FIRING UP THE FRONT LINE

FIRING UP THE FRONT LINEFor the many organizations that depend on their rank and file to move the goods and delight the

customers, motivation is an ongoing battle. The key to victory may be held by the Marines, who

use five unique practices to spark extraordinary energy and commitment Businesses can, too.

BY JON R. KATZENBACH AND JASON A. SANTAMARIA

IF THERE IS ONE CHALLENGE that confounds the many organizations thatdepend on frontline workers, it is how to engender their emotional energy.That's understandable. Frontline employees are often unskilled and are

paid little. Their work ean he stubhornly unexeiting. They fhp hurgers, cleanhotel bathrooms, answer call-eenter phones, and unload eargo holds. Becausetheir work is monotonous and their ehanees for advancement are limited,most frontline employees work for a regular paycheck and nothing more;they never emotionally eonnect with their employers, let alone care aboutthe company's long-term performance. Yet their impact on the customer'sexperience-not to mention the company's profits-ean be enormous.

It would be a mistake, however, to see frontline employees simply as liabil-ities to be contained. Many have the potential to contribute substantially tothe organization. Marriott International, for instance, boasts of scores of em-ployees and managers drawn from welfare rolls. At first, those workers fit the

ARTWORK BY CHRISTOPHER BING 107

FIRING UP THE FROHt LINE

Stereotype of inexperienced, undisciplined new-comers. Now, however, many of them exhibit re-markable performance. This story of engaged, high-performing frontline workers, and others like it atcompanies as diverse as Toyota and Hill's Pet Nu-trition, clearly show that managing the rank andfile isn't just a challenge; it's an opportunity.

For the past three years, a team of analysts fromMcKinsey &. Company and the Conference Board, abusiness research organization, has studied compa-nies known to engage the emotional energy offrontline workers. From an original list of 50 possi-bilities, 30 companies were selected for close analy-sis. Some, such as the Home Depot, Southwest Air-lines, and KFC, already were well known for theirexpertise in managing frontline employees. Others,such as Vail Ski and Snowboard School in Coloradoand MACtcl in Anchorage, Alaska, were less fa-mous but still provided compelling examples ofmanagerial programs, policies, and mechanismsthat generated workforce enthusiasm-and results.

Halfway into the researeh project, it was suggest-ed that the team add to its list an organization thathad never crossed its radar screen: the U.S. MarineCorps. At first, our team dismissed the idea. Whatcould the captains of war possibly teach the cap-tains of industry about motivation? But after ob-serving the Marines for tbree months and conduct-ing close to roo interviews, the team concludedthat the Corps outperformed all other organiza-tions when it came to engaging the hearts andminds of the front line. Our research showed thatthe Marines did so by using five managerial prac-tices that - altbough rarely found in the for-profitworld-are relevant and applicable to business.

Take training, for example. In a typical businessorganization, a frontline employee undergoes abrief introduction to company procedures and poli-cies, usually conducted by instructors with littleon-the-job experience. The new employee receivesa manual that explains rules regarding vacation,maternity leave, and the like. If the company's lead-ers show up, it is in cameo appearances. In general,the new employee experiences no emotions duringthis process except anxiety or boredom.

Marine training could not be more different.First, it is long: 12 weeks. Very little of that time.

Jon R. Katzenbach, senior partner of Katzenbach Part-ners LLC in New York, w/i5 a director at McKinsey et>Company for 39 years. He is the author of Teams at theTop: Unleashing the Potential of Both Teams and Indi-vidual Leaders (Harvard Business School Press, i99l)-Jason A. Santamaria is a business analyst at McKinsey &>Company in Houston, Texas, He was an artillery officerin the Marine Corps from 1994

however, is spent on building skills or communi-cating the Corps' procedures and policies. Instead,training is focused entirely on inculcating the orga-nization's values-honor, courage, and commit-ment. And it is conducted by the organization'smost experienced and talented people, wbo see thejob as both an honor and a challenge.

In addition, the Marines fire up their front linethrough their unique approaches to developingleaders, managing teams, and handling underper-forming members of the rank and file. Finally, theMarines create a high-energy front Une by using dis-cipline-but not as you see it in the typical businesssetting. Tbe Marines use discipline not just to pun-ish, but to spawn a culture of self-control and group-control that bolsters performance and raises pride.

