Two Journey’s BeginTwo Journey’s Begin

Tom James R e f o r m i n g O r g a n i z a t i o n a l E c o s y s t e m s

LEADERSHIP INSTINCTS...

LEADERSHIP INSTINCTS...

A 21st century story featuring principles that defy time, providing

a genuine example of an organization that accomplished a dramatic turnaround and

reformed its ecosystem through conscious leadership based on awareness and

experience, evolving from a state of virtual extinction to one of survival. The meta-

phor of the African Serengeti connects the inner world of personal leadership with the

outer world of tangible action. The vibrant mixed media artwork, combining photos

from the Serengeti into thought provoking collages, exemplifies the

power of journaling and personal reflection.

Artwork by Jane Kenyon

Jane began her career as a medical doctor and soon realized that her soul

was yearning to create art. Jane is well known for her textile and mixed media work.

Leadership Instincts provided an exciting challenge for her to create a body of work

that used metaphor to link different worlds/cultures through visual language.

Tom

James

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Leadership Instincts Tom James

Table of Contents

Introduction

Section 1

Engaging Leadership Instincts1. Two Journeys Begin

2. Old Problem, New Approach

3. The State of the Landscape3. The State of the Landscape

4. Tradition in the Ecosystem4. Tradition in the Ecosystem

Section 2

The Nature of Change5. The Path to Change

6. Navigating New Territory

7. A Strategy for Survival

8. All Aboard

Section 3

Achieving Balance

9. To Be the Fittest

10. Celebrating Uniqueness

11. Players and Bystanders Share the Spotlight

12. For Every End, a New Beginning

Parting Thought13. The Sustainable Ecosystem

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Introduction

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There is no better time than now to address, with a new level of consciousness, issues that societies, organizations and individuals are currently facing. For every vision of the future that would include our sustainability and survival, an act of consciousness is essential. Leadership Instincts addresses the need for conscious leadership, and provides a practical example of how successful this way of dealing with the world, in any setting, can be.

Our western society is now recognizing the need to build a more secure, sustainable future by developing a deeper understanding and connection with all cultures in the world. In the face of challenges in competition and growth, organizations are also recognizing the importance of meeting ethical standards for the well being of all who have an interest in the organization. Individuals and families live their day-to-day lives questioning how they are affected, and how they affect the ecosystem in which they live, searching for ways to make a positive impact in their worlds.

Conscious leadership means making choices based on both awareness and experience. Awareness enables us to step back and observe all that is happening around us without judgment. Experience allows us to think, feel and express ourselves as fully and completely as possible. Consciousness goes beyond the realm of the rational mind. It utilizes our instincts, harnessing our ability to remain in the present and connected to our senses. An act of conscious leadership cannot be limited to the boardrooms of organizations, but must involve every individual who plays a part in that ecosystem.

So, what is Leadership Instincts about? At first glance it seems like one person’s attempt to make sense of the world, connecting inner reflections to outer world experi-ences and a creative expression using mixed media art. It is that, and more. It is also the true story of an organization in dire straights, embroiled in a fight for survival, and how the people working in that organization used their leadership capacities to dramatically improve their circumstances. Finally, it is the tale of a life-changing safari that inspired an awakening in myself, as I experienced Nature and her powerful laws that exist within all ecosystems.

Yet, this book reaches much deeper. In combining all of these elements, I hope to stimulate thought and dialogue on the subject of conscious leadership as it relates to every individual in every situation. I believe that the practical application of conscious leadership in our daily lives is the answer to a sustainable future for all of us. It is my deep conviction that the model for an effective sustainable ecosystem for organizations and our society as a whole exists in our natural surroundings, and the natural laws that guide them. A thriving future is there for everyone to experience, we need only to use our leadership instincts.

