Old School Cool.

The Future Does Not Fit in the Containers of the Past.Edition 237.

Earlier this month I recorded a conversation with Jack Klues whom I directly reported to for over 15 years and the podcast titled “Collaborative Leadership in the Age of Churn” resonated far and wide. Many appreciated in the very simple and human lessons he conveys about the importance of talent, humility, integrity, trust, and sensitivity to the different perspectives/ backgrounds as keys to winning and excellence.

I then re-listened to a podcast from the other person I reported to for many years, Maurice Levy in his episode Levy on the Level and found some of the same themes and beliefs from a person with a very different background than Jack but aligned like him in a quest for excellence with a deep reservoir of humanity.

Then I listened to other folks who are amazingly successful leaders who I worked alongside from Renetta McCann (It is about growth) to Michael Conrad ( Creativity and 7+) to even the most recent guest Jack Myers speaking about the Tao of Leadership and found that again and again they re-iterate their belief in values and qualities that are clearly evergreen but sometimes today feel “old school”.

Today amidst significant transformation driven by technology, politics, globalization and social shifts it may behoove us to focus on things that do not change.

They may go out of fashion but like a second heart they beat within us whether we wish to listen to them or not.

They endure.

Like something crafted and sculpted with care over time.

An underlying design and approach that keeps on working.

In fact these values and behaviors maybe critical to help us navigate and lead change since the leaders I have named have successfully transformed and disrupted models and driven great economic value creation using these principles.

The best leaders and companies seem to be adept at adapting the latest tools and techniques to ensure their firms are state of the art but also fuse these with the old traditions, values and beliefs to craft unique formulas that combine roots and wings to both soar and remain grounded.

Here are half a dozen characteristics we may want to think about as we face and navigate the world we live in. They endure and can help us endure.

1. Integrity: Integrity is when we say, what we believe and what we do are aligned. Among the best compliments one can get is that one is a person of their word. Children do not listen to what their parents say but watch what they do both in public and private. Integrity is a diamond that cuts through BS and like the Pink Floyd song suggests it shines on and on. It is an internal balance and harmony with external change.

2. Trust: Trust is speed because it removes friction and accelerates decision making and risk taking. If we trust our leader, our colleagues, our partners, and our investors it allows us to innovate, take risks, move fast, speak our mind, accept feedback and continuously improve. Outside of a few cases you should give trust to those you work with till they prove you wrong rather than get them to earn trust. Trust is often earned by showing the data one is using, be clear about one’s intent and goals and being transparent about the decision making process.

3. Patience:While Keynes reminded us that in the long run we will be dead hopefully many of us will be able to have a long run. In fact as Seth Green reminded us we will have 50 year careers and thinking long term and in the long run means we align with the weapon and power of time. Jeff Bezos of Amazon used longer time frames to invest and build and was not focussed on quarterly or annual earnings.

4. Diversity: Humans prevailed because of diversity. Portfolios that endure are diverse portfolios. Regardless of who we are and which country or race or mindset or perspectives we believe, in most cases there are multiples more of people not like us then those like us. Hanging out with our own type gives birth to still born ideas. It is the reason many societies do not allow people to marry cousins. To be agile in mind and flexible in construction one must be able to adjust, adapt and incorporate difference and the different. Those who lose end up not being defeated but self defeating themselves by not being open to the often opposing ideas and perspectives of people around them.

5. Principles: The point of principles is that they may cost us. Sometimes our job. Often money. Staying true to principles will cost a lot except we will keep something critical called “reputation”. Let us not build a personal brand. Stand for something. Build a reputation. It is like our shadow. It will follow us wherever we go. Long after the heat of the moment, the coolness of time will remember what we did when we were in the crucible of pressure.

6. Respectful Humility: Recently, a friend , Joseph Jaffe in a conversation with me mentioned something he had learned. First comes confidence. Then comes humility. While not true for everybody, the majority of people with great expertise and achievements are highly approachable and do not take themselves too seriously. They know they are so good that they do not have to say so. So they focus on other people and try to understand other perspectives. They look for the outliers and those who need help to achieve their potential. Respectful humility.

These traits may or may not make us successful in the world of business but will help us be better humans.

And in the long run being able to say we did the right thing and being known for integrity, trust, staying true to principles, respect and humility might be the biggest payoff of all.

Rishad Tobaccowala recently published Rethinking Work. to help prepare individuals, leaders and companies to thrive amidst the seismic changes under way.