There are, of course, limits to any analogy be-tween tbe Corps and the corporation. The Marineshire many of their people from disadvantaged back-grounds, rely primarily on nonmonetary rewards,and have to keep their recruits for at least fouryears. Most businesses look for people from solidbackgrounds, rely beavily on cash bonuses, and al-ways have the option of firing poor performers.

Also, the Marines induct recruits into a closed,tightly controlled environment. The boot camps onParris Island, South Carolina, and in San Diego aresealed off from the outside world and its distrac-tions. Recruits are immersed in the Marine experi-ence in a way that intensifies and accelerates theindoctrination process. Because companies sendtheir troops home at night, they cannot enjoy thebenefits of such a rarefied environment.

Some might argue that the biggest difference isthat businesses have customers, and the Marinesdon't; the job of the Marines is to defeat an enemyor keep the peace in war-torn areas such as Haiti orBeirut. But the Marines do have important con-stituents wbo are very like customers and share-holders: the citizens of the United States and theirelected representatives. As the only nonessentialpart of the armed forces, the Marine Corps-witha budget of $10 billion-must prove its worth everyday. But even more important, tbe front lines of theMarines and the front lines of business strive forprecisely tbe same critical objectives: speed, re-sponsiveness, and flexibility.

Mission, Values, PrideThe Marines follow what we bave come to call tbe"mission, values, and pride" (MVP) path to an emo-tionally engaged, high-performing workforce.(There is, of course, more than one way to energizefrontline employees. For a summary of the paths

108 HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW May-June 1999

FIRING UP THE FRONT LINE

One Destination, Five Roads

Not every organization engenders emotional energy in thesame way. Our research found that there are five tlistinctmanagerial paths that result in committed, high-perform-ing fronthne workers. The chart summarizes the charac-teristies of each path and cites notable examples.

The Mission, Values,and Fiide Path

The Process andMetrics Path

The EntrepreneurialSpirit Path

The IndividualAchievement Path

The Reward andCelebration Path

Emotional eneigy isgenerated by:

mutual trust, collectivepride, and self-discipline

transparent performancemeasures and standards;clear tracking of results

personal freedom, theopportunity for highearnings, and few rulesabout behavior; peoplechoose their workactivities and takesignificant personal risks

intense respect for indi-vidual achievement in anenvironment with limitedemphasis on personal riskand reward

recognition andcelebration oforganizationalaccomplishments

that our research identified, sec the insert "OneDestination, Five Roads.") The leaders of MVP or-ganizations engage the emotional energy of thefront line by building eoUective pride and mutualtrust. To foster collective pride, they often empha-size the company's noble purpose or rich legacy. AtKFC headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri, a fre-quently traveled hallway called the Walk of Leadersis home to mounds of memorabilia eommemorat-ing great moments in the company's history, such

Frontline employeescommit themselves tothe organization because:

They are proud of itsaspirations, accom-plishments, and legacy;they share its values.

They know what each,person is expected todo, how performanceis measured, and whyit matters.

They are in control oftheir own destinies;they savor the high-risk,high-reward workenvironment.

They are recognizedmostly for the qualityof their individualperformance.

They have fun andenjoy the supportiveand bighly interactiveenvironment.

Organizations thatfollow this path:

U.S. Marine Corps, 3M,New York City BaUet

Johnson Controls,Hill's Pet Nutrition,Toyota

Hambrecht & Ouist,BMC Software, Vail Skiand Snowboard School

FirstUSA, McKinsey &Company, Perot Systems

Mary Kay, Tupperware

as the opening of the company's first store and theintroduction of new menu items. MVP leaders alsogenerate collective pride by articulating and dem-onstrating strong shared values. Employees whoaccept those values develop a powerful sense of"one for all and all for one."

MVP leaders create energy through mutual trustin myriad ways. One way is making sure relation-ships are nonhierarchical, that work teams shareideas, information, and responsibility for failure or

HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW May-Iune 1999 109


success. Mutual trust is also a result of managersand employees keeping promises. Several years ago,the Home Depot hired a former homemaker towork in an outlet's millwork department-a jobthat required expertise and technical knowledge.Her managers promised that she would receive allthe training required to make her a success if shepromised to commit to meeting the needs of the de-partment's customers -demanding contractors who

The Marines follow what we call the"mission, values, and pride" path toa high-performing workforce.

were prone to frequent and unpleasant displays ofimpatience. Both the management and the employeekept their ends of the hargain. The story has he-come legendary among Home Depot employees. Itresonates with them beeause it reflects the organi-zation's energizing commitment to bonds of hon-esty between executives and the front line.