Survival Threatened - A Real-Life, Dramatic Example

“It is a natural law that those in an ecosystem who are weak and unable to function will die. With their usefulness outlived, the survivors will absorb their life force. This applies in the business world as much as it applies on the African Serengeti. The tools for survival, however, are also the same.” L

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In 1998, while at a crossroads in my own leadership development, I was offered the opportunity of a lifetime - the chance to put my work as a leadership consultant to the test by leading the turnaround of Crown Packaging Ltd., a large company teetering on the edge of financial ruin. With over $500 million in debt, only $250 million in assets, and looming interest payments to bond holders, Crown’s survival was seriously threatened. Some divisions within the company were posting staggering losses, disastrous decisions had been made, and the morale of management was as low as it could possibly get. Experts believed the company could not be saved. The bondholders, like vultures, kept their dis-tance, waiting to collect the carcass.

My original intention was to provide analysis and suggestions. I had spent 30 years as a leadership consultant, working with a wide variety of organizations, helping them harness the leadership potential of their management and employees. Crown’s CEO, Hans Koch, however, had another idea. Instead of just consulting, he challenged me to put my theories to the test and see the turnaround process through to the end, whatever that might be, in the new role of Chief Operating Officer. This was an opportunity to essentially put up or shut up, to take the theoretical base I had gathered about conscious leadership and apply it in a practical manner. It was an experience I would relish, but I was challenged at each level, every step of the way. Of course, with Crown on the brink of crashing and burning into bankruptcy, hiring me as a last ditch, faint hope effort to stop the carnage added no further risk to the company if I failed miserably. The result, however, against all odds, was a successful turnaround in the company’s financial picture, and just as important, its internal ecosystem.

Crown was comprised of nine different business units that were located in Washington state and western Canada. These businesses, each associated with different aspects of paper and packaging, were traditional industries, entrenched in business prac-tices that were no longer working effectively in the rapidly changing global market. I was hired to bring a new leadership strategy to this organization and to assist in turning the business around, making it operationally profitable in order to support a successful financial restructuring. The objective was to build a strategy on a foundation of sound leadership practices that would act as a catalyst to turn the operational performance around quickly.

To nearly everyone involved, this seemed like an insurmountable project, given the time restraints caused by the financial crisis. It was a challenging task, and at times, I felt a complete sense of hopelessness, not only around the issues of this operational turn-around, but around the idealistic view of creating conscious business practices through, yet another, leadership strategy. Three years later, after the organization had dramatically improved its operational results, the company was financially restructured and success-fully sold.

Along the way I witnessed archetypal characters, players in the high stakes game of corporate survival, growing, evolving, portraying their roles with utmost intensity. I saw the need for the embracing of change. Finally, I was able to see the process all the way through from the beginning, in the course of dramatic turns of events, to an ending that changed my life and my perspective on work.

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One Journey Ends, Another Begins

After my time at Crown, I was exhausted and overwhelmed by all that I had learned. My family and I decided to travel around the world - a reward for hard the work we had done. Little was I to know that the journey we would undertake, as we traveled the world for four months in 2001, would even further amplify the meaning of the journey I had just completed at Crown.

While traveling on Safari in the African Serengeti in Tanzania, I realized that natural laws I saw being played out before me in the wilds of Africa were no different than those I had witnessed at Crown. This exposure to such a foreign landscape catapulted me from action mode, to an observing mode of Nature’s ecosystem. I saw interrelated, inter-connected parts that formed the whole of the ecosystem before me on the Serengeti.

I saw a dynamic, enthralling dance of receiving and giving between these seem-ingly diverse elements. Just as this natural landscape is influenced by weather and the seasonal changes, our organizations are influenced by economics, politics and technology. The connections are endless. Organizations, regardless of earning power or size, are all comprised of ecosystems that respond according to the laws of nature, particularly the most famous law - Survival of the Fittest.

Leadership Instincts tells the dramatic story of the restructuring at Crown, and at the same time, points out how the laws of nature can be, and in this case were, applied in the business setting in order to nurture an ecosystem that is primed for survival.

