core values, and purpose. Of the organization, never. Changed. From the day they were found, but. Everything. Else was on the table for change and that, was the stimulating. Progress, everything, I mean I'm talking about organization. Structure, product. Services. Compensation. Schedules, you can you, know policies, and procedures, you could go on and on and, those.

Were Constantly. Changing. Over, many, many years so. One. Thing in my own company going, way back in the 90s our employees. Pretty. Well knew, what. Our purpose, and our vision was they had heard me talk about it for years but. One thing. That I kept thinking something, is missing something, is, missing. And. I. Finally, discovered. That it was our core, values. That, was missing, and then I knew that, as the leader. Is. That, the core values, really came from the, leader and it. Took me two and a half years, to figure, out who I was so. That this is a question to the listening, audience. That. Is the perhaps, maybe one of the most important, questions ever been asked is, and. Alex, you can think about it even for yourself, who are, you well. I have, my my. Other employees, have reflected, Who I am back on me and it is I think, it's riffing hard making a lot of typos. Etc. You know and I think I, have two companies where it's just me as the head and then my other main company experiment 27, has Robert as the CEO and his. Company, you know where he's the CEO as a super, corporate like everyone is everything's, perfectly spelled, and everything but then the other two companies I'm running it's just like my employees will spam. Me with messages, like five messages in a row and I. Think that's who I am at least right now well. When. You add when you really dig into you, know whoareyou bone-deep. Who are you. And. That. Gets. To your core values night actually it took me two and a half years, to figure out who I was and I finally put together some. Tools some. Questions, to ask that, other people don't have to spend that long to try to figure out who they who, they are but. The. One. I was faced with that those core values they. Had always been, in our company, I just finally figured, out how to express, it and thank, goodness our human. Resource, department. Our HR department was. Hiring people based, on what they thought they didn't know the call it core values but what, the kind of people that Bobbie Albert, was looking, for so, one.

Thing That I, there. Was a phrase, I came up with before, I figured, out who I was and it, was this is I I want to be a values. Driven company, that achieve, results. Not. A results. Driven company. That, has, values. See. What I find, is, most, people, are. Let. You know led to, drive for results, drive for results, drive for results, basically what the the. Leader. Is saying I want more money I want more money I want more money but. What I found, in our company, is that. If I focus on. Driving. The, the values, driven, kind of company is that we, got not, only good at results, we got excellent, results. In, in our, company. Now. Most. People would wonder well what our core Vaes well their, general. Guiding. Principles. Of behavior. And, way. I would explain it to our people this is how we, are to behave in, our company, as we, pursued, our purpose, as we pursued, our vision, as we pursued, our super. Ejectives, or mission, as. We pursued the strategies. The tactics, and the measurable, builds this, is how we behave, this, is how we behave. Between us and with. Our customers, and even suppliers. This, is how we behave. And so. What. They're not and. I find many companies, that are so results-driven and I've been in companies, where they may have a list of core values in their in their Lobby but, if I go out and ask their employees, what are where the core base the, employees, don't know because, I've been an employee and, companies, that have core values and I remember, specifically, one time this company was that just painted him on the wall and I, couldn't, care like not only could I not care I like felt offended, that, they thought maybe I didn't have these values you know like they feel the need to plaster, them on the wall. Yeah. We. Think employees feel that way is that like a common yes I I. Experience. There's not very many companies, that know their core values they you know not only the leader knows, it but the employees, know. Is. The. Key is authenticity. Is, that. If the. The. Reason, why our, core values, were so strong, in our company, because it was who I was and it was how I was living them, out even, though I finally, you, know it was years before I figured out how to express, them so, in other words if if, we have a list of core values but I didn't live that way. That's. Not being authentic so. The, employees, like okay, I you, know I see those core values but that. You. Know, they're. Just see, this is one thing to what core values are not they're not something. That what, you aspire, to be, that you would like to obtain someday. It's, not something, that looks good as marketing. Material, or looks good on a website, or. It's. Something, that you put in, a proposal to, gain you. Know. Financing. At the bank, there. Or something, that looks real pretty you know on paper or, up on the walls that's not what core values are they, have, to be lived, out and. When. One of the I had, just, to give you a flavor. Of the what I had to go through to figure out who I was I had to ask myself some tough tough. Questions, you. Know like Bobby. What. You know, what. Do you stand for. What. What are what. Are you all about. Why. Did you say what, you just said. Why. Did you do what, you just did and why, was it even, important. For you to say and do what, you just said and did, I. Tell. You what I couldn't, come up with good answers. That's. Interesting, but. It took me through this process, that. I kept, asking those, kind of questions for, months, and months and finally. One. Sunday, afternoon, it, was, like you. Know what I think I'm ready to figure out who I am and, so. I sat. Down I got I have a. This. Was at my house and I have a what I call my thinking, chair and that's, in addition to my bicycle, since I enjoy I use my bicycle in to kind of as a thinking, chair and, I. Pulled. Out a yellow tablet. Got. My pen and I. Made, a t-chart and I, started asking myself okay. Okay, all right I'm sitting here now. Something's. Got to come so I sort, of thing all right I'm gonna do this what. Are words, that describe. That. I'm I'm. Passionate. About I, get excited I get fired up when. These things are done so, I wrote sour words there and. On. The other side I started, thinking well I'm going to look at the other side of the coin here, and when. Things are not done, is. I. Get. Angry, I get upset, I get foaming. At the mouth. Because. They don't get this. Way so. I wrote down some words to describe that and, one. Thing that really surprised. Me there, were six words that. Were a dead, on both sides of the, T chart and the. More I looked, at him I kept looking at him looking at him looking at him I started, thinking that is, who I am. And. So. The word I broke what what's that what were the words, well.