Every MVP organization follows this path some-what differently. While the New York City Balletemphasizes its rich history- the legacy of GeorgeBalanchine's and Lincoln Kirstein's relentless pur-suit of perfection- to motivate new dancers,Hewlett-Packard-with the famed HP Way-makesshared values its foeus. But underlying the varyingtechniques are the following five praetices, each de-scribed with recommendations for companies thatmight seek to embark on the MVP path to win theirown competitive battles.

Practice One: Overinvest at the outset in incul-cating core values. When new people come onboard, most companies make a point of communi-cating the organization's values. Some distributewallet cards or wall plaques; others require employ-ees to attend a speech or view an interactive video.In any case, most new hires get little more than abrief introduction to company values before theyare expected to demonstrate them on the job.

By contrast, the Marines' entire recruiting andtraining period is devoted to ensuring that new re-cruits comprehend the institution's core values ofhonor, eourage, and commitment. The first time apotential reeruit eneounters the Corps' values isduring his "cultivation interview" on a high schoolcampus or in a Marines storefront. While mostcompanies use headhunters and human resourcespeople to ferret out potential workers, the Marinesassign the job to the best of their experienced

sergeants and midcareer officers, individuals hav-ing what can only he described as a missionary zealabout the Marines' values. Sueh fervor is an impor-tant screening device. Individuals who come backfor a second interview have taken a step toward ac-cepting the values of the MVP path.

At boot camp, the emphasis on values intensi-fies, as our research team discovered firsthand. TheMarines treated our visiting group like new recruits

when we arrived on Parris Island, or-dering us off the bus and instructingus to place our feet precisely onto yel-low footprints painted on the pave-ment. Our team leader, McKinseyprincipal Brad Berkson, who has neverserved in the military, quickly foundhimself barking "Yes, sir!" and "No,sir!" to the shouted questions of the

drill instructor. We were led into a small room,where a sergeant delivered a speech on the impor-tance of integrity. Following that stern but impas-sioned speech, would-he Marines are handed theirofficial records-completed during the recruitingprocess-and asked to check them for accuracy.Have they honestly descrihed any history of sub-stance abuse? Have they reported every run-in withthe law- The recruits are told, "If you did it, we willfind it. So don't start your career here with a lie."Over the next hour or more, recruits file to the frontof the room and eome clean, showing they are readyto embrace the values of honor, courage, and com-mitment - perhaps for the first time in their lives.

Unlike other branches of the armed forces, theMarines do not promise technical training in fieldssuch as electronics or aviation. Instead, days arefilled with physically and emotionally stressful ex-ercises designed to encourage mutual accountabil-ity. If a recruit fails to eomplete a 15 -mile endurancehike, his comrades must carry his rifle and 60-pound rucksack for the rest of tbe hike. If someoneerrs during a close-order-drill movement, the entireunit must repeat the movement until it is flawless.In every training event, strong performers are ex-pected to help their less proficient comrades.

As with its recruiters, the Corps assigns its verybest to be boot-camp drill instructors. Only the top25 % of enlisted noncommissioned officers are evenconsidered for DI assignment. Of that group, only80% make it through the rigorous Drill InstructorsSchool. The assignment is seen as an honor and acareer enhancement: given the relative scarcity ofpromotions in the post-Cold War era, a three-yeartour as a DI often determines whether an enlistedMarine's career will reach 20 years. The result isthat the screening, selection, training, and shaping

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of those on the front line rests in the hands of thehighest-performing leaders.

Through the intense foeus on values. Marine re-cruitment and training build a sense of belonging toa noble cause. Indeed, training culminates in a 54-hour continuous field exercise called the Crucible,in which recruits struggle through a series of gruel-ing challenges - including combat assaults throughmud pits and under maehine-gun fire-with littlesleep or food. Throughout the ordeal, trainers con-stantly cite the heroic acts of Medal of Honor win-ners, thereby personalizing each recruit's conceptof what it means to be a Marine. That identifieationwith the organization- the recruits' pride in theCorps, in themselves, and in their units-sustains ahigh level of energy and loyalty to the organizationfor a long time after Marines leave boot camp.