The turnaround at Crown was an experience they don’t teach at business school. Perhaps, though, they should. Business people in the 21st century are fighting to keep their interests alive in an uncertain world of mergers, acquisitions, wildly fluctuating markets and the staggering pace of technological advances. The key is no longer how to make the numbers work in order to create a profit. That’s not enough anymore. The laws of Nature not only apply in Africa, the West Coast rainforest, or the Galapagos Islands, they apply in the boardroom and on the trading floor. If you are not fit to survive, you won’t, leaving room for someone who is fit to take your place. Successful organizations survive and thrive because they have learned to anticipate, adapt, and react to outside forces beyond their control.

How to Use This Book

This book deals with the specific events surrounding the turnaround at Crown Packaging. It is not meant to be a “how to” book that will neatly cover any situation or industry. It does however show that by fostering leadership within the greatest asset any organization has, it’s people, improvement can happen in ways you may have never imagined. By encouraging open communication, trust, personal responsibility and creative thinking at every level of an organization, problems become linked to solutions. L

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Through the use of mixed media artwork and personal journal entries, you will be taken on a journey through your inner world of soul and creativity. Leadership Instincts proves that conscious leadership requires us to develop and connect our inner world with our outer actions. In any successful organism, these two elements must be in balance. We can’t know how to react if we haven’t allowed ourselves to be affected by our surround-ings. It is my hope that, through exposing some of my inner world in a journalized form, I can demonstrate the value of an inward journey. Just as we recognize the need to study our ‘outer’ world in order to make systemic change, the same is true for our ‘inner’ world. The Serengeti was a catalyst that allowed me to see the connection between Nature’s eco-system and the change process in organizations.

My family and I visited Tanzania just one month after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. We hesitantly continued our travels, always concerned about what could happen next. This was a time where everyone we met was feeling an even greater concern for the future. As we met people in the different countries we travelled, we realized that through this tragic event the world was experiencing an immense, shared awareness.

While this deep sense of vulnerability was felt by all cultures in the world, life on the Serengeti seemed largely unaffected. The elephants, lions, and even baboons, remained aware of only the dangers that exist within their own ecosystem. Yet a danger existed then, and continues to exist today. Any global disaster would affect the creatures of the Serengeti as much as any other living being on the planet and their care is our responsi-bility. As human beings we must strive to raise our level of consciousness of our world around us, from the smaller scale of the workplace, to the greater environment we all share. Equally we can learn from nature how an ecosystem works, and how we can use our instincts to survive.

Through a higher level of consciousness we have an opportunity to make choices and lead our lives and organizations toward a more sustainable future. This story simply offers an account of how one person has reached this conclusion.

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Engaging Leadership Instincts

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A dream come true!

Our journey begins...

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Chapter 1 - Two Journeys BeginReflections - African Instincts Help Guide The Way After a long flight from Egypt to Kenya, my family and I boarded a small, eight-seat plane that took us to our first safari camp called Maji Moto, a CC Africa camp close to a famous hot spring near Lake Manyara. Maji in Swahili, means water and moto means hot. We were so excited. We had dreamed about this for many years. Peering down at the landscape below, I began to see signs of life. The small, hut-like dwellings of Maasai villages were arranged in a circle. Why? I wondered. I caught myself fantasizing about a culture I had only read about. The sun graced the bright yellow, orange and green plant life, illuminating a variety of shades and textures. Flying over the Serengeti reminded me of flying over the Canadian Prairies, with roaming hills breaking up the flat landscape. As we approached, the hills turned to small mountains, with vast Lake Manyara cradled in the cup of a majestic peak. As we landed on a grassy runway, my palms were damp from excitement. Abdullah, our personal guide at Maji Moto, greeted us with a warm smile, and “Jambo”, hello in Swahili. Loading our bags into the jeep, he explained that we would take a three-hour drive through the private wildlife game reserve. At the entrance to the reserve we stopped for a picnic, and what a picnic it was! Enjoying our delicious African-style meal of marinated chicken and a variety of salads, we knew we were in a different world. Lake Manyara lies in an area with a forest of rich, green vegetation while the lake itself is a blue-grey. Abdullah explained that at certain times of the year flocks of pink flamingos cover the lake, eating a fungus that grows in the water. Nature, I noticed, tailors these surroundings to support each inhabitant’s unique requirements for existence. After lunch we began our drive to the camp, anxious for our first sighting of wildlife. Almost immediately, we were greeted by a large family of baboons. Abdullah turned off the jeep’s engine. We could hardly contain our excitement, pointing and whispering to each other. We watched these human-like mammals go about their day, eating, playing and sleeping. They seem so intelligent and full of personality. Some, especially the young, are quite mischievous. L