What, It stood for is. It. They. Were. Personal. Growth. Integrity. Add. Value. Is. Excellence. Relationships. And. Significance. Now. Those. Were the words that I found, on that sheet now I added. You, know to, give. More emphasis to the. Behavior. In other words like the first one was to pursue, personal, growth in other words as a continuous. Process live. With integrity add value. To others and so forth now, what was really fascinating. Is and. This. Is how we instills. This. For sure in our company, is I shut, down the company the, whole company, for a half a day and, we. Talked about these core values and. Before. Doing. So I got, with a graphics, company and to, help me in the description, and I listed, like those words you. Know I just mentioned, and the. Graphics company came back and said Bobby, did you realize that your. Key words spelled, givers. And. I. Was thinking wow well, that fits me as well because I'm more interested in giving than. I am you know receiving. So. I. So. We created, a logo just with the word givers, on it and. We. Gave t-shirts, everybody, now, I tell you what in our company, because it, was common, every year we'd shut down the company for a half a day for. A meeting and this. Year was so different because they got something a new t-shirt they'd, never seen before and, it, had the word givers, well I tell, you what when, you create. Such. My interest, like that everybody. Shows up on time, at the meeting and this. Was the basic, thing. Of the, gist, of the whole half, a day going through the six core bays and what. They were, this. Is what we did. We. You, know on the on television. Is. That. You know there's this famous a, game. Show called, the. Will of fortune well. We. Created we. We. Had people seated, at. Tables. You, know kind of a rectangular. Link, to you know tables, and we'd, have six and occasionally. We might have had as seven or eight people but. Each table, had a game board and you. Know in the wheel of fortune. Game, show you, guessed the phrase, well. We had I wanted our people to go through a discovery, process themselves. And, so. They. Had a game board like on the first one pursue personal growth, so, they played that. Game, to, learn what that to guess what that phrase was and the table. That guests, the phrase was, supposed to yell out givers, now, I tell you what people, were really getting into this game the reason, being because. Behind. Me was this huge, spinning, wheel with with prizes, now we didn't have any like a 60s, you. Know color television. Or anything like that on, the on the prizes but they were some really nice prizes I mean people are standing up, standing. Up at their table, playing. That, game and after we would do that one core value, then. I would share where that came from and. People. Heard stories about me when I was even a little boy that than ever heard, of before and then the third thing we did is. You. Know the first thing was play the game then they heard me talk about the value the, third thing was we had a flip chart for, each table their own flip chart and they, were supposed to go to. That flip chart to discuss, how, are we going to live out. That core value in. Our company, and we. Just kept going through, the and it took us a whole half a day to go through that and I. Always, do this after we have these mean I walk, around the you know the property, and ask people who had today goes or something we could do different.

And Improve, on and those, kind of things and this. Was a common, language I, was hearing people, were saying Bobby, this, is who we are this, is who we are and, so. It. We. Introduced, that in, 2005. And, I. Sold a company in, 2011. And. During. That time period you know in lado 708. Oh 9 2010. The, you know the economy, was in the tank and. Alex. You might have even been impacted. You know by the. Weak economy, during that time period but even at that our, company. Our. Revenue. Grew about five times, and our, profits, grew over, five times what did the company did well, it wasn't a glamorous, business, it was, a it was the moving, business. Now. Ninety, nine percent of our business was like moving people, from, California, you, know like where your office is, California. To Illinois from Florida, to Virginia, from the state of Washington the state of Connecticut, that was most of our business, and, so. It. It. We. Experience. Even. Beyond you know beyond the, tough economic times, that, we had that kind of revenue, and profit growth it's, interesting. I'm. My. Big insight from the story is your. Values must have really managed secure company culture because it's like if, I was an employee in that company it came out of nowhere that kind of thing what I hated it you know it reminded me of reminds, me of Catholic school too much just, like. Well. You, know one thing I found was. When. People, have fun. And. I wasn't doing it just for fun's sake you know like playing the game things, but when people are having fun they're, more open to, learn. It's. Kind of like whether mouths open with laughing I can throw in some you, know something, educational you. Know in. In their mouths but let me share this you. Know you already mention about that the. Two years leading up to me selling the company we were also recognized. As the, one, of the 100, best companies worked, for in the state of Texas but, the other thing, was. During, this time period I was, seeing it beforehand, but I really.