While the Marine Corps' investment in inculcat-ing values may seem extreme to outsiders, its prac-tices can be translated for the business context. Forsome eompanies, emulating the Marines on thisfront might require only a shift of emphasis duringinitial training. Instead of covering values as anadd-on topic at the end of orientation, trainerswithin business eould bring them to center stageearly on. At Marriott, for example, a week-long ex-amination of company values culminates with newemployees role playing in realistic scenarios thatrequire them to apply the company's values whenmaking tough decisions.

Businesses also might assign training to their mostexperienced and talented managers and increase thelength of training programs from amatter of hours to days or even weeks.Those steps will carry costs, of course.But think of them as investments thatwill have large dividends. One out-standing role model might infiuence40 or 50 new hires, whose commit-ment and focus eould save the companymillions of dollars in the long run.

Finally, to bolster collective pride intheir frontline employees, companiesean continue to focus on values after training ends.Southwest Airlines posts hundreds of documentsand photos highlighting the company's accom-plishments in the lohby of its headquarters build-ing. Marriott prominently displays letters from eus-tomers praising superior service. A company neednot have a Guadalcanal in its past to celebrate it-self. The victories of the business battlefield areplenty to draw upon.

Practice Two: Prepare every person to lead, in-cluding frontline supervisors. Most businesses sep-arate their frontline employees into two camps: fol-

lowers and potential leaders. The followers arewritten off or given superficial attention; they re-ceive no training to develop their abilities. Thegroup of potential leaders is usually small, becausemost companies use the standard husiness-leader-ship template to identify individuals who mightmove up. The template includes a slim list of pre-dietahle attributes-thinks strategically, delegates,sets and meets demanding targets-even thoughmost executives know from experience that effec-tive leadership styles are many and varied.

Tbe Marines don't distinguish between followersand potential leaders; they believe every member ofthe Corps must be able to lead. Consider the exi-gencies of battle. The 19-year-old lance corporalwho suddenly finds himself facing an angry moh onthe streets of Haiti must know when and how touse force. Indeed, the nature of war dictates thatMarines must be trained to do more than just takeorders. In a flash of gunfire, any Marine may findthat he's the person responsible for giving orders.That is why every enlisted Marine learns how torun a fire team-the basic four-person unit of Ma-rine operations -and every officer learns how to runa 40-member rifie platoon.

The policy of training every frontline person tolead has a powerful impact on morale. The organi-zation's helief that everyone ean and must be aleader creates enormous collective pride and buildsmutual trust. Each Marine knows he can rely on hiscomrades to take charge, just as he can be relied on.With the two huilding blocks of the MVP path-

A company need not have aGuadalcanal in its past to celebrate

itself. The victories of the businessbattlefield are plenty to draw upon.

pride and trust- firmly in place, energy and com-mitment naturally follow.

Enlisted Marines are introduced to the funda-mentals of leadership at boot eamp, where drill in-structors serve as 24-hour-a-day role models. Theinstructors' goal at this stage is not to teach youngrecruits how to take charge but to demonstrate thequalities that characterize effective leaders in action:morality, courage, initiative, and respect for others.Drill instructors embody the highest standards ofMarine behavior. They rise at 4:30 A.M., at least ahalf-hour before the recruits in their command;

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PIRING UP THE FRONT LINE

Learning While Leading

In 1997, I was appointed the commanding officer ofa frontline combat unit that comprised 125 Marines.The assignment, normally reserved for a senior cap-tain, carried tremendous responsibility for a 2,6-year-old lieutenant with just two years of active duty. For-tunately, I was paired with First Sergeant Ian V. Smith,an enlisted professional and c0mh.1t veteran with 22years of experience. I learned more ahout leadershipfrom First Sergeant Smith during the four months weworked together than I had from any other Marine, of-ficer or enlisted, in the previous two years.

The learning process began the day after our part-nership was formed. My overly ambitious plan to is-sue gas masks and have the Marines clean weapons inthe same afternoon caused the members of the groupto miss dinner. Morale suffered. The next day, FirstSergeant Smith offered me his frank assessment ofwhat went wrong, beginning with the words, "Sir,your plan failed hecause you did not consult the expe-rienced leaders of this unit. We have conducted thisdrill countless times hefore." From then on, I reliedheavily on his advice.

First Sergeant Smith also taught me the importanceof developing others. He often placed his busy sched-ule on hold to teach young enlisted Marines ahout theCorps' history and traditions as well as its leadership

principles and values. The dividends of his effortswere almost immediately apparent: his students soonbegan to exercise greater initiative and assume moreresponsihility for daily tasks.