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View of Lake Manyara

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We continued on our journey, as if it were a dream unfold-ing larger than life on the screen at an Imax theatre. We stopped to

watch elephants - lone males as well as small herds, consuming massive amounts of food. They stopped, momentarily, engaging all of their senses to assess us, intruders in their space, occasionally reminding us of their power with warning signals like flapping their ears or even making false charging gestures. Elegant giraffe, eating the highest vegetation, also stopped when we approached. They were curious, but ready to run the second their instincts warned them of danger. We continued, catching breathtaking sightings of warthogs,

gazelle, zebra, countless unique birds and insects. We were in awe. Each of these mag-

nificent creatures relied on their instincts, remaining con-stantly aware of the subtle shifts in their ever-changing environment.

What a gift, instinct, that powerful impulse that is natural rath-er than reasoned. Through instinct, these localized groups of interde-pendent living beings connect with the environment in which they inhab-it and on which they depend. As nightfall arrived, we pulled into the camp at Maji Moto, exhausted. These first experiences had sapped every ounce of adrenaline from us. Turning the corner into the open-air reception area, one more surprise greet-ing awaited us. Lined up on the side of the road were our hosts, along with the Maasai war-riors, in their bright red cloaks (shukras) holding their spears in their traditional manner. A show for tourists we

Herd of Elephants on route.

wondered? No, it was the camp’s special greeting for their guests. The warriors are authentic. From the local Maasai tribe, they are hired as our “askaris” (guards), to protect us day and night from passing wildlife making way through their landscape. The next morning... What often occurs when I first awake after a day of wonderment,

a flood of thoughts and feelings arose in me. I had a sudden realization about eco-systems and instinctual behaviour. I saw how my world of corporations, organizations and Western cultural behaviours were connected to universal laws of nature. October 4, 2001 - Observing the ageless landscapes of Africa, I am enthralled in each moment, losing all sense of time. My mind becomes quiet and I easily move into a meditative state. The surroundings become far bigger than myself. At this moment I discover a connection to my soul. The atmo-

sphere is silent, yet rich with sound. My thoughts stray to the realm of instinct. For a brief moment

I am part of the natural phenomenon that exists in this African ecosystem. What is life on the Serengeti really like for its inhabitants? The changing climate, the constant thirst for water, a never-ending quest for food, and the eternal cycle of life are the norms in this daily existence. This is an ecosystem that freely evolves from the laws of Nature - the purest example of “sur-vival of the fittest”. Only the fit sur-vive. The unfit are vulnerable and usually die, making one final contribution, through death, to the ecosys-tem in which it played a part.

