A Scary Word
It’s a scary word every senior leader must own at a certain level.
The Church. The State. The Home. They’re all accused of using it for nefarious reasons.
That’s an unfortunate realty, though. IMHO, I think this word, when used with care, is a vital component of leadership.
Because if the leaders of these organizations aren’t doing it, someone else will!
But as soon as you read it, many will recoil. If you would bear with me for just a tic…
The word ‘indoctrination’ makes us flinch. It feels manipulative, even sinister. But at its core, indoctrination simply means to instill a doctrine – to shape a way of life.
Every culture has one. Churches do. Nations do. Families do. And yes, so does your business.
The big question is: Who is shaping it? Who gets to define your organization’s ‘doctrine’ – the base set of beliefs you live by?
Someone, or something, is always writing the “Rule of Life” for your organization.
Whether it is intentional or accidental, your people are absorbing cues every day about what is acceptable, what is rewarded, what is ignored, and what is rejected.
That’s indoctrination in action. (Minus any of the more nefarious motivations, of course.)
The danger isn’t in the indoctrination itself. The real danger is when leaders abdicate their role in defining and shaping it.
Left unchecked, your culture will drift. It will be written by gossip, personal agendas, toxic habits, or short-term pressures.
And once a doctrine takes root, even an ‘accidental’ one, it is very difficult to pull up.
Great leaders understand that they are always teaching, reinforcing, and embodying a doctrine. That’s why they are intentional about three things:
Defining the Doctrine – What does your organization believe about people, excellence, service, and growth? Don’t leave this in vague value statements on a wall. Make it simple. Make it memorable. Make it actionable.
Modeling the Doctrine – Leaders don’t just announce doctrine; they incarnate it. Every decision, every word, every action either validates or violates the culture you say you want. Your people are watching more closely than you think.
Reinforcing the Doctrine – Doctrine takes root through repetition. This doesn’t mean slogans. It means consistency. What gets rewarded gets repeated. What gets tolerated gets adopted. What gets celebrated gets multiplied.
The reality is this: Indoctrination is happening in your business, whether you embrace the word or not.
The only question is whether it is shaping people toward health, humility, and growth – or toward something far less.
And that choice, senior leader, belongs to you.
If you don’t do it, someone else will.
Your culture is being indoctrinated one way or another. Will you choose what that looks like, or let it choose you?
Don’t fear the word. Own it. Shape it. Steward it. Indoctrination is inevitable.
Make it intentional.
Blessings to you, my friends!
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This Week’s Resource Recommendation:
"It's Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy, 10th Anniversary Edition"
- Captain D. Michael Abrashoff
From Amazon: When Captain Abrashoff took over as commander of USS Benfold, it was like a business that had all the latest technology but only some of the productivity. Knowing that responsibility for improving performance rested with him, he realized he had to improve his own leadership skills before he could improve his ship. Within months, he created a crew of confident and inspired problem-solvers eager to take the initiative and responsibility for their actions. The slogan on board became "It's your ship," and Benfold was soon recognized far and wide as a model of naval efficiency. How did Abrashoff do it? Against the backdrop of today's United States Navy, Abrashoff shares his secrets of successful management including:
See the ship through the eyes of the crew: By soliciting a sailor's suggestions, Abrashoff drastically reduced tedious chores that provided little additional value.
Communicate, communicate, communicate: The more Abrashoff communicated the plan, the better the crew's performance. His crew eventually started calling him "Megaphone Mike," since they heard from him so often.
Create discipline by focusing on purpose: Discipline skyrocketed when Abrashoff's crew believed that what they were doing was important.
Listen aggressively: After learning that many sailors wanted to use the GI Bill, Abrashoff brought a test official aboard the ship-and held the SATs forty miles off the Iraqi coast.
From achieving amazing cost savings to winning the highest gunnery score in the Pacific Fleet, Captain Abrashoff's extraordinary campaign sent shock waves through the U.S. Navy. It can help you change the course of your ship, no matter where your business battles are fought.
MMS 25-34
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