Finally, First Sergeant Smith taught me a lesson Iwill always earry witb me: tbat leaders inspire peopleby demonstrating a genuine concern for their welfare.Whenever a Marine faced a personal emergency, FirstSergeant Smith focused his undivided attention on theproblem until it was resolved. If Marines were tem-porarily transferred to otber units, he periodically vis-ited them to ensure that tbeir needs were being met.Every time one of the Marines completed technicalschool or a leadership course, be attended the gradua-tion ceremony and shared in the accomplishment. Hisefforts huilt an intense loyalty to tbe unit and inspiredevery one of its members to achieve higher levels ofperformance.

I have not yet been afforded the leadership responsi-bility in tbe business world tbat I had in the MarineCorps. But I know that when tbe time comes to run ateam or even an organization, I will he guided by theinsights gained in my short hut immensely powerfulpartnership with First Sergeant Smith.

fason A. Santamaria

during endurance hikes, when recruits are allowedto sit for a ten-minute break, they remain standingwith their heavy packs on; and their appearance isat all times flawless, as is their composure.

For college graduates who join the Marines, for-mal leadership training hegins almost right away atOfficer Candidates School in Quantico, Virginia.Marines who will soon lead platoons-hasically asfrontline supervisors -spend ten weeks learning thepractical and theoretical components of running anorganization, from logistics to motivation. Thisstands in stark contrast to the standard operatingprocedure in business, where the vast majority ofnewly minted supervisors receive limited, cookie-cutter instruction in what it means to he a leader.The Marines helieve that the energy of those in thefront lines is largely driven by the energy of front-line supervisors, so they make leadership develop-ment a priority.

To that end, OCS trainers seek to identify andhone eaeh officer's unique approach to leadership.Contrary to the stereotype of the inflexible com-mand-and-control style, the Marine Corps recog-

nizes and cultivates several styles of effective lead-ership, such as assertive, collahorative, insightful,and supportive. To determine which approach bestfits each individual, trainers put officer candidatesthrough a series of exercises that simulate battle-field conditions. For instance, candidates in grotipsof four or five must deeide how to rescue a woundedMarine [a 250-pound dummy) from the far side of amoat, beyond a mock-up of a burncd-out bridge,without getting wet or touching certain off-limitsareas. The team has no designated leader and noth-ing to work with except three five-foot hoards. Theproblem is technically solvable (though rarely inthe time allowed), but tbe instructors arc mostly in-terested in tbe leadership capabilities and shortfallseach memher demonstrates.

As the students' leadership capabilities begin toemerge, tbe candidates are counseled and advisedby experienced observers, usually captains. Tbeseobservers, who spend up to 16 hours a day with theofficer candidates, are trained to look for variousleadership attrihutes, advise the students of theirstrengths and weaknesses, and coach them on how

112 HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW May-Iune 1999


to make the most of their leadership potential. Theprocess is anything but standardized.

The Marine Corps also develops leadersbip skillsamong its frontline supervisors by routinely estab-lishing what we call "leadership partnerships" inthe Fleet Marine Force. Each platoon is run by twoindividuals: tbe higher-ranking officer, a younglieutenant with one to three years' experience, ispaired with a seasoned staff sergeant or gunnerysergeant with 12 to 18 years' experience. The expe-rience and maturity of the sergeant complementthe tactical education and fresh ideas of the lieu-tenant. The two learn from each other and jointlysolve tactical challenges and problems about peo-ple. Tbe learning is stimulating and energizing forbotb, as well as for tbose in their command. Eachloader has more time to attend to the training andprofessional growth of the platoon's 40 or moremembers than if he were the sole officer in charge.Tbat kind of personal attention is another force forbuilding tbe energy and commitment of tbe rankand file. (For a firstband account of such a partner-ship, see the insert "Learning While Leading.")

Most business executives would sec a leadershippartnership as wasteful, hut the positive effects ofthe comhination -in terms of performance -usuallymake up for any additional costs. Moreover, thearrangement accelerates the development ofyounger leaders, which adds to the leadership ca-pacity and performance capabilities of the enter-prise as a whole. Such intangibles may well provepriceless in the long term.