Saw This in. Human, resource terms they call it discretionary. Effort and what. It is, discretionary. Effort is, when people give, over. Above, what's, required, of, them, in their job I. I. Have this quote that's I keep, around in the office and it's by a guy named Clarence, Francis, if I can share this with you and what, it says is that you. Can buy someone's, time you, can buy someone's, physical presence. At a given, place you can even buy, a, measurable. Number of skill, muscular, motions, per hour or day, but. You. Cannot, buy, enthusiasm. You cannot, buy a devotion. Of hearts, minds, and souls. You. Have to earn these. Things, it's, it's true I was, actually thinking about my core values as we're talking I think. I got four so far authenticity. Two. Is being true to your word three acting, in good faith and, then for, being. Curious and creative I'd. Say if my team could be doing all that if I'm doing all that in, a good spot yeah, well. You. Know one, thing Jim Collins found in. His. Research, and this, is not a maybe. It doesn't, sound, you. Know very good but it was the term he used in those, organizations that outperform. The stock market, 15, times. The. Average stock market 15 times, inside. That organization. Because everybody. Had, the. Same. Or values. He said. That in the research, it, what, they found it was like a a cult. Inside. The organization. So. It the, key is. It. Doesn't mean if somebody is a good person or a bad person but. The strength, is the. Core. Values, are authentic. And they are lived out not only by the leader. But, all the leaders, and also. That. The employees, that are hired have, the same core values and. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy it, is kind of like a cult, a little bit yeah, anyone strays from the values it's pretty easy to see that they'll either be you, know put back in place or they'll get removed from the company over time yeah, well he, you know when he was a student. Intern. He, worked at a company that he had an idea about doing, something I can't. Remember what it was right now but. The, employees, that. He was working with you know as an intern. Said. Well. We. Really can't do that and he - well why this is a great idea and they they, said well that's not who we are. And. So. And. He you, know after he got, it finished his school got, in. You. Know and did his research he. He. Found where you know what they were right, they. Knew exactly what. They needed to do and what they didn't, do I was, listening to so, Noah Kagan is this another business guy and he's work at Facebook and, he was telling the story on his podcast about Mark Zuckerberg where basically Noah was always constantly trying to pitch mark on like business, ideas, like hey, if we target these guys with ads we can make more money this, was in like their first year or two and Zuckerberg. Was always saying don't worry about money at all its target only user growth and Noah, was fired from Facebook for, not seeing the head and then. It's like he was talking about this on his podcast he was like kicking himself because, he's like Mark Zuckerberg was a hundred percent correct about where the company needed to go at the time yeah, well. What. We just discussed, is how. An. Organization. Have outward. Success, is an inside, job and, it, really kind of comes down to, the, starting point really is is. The core values, and along. With the all the other essentials. And this. Is how. You. You can build a culture. Where people thrive, and profits, or awesome. Bobby where do you want people to go after this podcast well. I tell you what thank you for asking simply. To, go to. Bobby. Albert, calm. That's. My website or, they can email me at, Bobby, at it's, pretty simple Bobby at Bobby. Albert, calm, and course, I've, started, recently. This. Podcast, called lead, to grow with Bobby Albert, and check out the alex berman episode of lead to grow. Exactly. Exactly that. Was a great interview for, sure alright Bobby thanks for being here Becky. Thanks. For listening to another episode if, you want more content like this subscribe to the podcast if, you want more in-depth b2b sales training of course check out the YouTube channel b2b. Sales training, org, and if you need marketing support for your digital agency, experiment, 27 helps digital, agencies, grow, their number of leads by building, lead generation systems, that is experiment. 27. Calm. There's, also notes on all the podcast episodes there and free. Sales, courses which, we've gotten some very good feedback about you can also check out my social media I'm on Twitter alex berman with noe al, x berman, or instagram.

Alex Berman one till. The next episode i will, see, you later.

2019-01-20 12:50

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