Put People First
A happy boat is a fast boat.
I learnt the hard way that the numbers are the trailing indicator and that the people are the leading indicator.Chapter 9, The Big Bold Mindset®
What does it mean to put people first in leadership?
It means treating your people as the leading indicator and the numbers as the trailing indicator. Caspar learnt this after his round the world crew chased “a fast boat is a happy boat”, burnt out and crashed. The truth is the opposite: a happy boat is a fast boat. Put people first and the results will follow.
We crashed our boat in front of thousands.
In front of a packed Wellington harbour, we sailed our 50-tonne boat at full speed into the side of Save the Children, one of the 11 other boats we were racing round the world. Within a week our captain had resigned. As one of two watch leaders, I shared the responsibility.
We'd won the first leg. We were first round Cape Horn. Our mantra was "a fast boat is a happy boat", and people became secondary to the numbers. Halfway round the world we were burnt out, unheard and dysfunctional.
We had it the wrong way round. A happy boat is a fast boat. When you put people first, the results will follow.
Think of the best leader you ever had.
What made them brilliant? Was it only the results, or how they treated you?
How do you show up for your team compared with them?
Who could you have a conversation with today, fully present, to help them grow?
Look after people and the numbers follow.
McKinsey research from 2021 surveyed over 1,200 business leaders and 6,000 employees across industries and regions.
What the research found
Twice as likely
Companies in the top quartile for employee experience are more than twice as likely to be top quartile for financial performance.
People stay
Employees are more likely to stay when they feel valued and supported.
Being heard matters
Open communication from leaders, and the chance to give feedback, drive employee experience.
"As a team, we are very transactional. We know we need to be more people focused, but we're not very good at getting there." I lose track of how many conversations I have like this every month.
Rob Brien: people, planet and profit
Rob is COO of an international manufacturing group in the metals sector. His team recognise that people drive the business, that they have a responsibility to the planet, and that profit has to be in the mix for anyone to have a job.
It's more than the right thing to do. Talent and clients are moving to organisations that care.
When you put people first, the results will follow.Caspar Craven
Four ways to put people first
People only do things for their reasons, not yours. The only way to engage them is to find out what drives them. Each of these comes with something you can do today.
Notice the small details
Tell someone what they do well, especially the unsung heroes. Be specific and kind.
Recognise life beyond work
Think of someone who might be struggling. Get in touch, be present and listen.
Encourage open communication
Share an area where you're uncertain. Ask for ideas and acknowledge them.
Invest in developing skills
Ask one person what they need to grow in their role. Then follow up.
Tell one person what they do well
Today, tell one person something they do well. Be specific and detailed. Then think of someone who might be struggling, check in on them, and listen without rushing to fix anything.
Find out what drives each person
Ask open questions. Listen. Play back what you heard. Act on it, or be open about why you can't.
Run this with Caspar in the room
The 20-minute version above works on its own. With Caspar in the room it goes further: he brings the stories behind Put People First, then takes your team through the exercise live, so everyone leaves with an experiment they have chosen themselves.
- Creator of The Big Bold Mindset®
- Leadership keynote speaker: events in over 38 countries, for over 400 organisations going through change
- 2x round the world sailor
- Former CFO (multiple exits), with a background at KPMG
“Caspar delivered an amazing, inspiring talk to 42 members of our senior leadership team and left them fired up to really deliver big goals. His message of being more human and putting people first has definitely changed my management and leadership style.”
Caspar has worked with organisations including BAE Systems, Burberry, GSK, Intuit, INEOS Styrolution, Johnson & Johnson, Nuffield Health, Pearson, Sage, Suntory and Thales.
Questions about Put People First
Does looking after employees improve business results?
Yes. McKinsey’s 2021 research, surveying over 1,200 business leaders and 6,000 employees, found companies in the top quartile for employee experience are more than twice as likely to be in the top quartile for financial performance as those in the bottom quartile.
How can a leader put people first in practice?
Notice the small details and tell people specifically what they do well. Recognise life beyond work and lead with curiosity. Encourage open communication by sharing where you need help. Invest in developing skills by asking each person what they need to grow.
What makes someone a good leader?
Leadership is not a title. It’s a mindset about how you look after those around you and how you show up. Think of the best leader you ever had. Were they brilliant because of results alone, or because they listened to you?
- A happy boat is a fast boat
- Caspar’s reversal of the mantra “a fast boat is a happy boat”: when people feel heard and appreciated and play to their strengths, performance follows.
More from Caspar on this
Short reads that take this principle further, with the stories behind it.
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This is Chapter 9 of The Big Bold Mindset®
The full chapter has the whole story, the research and more leaders who lived it.
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