Journey into Manhood

Maasai Chief

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How does sustainability work here? How have the Maasai people instinc-tively learned to live, and thrive, within these surroundings? How is instinct cultivated? Reality calls. I think of ecosystems that exist within our Western culture, where Nature’s laws also exist, yet often seem to go unnoticed amidst the sophisticated laws that we, as humans, take comfort in. I think of how we’ve over stressed the value of our rational minds in order to improve our “modern civilization”, yet in this world that exists on the Serengeti, it is instinct that plays the primary role in life’s existence. Instinct is the powerful impulse that utilizes all senses to connect with the surrounding environment. Perhaps, the use of our rational thinking alone, has thrown our Western society out of balance. Where is our instinct? The experience of our natural ecosystem, so clearly represented on the Serengeti, brings me greater understanding of the natural laws that surround us. Perhaps it’s because this trip came at a time when the Crown turnaround was still so fresh in my mind. The turnaround represents experiences that many people have within their working lives. Yet to bring another level of consciousness to what we do; to be aware of the world around us and to experience the thoughts and feelings from that awareness, is what conscious leadership is all about. Without a doubt, what I experienced leading the Crown turnaround, was a fight for survival. Crown was clearly not fit to survive when I arrived and it had only four months to live at best. In order for the company to experience a significant change in results, perspectives needed to shift. People needed to be supported in balancing their rational thinking skills with their natural instincts. It needed to function more natu-rally than mechanically. Looking back, I think in many ways we were able to accomplish what we did because there was a reawakening of the leadership instincts within Crown, including spirit and creative capacities of people in the orga-nization. This is what I saw in the instinctual behaviour that occurs here on the Serengeti. Instinct again! Ah ha! Nature can be our teacher. She can re-acquaint us with our instinctual character, and lead us to more creativity, dedication and adaptability. By fostering instinct, we can begin to create more balance in our lives. Consequently, productivity and profitability are ensured. Can I sustain this level of consciousness enough to apply it in my own life?

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THE BEGINNING OF THE STORY - A CROSSROADSIn 1998 I was assigned to work as a consultant with Crown

Packaging Ltd.*, a corporation at a serious crossroads. Their very survival was threatened and they were about to succumb to a formidable law of nature - survival of the fittest. They were not fit, and competitors circling them were. In a last ditch attempt to improve performance, Crown put two hundred managers through a leadership development program. While some improvements did come out of the training, Crown did not get the breakthroughs it needed. I was brought in to review the situation and make recommendations.

Crown Packaging’s road to the top began when two Canadian entre-preneurs, Hans Koch and Tim Dwane purchased a small sheet packaging plant in the mid 1980’s.

Hans, the son of German immigrant parents, had hoped to study medicine, but an accident that seriously injured his father forced him to adjust his plans and support his family. After finding a job in the paper industry, Hans was anxious to learn everything he could. Starting on the factory floor, it didn’t take him long to climb the ladder of management. Eager for independence, he and Tim pooled their savings to purchase the small sheet plant, which bought sheets of corrugated material from a larger company and produced boxes for small to medium size clients. This was the beginning of Crown Packaging Ltd.

Hans, in particular, was keen to see the company grow as quickly as possible. While the original vision was to open more sheet plants, he sought opportunities in any paper or packaging field. This would eventu-ally become a contentious issue in the partnership and after a few years of hard work, the two came to a buyout agreement, creating the position for Hans as CEO of Crown Packaging.

In a remarkable ten year period, Crown developed into a diverse organization made up of nine operations: a paper mill, a paper recov-ery division, two corrugated box plants, three sheet plants, and two folding carton divisions - all producing in excess of $350 million in rev-enue combined. The larger divisions, Crown Richmond, Crown Kelowna and the Paper Mill, were acquired at a time when the money market was at a peak, and borrowing funds was relatively easy. Suddenly a small enterprise became much larger thanks to high leverage financing.

Paper prices were high and the banking community expected the market to remain strong. They expected Crown to use the borrowed resources to grow, while maintaining their existing client base.

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While the nine businesses were complimentary, each management team saw their needs to be quite different. The Mill and Paper Recovery Division dealt in commodity-oriented markets. The corrugated operations, considered their markets to be mature, and focused on serving and sustaining sizeable long-term clients. The more specialized divisions, BoxMaster, Allpak, Trojan Packaging, and the Crown Packaging folding carton division, were more entrepreneurial, basing growth on developing specialized niche markets. While it was beneficial for these divisions to be vertically integrated, buying and selling each other’s products, they generally managed their businesses independently.

Just one year after the larger acquisitions the economy and the paper market took a dramatic downturn. Trojan Packaging, one of the larger divisions, lost a major client, Microsoft, almost overnight. Around the same time, the Paper Mill misspent on a major capital project, putting Crown under even greater financial strain. It was during this turbulent time that Hans and Tim decided to dissolve their partnership.