To emulate the Corps' leadership developmentinitiative, business executives would first need tosbake off their old attitudes. Theywould need to embrace the notionthat a great many frontline workerscan lead and thus should he trained todo so. Executives would need to sup-port the idea that every frontline su-pervisor deserves extensive leader-ship training with an approach thatmakes the most of the supervisor's in-dividual leadership style. These are major attitudeadjustments-probably more than most business-people are willing to accept all at once. Too often,managers assume that "leadership" is an intrinsicquality that somehow emerges on its own. That'swhy training frontline leaders is frequently left tomentors. Changing this approach is far from easy,and like many humhling attitude adjustments inlife, the payoff is best appreciated in hindsight.

A less jarring way for executives to introduce thischange is to create informal leadership partner-ships. Newly appointed managers could be as-

signed, ad hoe, to work with more experienced vet-erans in the running of a division or a department.This might mean that both members of the duowould do less managing and more hands-on work,hut it would expand eapahihties, and in time wouldchange minds about leadership development.

Practice Three: Distinguish between teams andsingle-leader work groups. One of the mostcommon-and damaging-occurrences in businessis executives putting together single-leader workgroups and calling them teams. Usually the prac-tice is unintentional; most executives don't knowthe difference between the two arrangements. Butsuch a mistake confuses and demotivates peopleand undermines the performance of small groups.Take the case of the CEO of an energy companythat was midway through a major turnaround. TheCEO thought of his five direct reports as a team andoften encouraged them to join him in mapping outnew strategies for the company. But the truth isthat he was using the executives only to bolster bispreconceived views. On key issues, he invariablyresorted to one-on-one discussions and then madedecisions that bis "team" approved but did notjointly influence. The five executives saw throughthe situation and soon grew frustrated and resent-ful, while the CEO remained convinced that he wasnourishing a cohesive team. Calling a group a teamdoesn't make it one.

Real teams are rare. Most work in business isdone by single-leader work groups, which rely en-tirely on their leaders for purpose, goals, motiva-tion, and assignments; each memher is accountablesolely to the leader. Single-leader work groups have

To emulate the Marines, executiveswould need to embrace the idea that

many frontline workers can lead.

an important place in organizational life. They arefast and efficient, and they can be a great help wbenindividual tasks are more important than collectivework and when the leader really does know besthow to get things done.

A real team, by contrast, draws its motivationmore from its mission and goals tban from itsleader. Members work together as peers and holdone another accountable for tbe group's perfor-mance and results. In a real team, no individualmember can win or lose; only the group can suc-ceed or fail.

HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW May-lunc 1999 113


Teams and Work Groups: It Pays to Know the Difference

Managers tend to label every working group in an organization a "team,"whether it's a roomful of customer service operators or a string of assem-blers on a manufacturing line. But employees quickly lose motivation andcommitment when they're assigned to a team that turns out to be a single-leader work group. If executives want to spark energy and commitment onthe front lines, they must know how a team differs from a single-leaderwork group, and when to create one or the other.

I

Run by:

Goals and agenda set by:

Performance evaluated by:

the members of the team best-suited to lead the tasks at hand;the leadership role shifts amongthe members

the group, based on dialogueabout purpose; constructiveconflict and integrationpredominate

the members of the group, as wellas the leader and sponsor

Work style determined by: the members

Success defined by: the members' aspirations

Most appropriatebusiness context:

Speed and efficiency:

Primary end-products:

Accountabilitycharacterized by:

a complex challenge that requirespeople with various skill setsworking together much ofthe time

low until the group has learnedto function as a team; afterward,however, the team is as fast asa single-leader group

largely collective, requiring severalteam members to work togetherto produce results

"We hold one another mutuallyaccountable for achieving thegoals and performance ofthe team."

SIRGU-UADXX WOSK GBOUP

one person, usually the seniormember, who is formallydesignated to lead

the formal leader, often inconsultation with a sponsoringexecutive; conflict with groupmembers is avoided, and theleader integrates

the leader and the sponsor

the leader's preference

the leader's aspirations

a challenge in which time is ofthe essence and the leader alreadyknows best how to proceed; theleader is the primary integrator

higher than that of teams initially,as the members need no time todevelop commitment or to learnto woik as a team

largely individual and can beaccomplished best by each personworking on his or her own

"The leader holds us individuallyaccountable for our output."


