By Steven E. Wallis, Ph.D.
Organizational Metatheorist &
Co-author of Easy Genius at Work
Frank Miller’s “300” is a movie that recounts in dramatic style how 300 Spartan soldiers stopped Xerxes’ army of a million men. In doing so, the Spartans, led by King Leonidas, saved Greece – setting the stage for the development of civilization as we know it today. There are a number of lessons to be learned from this turning point in history. Some lessons are obvious, while others are more subtle… and much more important.
On the surface level, any story essentially teaches us “by example.” The lesson from the movie on that level might be seen as, “Be a soldier, follow orders, fight, and die.” Of course, this is not a lesson that many of us would care to employ! The lesson is very narrow in its appeal and does not “translate” well to the business world where we know that employees who “just follow orders” are less productive and do not enjoy their work as much as their more creative and collaborative counterparts.
Next, there are the “middle level” lessons. These seem to be based on skills and motivations, rather than blind actions. Also, they seem to translate more easily into lessons that may be applied in the business world – as follows: First, “choosing the proper topography to help your cause.” In the business world, a firm might size up its competition (e.g. “market dominator”) and take the strategic position of “product innovator.” Not competing head to head – but competing in a way where the strengths of the small firm are placed against the weaknesses of the large firm. Second, “free men fight better than slaves.” This lesson might be rephrased as, “employees work better when they are not encumbered by excessive rules (or under the thumb of a dominating supervisor).” Third, the teamwork seen in “300” (especially against opponents who are part of an undisciplined mob) is a clear lesson for business leaders. Fourth is that the laws apply to everyone – from the citizens to the king. In your firm, you might ask if the managers and the employees seem to follow different rules. Then, to look at how the fewest rules might be applied across the board to achieve the greatest success. Fifth, the choice by Leonidas to sacrifice himself and the 300 was a powerful example of moral leadership. In the business world, we might say that moral leadership leads to self-sacrifice and may lead to amazing victories. If you do not see self-sacrifice, your managers will probably fail to achieve fantastic results.
These middle level lessons are good and useful. Indeed, they suggest the skills and motivations necessary to achieve the success that is so easily visible on the surface level. However, it is possible to see another, deeper level, of learning. As we move to that deeper level, we are developing insights that are subtler and more complex. That is to say that we must address the underlying culture.
Sometimes you can tell a lot about a culture by what it does. Other times, you can tell a lot about a culture by what it does not do. The Spartan culture supported personal excellence and teamwork. Of course, we might say that every culture encourages those behaviors. However, what allowed the Spartans to succeed was that they did not do. By avoiding all forms of luxury, they were able to focus almost exclusively on individual and organizational excellence. In every aspect of their lives, Spartans might ask one another, “Does this action support or detract from my quest for excellence?”
As you might imagine, such a life is full of difficult choices. For example, imagine reaching for a nice glass of Pinot Noir and stopping to ask yourself, “Will drinking this wine improve my ability to be an ethical leader?” Imagine, then, managers asking one another, “How have you improved your ability to be an ethical leader today?” If you are still with me, you might imagine employees holding their CEO accountable for the same question – because kings must follow the same laws as citizens.
In these questions, and related conversations, cultures are born and sustained. Culture works at a deep level to support the skills and motivations of the middle level that (in turn) support effective action. Merely working at the surface level and “doing your job” will not have much success. After all, both Xerxes and the soldiers of Sparta were “following orders, fighting, and dying” (the surface level lesson). The difference was in the underlying culture. For example, sending out an annual memo noting the need for ethical behavior is likely to arouse more derision than compliance. Creating a culture of ethical self-sacrifice, however, will likely lead to astounding success. For proof of this, simply ask any entrepreneur who has put in long hours to achieve his dream.
To conclude, the key idea presented here in the importance of creating a culture that supports personal striving and teamwork. This means first choosing some focus that you are moving toward (as an individual, and/or as an organization). Second, that means avoiding one or more luxuries that distract you from your quest.
If creativity is your corporate goal, you might give up the luxury of a traditional “command and control” management structure. If amazing sales is your goal, let each individual strive to find their own “best way” as teams of salespeople meet to encourage one another and share suggestions. In short, you should push yourself to the limit – and also find others who are moving in the same direction, so you can each help to push the others.
On one side, you can find great satisfaction in following the path to achieve your goals. This is true whether you are striving to become physically fit, or create a world-class organization. On the other side (a deeper-level lesson) it may be seen in the world that if you do not drive yourself, someone else will do the pushing for you; and they are not likely to push you in the direction that YOU want to go.