Realizing he couldn’t solve the company’s problems alone, Hans created a leadership team, comprised of executives from both inside and outside the com-pany. The Chairman’s Leadership Committee was charged with the task of developing a new vision to

lead the company back to prosperity. Having accrued over $500 million in debts, disas-ter loomed around every corner.

It was inevitable that Crown Packaging needed to be financially restructured, but the urgency of the situation made the job much harder. The Leadership Committee had just three years to completely turn Crown’s performance around and complete the financial restructuring. Over the next year, massive interest payments needed to be made on a strict time schedule. Few realized the struggling company was not perform-ing well enough to make those payments.

Initially the Leadership Committee struggled, struck by the immensity of the problem. But after the initial shock, it began to map a direction for Crown that included three key tasks. First, stop the short-term drain on profits and cash flow. Second, estab-lish a viable long-term strategy to reform the company into a world-class organization. Third, by successfully implementing the first two tasks, find a strategic partner, or some other solution, to refinance or restructure the massive debt.

Only the fit survive; the unfit are vulnerable and usually die, making one final contribution through their death, to the ecosystem in which they’ve played their part.

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With interest payments looming in the first year, that seemed impossible to meet given the current state of the company’s performance, the Leadership Committee soon recognized that dramatic changes needed to occur. Adding to the pressure, bond notes were coming due in three-years that required payment if the company was to remain solvent. Hans felt that this team would thrive under the most difficult of circumstances. His optimism fuelled him because the sun had always risen, and it wasn’t about to stop now.

Hans put his faith, and company, in the hands of the Leadership Committee. Yet he was keenly aware that it was not only Crown’s survival that was threatened. Few of his employees knew of their own tentative future.

Hans was compassionate and generous with the people who helped make him successful. He never forgot where he came from and how, at one time, support-ing a family was an all-consuming struggle for him. Now he was back where he started, only this time it was his employees that he needed to support.He began to rethink the approach that he had taken in his quest to grow Crown into a packaging giant. Only the best leaders ever reach this place in their inner journey. It was his overwhelming feeling of vulnerability that allowed him to make the shift in his own mindset that would eventually make the difference to everyone involved.

At the vulnerable point of desperation, survival instincts kick in.

As with many organizations in crisis, a high degree of pain was required before there was an awareness that a new direction had to be taken. By acknowledg-ing the mistakes that were made and accepting the realities they faced, Hans and the Leadership Committee were free to move on and evaluate their options. But how could they successfully turn Crown around and still address the immense short-term pressures that seemed to grow by the day?

WE NEED A TURNAROUND . . . NOW!

Crown Packaging started out with great intentions - to continue perform-ing at a high level and remain major industry contributors. Each division had its own history of success before being acquired by Crown, and many believed they could do no wrong by merely maintaining solid profits. Yet one year later the industry looked dramatically different. Commodity paper prices plummeted, and each division began to experience its own form of crisis. Performance and profits deteriorated, and before long the company was facing a serious financial dilemma.

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The changing climate, the constant thirst for water, a never-ending quest for food, and the eternal cycle of life are the norms in this daily existence. This is an ecosystem that freely evolves from the laws of Nature - the purest example of “survival of the fittest”. Only the fit survive.

Fortunately, though, Crown consisted of a group of people who were highly competent and very dedicated. Many aspects of the businesses were still working well. Each division had earned industry respect, which is easy when everything is going your way. As the situation worsened, however, Crown’s orga-nizational flaws were exposed. Several areas needed serious improvement, and in order to achieve a significant turnaround in results, the entire organizational ecosystem needed to evolve. Organizations are a reflection of their leaders, and Hans began immersing himself, and his leadership team, in a dramatic shift in thinking.

My expertise was enlisted to consult with and help facilitate the turnaround. After all, that’s what I do. I’m a consultant. At least, that’s what I thought until I encountered the Leadership Committee at Crown.

In my preliminary assessment, I identified four key areas where the mindset of the leaders needed to change. A transformation like this promotes a ripple effect. This shift in consciousness in a few key leaders would lead to a flood of awareness that would flow down through the employees, resulting in a turnaround benefiting the entire company.