FIRING UP THE fRONT LINE

Given the amount of ink devoted to extollingteams in the past decade, many executives are loathto put people together in anything but. That's whythe cleaning employees and their supervisor atyour hotel are a "customer service team," and theclerks and store manager at your supermarket are a"eheck-out efficiency team." These are really single-leader work groups, or, worse, they are single-leaderwork groups in which flagging morale and partici-pation on the part of the group have caused theleader to hack off from the supervisory role. The re-sult of these "compromise units" is typically angerand inertia. Trust and confidence are bolsteredwhen people know what is expected of them andtheir colleagues. And when goals and responsibili-ties are clear, they can be exceeded -another energybooster.

The Marines are masters at distinguishing be-tween single-leader work groups and teams, partlybecause the Corps maintains a culture of extremeclarity-you can't he vague about battle directives.Another reason is that the Marines explicitly teachpeople the differences between roles. At infantrysehool, after boot camp, each Marine rotates throughall the positions in a fire team-leader, machine-gunner, assistant machine-gunner, and rifleman-and learns when and how to shift the leadershiprole. By the time the team is ready for active duty,each member can fill every position. Most impor-tant, the highly cohesive group has learned whenand how to function as a real team and when to relyon a single leader.

For businesses to adopt the practice of distin-guishing between teams and single-leader work.groups, executives would first need to understandthe differences between the two. (For a summary ofthese distinctions, see the insert "Teams and WorkGroups; It Pays to Know the Difference.") Further-more, executives would need to bring this knowl-edge to bear in managing the front line. That re-quires diseipline on the part of the executives.People generally like to be assigned to teams; theyare less enamored of being assigned to somethingcalled a "single-leader work group." But in the longrun, clarity creates trust.

Practice Four: Attend to the bottom half. Busi-nesses, in general, are relentless about leveragingtheir leaders' time. That's why frontline managersare usually trained to focus their attention on thepeople who have the greatest potential to advance.An assumption is built into most evaluation sys-tems that people in the lower half will function ad-equately or leave.

The Marines do not have that luxury, because thegraduates of boot camp carmot be replaced for four

years unless they violate the Uniform Code of Mili-tary Justice with serious offenses such as stealing ordrug use. Moreover, a Marine unit in battle is onlyas strong as its weakest link. A poor performer putslives in danger. The Marines simply eannot affordto let the bottom half languish.

Like executives in the corporate world, leaders inthe Marine Corps have little time to spare, but theyfind the time to attend to poor and mediocre per-formers, even if it means personal sacrifice. Considerthe case of Colonel Al Davis, who made it a point toget to know every member of each class of 300 offi-cer candidates while serving as commanding officerof OCS from 1995 to 1997. Colonel Davis regularlyparticipated in physical exercises with the officercandidates, and whenever a student came up for"disenrollment review," he made it his goal to finda way to help rather than dismiss. Colonel Davispersonally made every final decision to expel or re-assign, based on a thorough discussion involving allthe officers who had worked with each student.

Colonel Davis's commitment to every last Marineis not unique. Drill instructors, despite their leg-endary toughness, refuse to give up on any recruit.Incoming Marines are told, "You may give up onyourself more than once during the next 12 weeks,but we will never give up on you." In one interviewwith a member of the research team, a drill instruc-tor said he and his colleagues see each new recruitas a psychological puzzle to be solved. He noted,"We use every tool we can-whatever works."

The impact of this principle is powerful. Personalattention means that floundering Marines arecaught before they hit bottom. That approach rein-forces the individual's sense of belonging and buildsan intense loyalty to the organization. Loyalty anda sense of belonging are components of the mutualtrust that is critical to the MVP path. The Marines'approach also prevents any individual from feelingthat he's bound to fail. The effect is more pride,both personal and collective.

Most business managers resist devoting time andtalent to the bottom half. They believe it's easierand cheaper to replace any underperformers thanto rejuvenate them. Perhaps that was once true, butin places where the economy is booming, labor is inshort supply. Many companies that once seemed tohave an unlimited number of applicants for low-level positions are now struggling to keep every jobfilled. For that reason alone, salvaging underper-formers makes sense. Then add the positive energythe practice engenders, and the Marines' approachseems purely logical.

Devoting more time and attention to the hottomhalf does not neeessarily have to cost a lot. Some-

HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW May-June 1999 115


times all it requires is creative hiring of frontlinesupervisors-recruiting people with experience incounseling or teaching, for instance. Some insur-ance companies, notably State Farm, have been suc-cessful in hiring former high school teachers as su-pervising agents, and A. L. Williams, now PrimericaFinaneial Services, has hired former high schoolfootball coaches. These agents have skills in teach-ing and firsthand knowledge of how to keep talentedbut undisciplined young people on track. As an alter-native to hiring experienced teachers, companiescan train supervisors to work with the bottom half.Many companies already teaeh managers team-

It takes very little to get frontlineemployees to set and beat theirown standards for performance.

building and communication skills. There is noreason not to expand that repertoire.

