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It started out as an innocent vacation. My wife Terry, our two young sons Nick and Chris, and me, gathered to celebrate my 50th birthday. The island of Hawai’i beckoned and we had answered the call. After another long, cold winter at our home in the mountains of Colorado, sandy beaches, catamarans and drinks with umbrellas seemed like the perfect antidote. Emphasis on “antidote”! After two days, both kids were sick with a virulent case of salmonella. We never did determine the source; it could have been an underdone scrambled egg or Uncle Stan’s sushi. Either way, North Hawai’i Community Hospital’s ER and ICU became our living quarters for almost five days. What my wife and I witnessed in those five days (excluding the gory details) was a first-class exhibit of “Aloha Spirit” on display. The paramedics returned from a 24-hour shift to ask about our sons. The hotel telephone operator sent her daughter to the hospital to make sure I had a hot meal. Security staff brought us bottle after bottle of Gatorade® to help the kids rehydrate. Our luxury hotel extended our stay indefinitely and cut our room rate from $350 to $99 a night. Those acts of kindness, to paraphrase a popular bumper sticker, were not random. As we flew through the night back home, with both boys recovered and sleeping quietly, I couldn’t help thinking that something unique and marvelous had happened to us. “Aloha Spirit” had become “Aloha Leadership”. With each interaction, strangers had “adopted” us and treated us as family. They took leadership roles where none was required or expected. Was our experience an anomaly, or the sign of something deeper? Perhaps there was more to the 50th State than black sand, hula and macadamia nuts. My quest for insight began with the idea to interview top Hawaiian business and community leaders. I wanted to know how “Aloha” impacted how they lead others, and how they teach leadership. It became apparent immediately that my definition of “Aloha” was vastly inadequate. The word “Aloha” is not just a greeting. In his white paper Hawaiian Values and the Workplace, writer and leadership teacher Peter Apo defines “Aloha” as a “Reflecting Prism.” Aloha stands as a behavioral belief system from which all other values seem to flow. When I interviewed Peter, he expanded on that thought. Aloha Spirit impacts my life in both personal and business relationships. The expectation is that an Aloha greeting means reciprocity; that you and I are expressing total trust and friendship. Here’s an example of what he means. I asked him why “Aloha” had taken on a meaning to the outside world that was so narrow, simply, “Hello” or “Goodbye”. “Honi” is a word that refers to an actual greeting. In ‘old Hawai’i’ it meant the exchange of the breath of life. Instead of shaking hands, you brought your forehead to the forehead of the person you were greeting. You exchanged this ‘breath of life’ and extended a hand of trust and love. This reflects a commitment you’ve made to the safety, health and well-being of that person. It gives them the benefit of the doubt; that they are a good person and will not harm you. Think about your leadership style. Is it based on openness, or on concealment? All organizations have secrets; classified information or intellectual properties are two good examples. How often do we keep what should be common knowledge under wraps? Is your understanding of your job expectations, success metrics and timelines clearly defined for you? A handshake proves that you have no weapons with which to hurt me. “Honi” proves that you always have their best interests in mind; that’s why “Honi” or Transparency is one of the principles of Aloha Leadership™. “Aloha” is not unique to Hawai’i. Robin Campiano made this point when I interviewed him. Robin’s father was in the military, so he grew up in a family that followed his Dad from assignment to assignment. I experience Aloha in many settings. I’ve found it in Plattsburgh, New York, and in Alabama. We have no “separation” in an island community, so people are sensitive to the connections we all share. Robin heads the Ulupono Initiative* which is dedicated to helping Hawai’i become self-sufficient in energy, food and waste reduction. He has to know his community, and they have to trust him. He’s tasked with asking all Hawaiians to change behaviors that have served them for thousands of years. The biggest challenge for many leaders is convincing others to adapt; in essence, to move forward in times of change. It’s easier when you’re trying to lead one person, but what if you have a team or an enterprise who reports to you? Another principle of Aloha Leadership™ is Knowing Your Culture. This doesn’t just mean knowing where you come from; its understanding where others come from. And this can’t be defined solely by geography, skin tone or accent. Many of us fall into the trap of assuming we know someone because we’ve met someone like them before. My father is a 70-something bald white man from the north-east USA. I meet other 70-something bald white men from the north-east USA, and I assume things about them. My wife is Hispanic. Her friends meet other Hispanic women, and based on their knowledge of my wife, they make assumptions about these women. This isn’t racism, but it is stereotyping. Leaders can’t afford to stereotype. You’re winning “hearts and minds” one at a time. The community of the people you’re trying to reach is small. Hawaii’s Ni’ihau is a small island with a population that is tight-knit, where everyone knows everyone. So is the island of Manhattan. So is your company or organization, wouldn’t you agree? Transparency, Knowing Your Culture, Knowing Yourself and Communication are the four cornerstones of Aloha Leadership™.** Aloha Leadership™ workshops, keynotes and coaching help your organization’s leaders build these four critical skills in an engaging environment. Hands-on practical application and follow-up ensure accountability and professional growth. Aloha means they’re changing the way they lead personally and professionally. Find out if Aloha Leadership™ is right for your organization by calling Mike Faber at 303.594.3097 (US/Intl) or contacting our offices via email at info@mikefaber.com
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