I had been fortunate to experience this shift before with organizations with which I had worked. Much of my own personal development was dedicated to understanding the key elements of conscious leadership, both in business as well as in my personal life.

Conscious Leadership is making choices based on Awareness and Experience. Awareness enables us to step back and observe what is happening (or not) around us, without judgement. Experience allows us to think, feel and express from all points of view.

1. The Parts Must Come TogetherThe divisions had worked as independent businesses, never truly coming togeth-er after all were acquired. The shift in thinking needed to allow them a sense of independence when it came to managing day-to-day business, while thinking in

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in terms of interdependence for the company as a whole and capitalizing on each other’s strengths and resources in products and services. Above all, the divisional leaders needed to align their philosophies. The overall financial wellness of the organization must become everyone’s concern.

Through instinct, these localized groups of interdependent living beings connect with the environment in which they inhabit and on which they depend.

2. What You See Is What You UseBased on Crown’s financial state, capital improvements would be limited. Divisions would need to make creative use of assets that were readily available. Market conditions and pricing in the paper and packaging sector, already at an industry low, were beyond the company’s control. Technical expertise was important but under-utilized. The shift in mindset meant utilizing Crown assets that were already available, and the greatest resources the company had were the hearts, heads and energy of the people who worked there.

The focus needed to move from capital investment to people invest-ment, required changes that would make the company more creative, flexible and adaptable. In nature, this is a key requirement for survival. In business, things are no different. In order to improve performance, the Leadership Committee wanted to create a learning organization and use leadership devel-opment as the foundation for change. This would mean fostering an environ-ment where all employees could participate and become leaders in their own areas.

I think of how we’ve over stressed the value of our rational minds in order to improve our “modern civilization”, yet in this world that exists on the Serengeti, it is instinct that plays the primary role in life’s existence. Instinct is the powerful impulse that utilizes all senses to connect with the surrounding environment.

3. Know The World In Which You WorkCrown’s management team had become insulated with respect to recogniz-ing world-class standards. In assessing their overall performance, they used traditional industry benchmarks, believing that if they were retaining cus-tomers, world-class standards weren’t necessary. Now that the markets had fallen, the level of inefficiency became painfully evident. To reduce costs and improve productivity, a shift in thinking throughout the divisions regarding standards of performance was essential.

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4. Everyone Is A LeaderIt was clearly time to refocus efforts on the operation, pulling all of the divi-sional management together and implementing a targeted and intense process of cultural change, reaching every corner of the organization. Limited financial resources led the Leadership Committee to concentrate on significantly improving the overall leadership capacity of each person within the organization. Financial restructuring could occur only when the organization proved that it was worth restructuring.

Ecosystems exist within our culture where Nature’s laws also exist, yet Nature’s laws often seem to go unnoticed amidst the sophisticated laws that we, as humans, take comfort in.

AN UNUSUAL OFFER

I presented my findings to three members of the Leadership Committee. Art Vaughn, past Chief Operating Officer who later became President, was the man

Hans believed could best negotiate with an investor to restructure Crown. Art was highly sceptical that anything could be done at this late stage.

I wasn’t sure how Hans was responding to my report. He sat with a par-tial grin on his face the entire time. Tom Andersen, Hans’ associate in another company, was there because of his expertise in improving operation processes. I’ll call him Andersen to avoid confusion with me. Hans trusted Andersen’s opin-ion. After I finished, there was a moment of silence as these three powerful men looked at each other, each waiting for the other to say something.

It didn’t take long for me to experience the unique, dynamic nature of this team.

Art finally broke the silence. “I think you’re right,” he started. “Everything in this report makes a lot of sense. But,” he added diplomatically, “It’s too late.”

“We’re only three years away from some of the bonds coming due. Finding an investor or strategic partner means this company has to look attrac-tive within the next year or two. The market is at an all time low. We’re losing earnings big time in two of our operations. The managers found the leadership training interesting, but most don’t believe it’s enough to solve our problems. They expect us to get capital and restructure. I’m not even sure we can make the first interest payment. If we do, I know we won’t make the second.”

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More silence, and then finally Anderson spoke up. “Who,” he demanded, “will lead this <bleeping> company?” Looking over at Hans, “With all you have to deal with are you going to run this thing? Art, do you want to run it and handle the restructuring?” The room was silent. I was fascinated by this interplay of char-acters.

“Hans,” he continued, “I cannot focus all my time on this and manage our other business interests! This is a real mess. I doubt we’ll even have a company to restructure within the year. We sure as hell better face reality, and fast!”

I felt my role here, as a consultant, was to listen to achieve a better understanding of what was really happening in the room. I watched as Andersen and Art went back and forth, re-confirming the fears and confusion they were each feeling about the enormity, and urgency, of the problem. Hans remained quiet, continuing to sustain his half smile.

In over thirty years consulting with companies and organizations in this type of situation, I thought I had seen it all. I was, however, about to receive a jolt that would shake me to my core, and eventually become a gift that I still treasure every day.

Hans looked me in the eye with great sincerity, “If you believe in what you just told us and think it will work, why don’t you take this on? Put your money where your mouth is.”

I was stunned, and broke out into nervous laughter. Inside, I was surfing through waves of fear and excitement.

Hans turned to Art. “He could report to you. You could guide him, and at the same time focus on the restructuring.”

While Hans waited calmly for my response, I, on the other hand, was still internally surfing. “I don’t have any industry experience,” was the only answer I could muster.

Gaining momentum, Hans responded, “Crown has plenty of industry expertise. You just suggested creating an environment with greater leadership capacity among those with the experience! Share your skills and act on your own theory from inside Crown Packaging!”

“But I’m a consultant!” I meekly thought to myself. “I consult!”At the same time, though, I knew this would be my ultimate challenge.

Could I validate what I believed and make a difference by actually applying the theory? I was happy as a leadership consultant. I liked the consulting life. But deep inside, a voice in me rose, like a drumbeat that grips your heart, “Are you ready? Do you have the courage?” I was now being forced to reconnect with my own convictions.

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Instinct: the powerful impulse that utilizes all senses to connect with our surrounding environment.

“Listen,” I stammered, “I had planned to assist you, but I hadn’t expected this.”

“With this group,” Anderson chuckled, “expect anything.”

Hans reached directly for the point. “Here, Tom, I’ll make it easy for you. This is what we need right now.”

Art looked at me with an empathetic smile, “Look, Tom, this could be an amazing opportunity for you. I don’t know if it’s already too late, but based on what you just told us, we need something more dramatic than a consultant.”

All eyes were fixed on me, looking for a response. I was uncomfortable, and more than a little shaky. “Let me give this offer some thought,” I finally responded.

As I left, Hans shook my hand confidently, “Don’t take too long to decide,” he said. “We have a lot of work to do.”

200

Two Journey’s BeginTwo Journey’s Begin

Tom James R e f o r m i n g O r g a n i z a t i o n a l E c o s y s t e m s

LEADERSHIP INSTINCTS...

LEADERSHIP INSTINCTS...

A 21st century story featuring principles that defy time, providing

a genuine example of an organization that accomplished a dramatic turnaround and

reformed its ecosystem through conscious leadership based on awareness and

experience, evolving from a state of virtual extinction to one of survival. The meta-

phor of the African Serengeti connects the inner world of personal leadership with the

outer world of tangible action. The vibrant mixed media artwork, combining photos

from the Serengeti into thought provoking collages, exemplifies the

power of journaling and personal reflection.

Artwork by Jane Kenyon

Jane began her career as a medical doctor and soon realized that her soul

was yearning to create art. Jane is well known for her textile and mixed media work.

Leadership Instincts provided an exciting challenge for her to create a body of work

that used metaphor to link different worlds/cultures through visual language.

Tom

James

LEAD

ERSH

IP IN

STINCTS