Companies also might invest in training and de-velopment programs focused on employees who areat risk of falling through the cracks. Marriott has asix-week program specifically designed for front-line workers who are former welfare recipients orwho were hired from the ranks of the homeless.Launched in 1991, the Pathways to Independenceprogram offers instruction in life skills, such asopening a bank account and using public trans-portation, in addition to work skills, such as clean-ing a hotel room efficiently. Pathways instructorsalso advise participants on work etiquette-why itis important to show up on time and be wellgroomed (teachers suggest, for instance, that partic-ipants trim facial hair and shed most jewelry). Thetraining pays off in retention rates. In the Washing-ton, D.C., area, the percentage of new employees re-maining on the job longer than one year was higheramong Pathways graduates than among compara-ble workers who hadn't had training- 75% versusless than 65%.

Gompanies also can increase the likelihood thatfrontline supervisors will attend to underperform-ers simply by evaluating the supervisors on that di-mension of their jobs. GE does this by routinelysurveying frontline employees on job satisfactionand holding supervisors accountable for the results.Because underperformers are typically unhappy atwork, such surveys essentially prevent managersfrom writing them off. At GE, it is well known that"the numhers no longer protect," that managers

cannot achieve their financial goals at the expenseof their people.

Practice Five: Use discipline to build pride. Manyorganizations regard discipline as a necessary evil; atool to keep order, but the enemy of empowerment.Discipline is seen as a top-down method of controland punishment. Supervisors fire people who arehabitually late or dock the pay of workers who vio-late the dress code. No one expects such measuresto engender energy or build commitment.

The Marines respect discipline as control andpunishment, but they also see it as an opportunityto build pride. The Marines have rules, and plenty

of them. You obey those rules oryou're out. But the Marines put equalemphasis on self-discipline and group-discipline. They ask every member ofthe front line to be his own toughestboss and to be a strict enforcer for hiscomrades. Such a dynamic couldbackfire in other circumstances-forinstance, if the underlying values of

the institution were corrupt. But in their approachto discipline, the Marines are demanding thateveryone on the front line act with honor, courage,and commitment. When people do so-on their ownand as a group - enormous energy is unleashed.

The fact is, many Marine recruits begin their ca-reers with A vast repertoire of sloppy behaviors thatinclude foul language, poor work hahits, and disre-spectful treatment of others. In that sense, they arenot unlike the people many companies try (unsuc-cessfully) to screen out. And so the first few milesof a recruit's journey toward greater discipline lookand sound a lot like what happens in business-lotsof harsh repercussions for breaking the rules.

Within the first month, however, the relentlesscrush of discipline is well on its way to molding apositive self-image in most recruits. They discoverwhat they are capable of when they apply them-selves. Then they discover that they can accom-plish more than they ever thought possible. Nextthey learn that group-discipline means nobody willbe left behind in battle. Before boot eamp is over, re-cruits come to see that discipline does not exist justfor diseipline's sake; it ensures a widespread com-mitment to mission, values, and comrades.

Like the Marines, every MVP company studiedby our research team encourages self-discipline inorder to build pride. The results are remarkable.Southwest Airlines turns its planes around in lessthan half the time needed by many of its competi-tors. The main reasons are employee self-disciplineand the group-discipline practiced by its workgroups. Employees undertake their tasks with fer-



vor, not out of fear of punishment, but out of a de-sire to make their airhne the hest. It is common tosee haggage handlers, flight attendants, and pilotsscramhling to heat the clock and encouraging oth-ers to do the same. Sometimes crew members actu-ally help haggage handlers, and vice versa- some-thing unheard of at other airlines.

Similarly, Marriott's housekeepers drive them-selves-and one another-to get rooms clean in lessthan 24 minutes; bellmen hustle to get guestschecked in and to their rooms with no delays orcomplaints. These hehaviors are strongly encour-aged by Marriott executives. But to talk to theseemployees is to know that they are driven hy self-discipline and gioup-disciplinc-an ardent desire tofollow the rules in order to make themselves andthe organization proud.

It takes very little to harness the positive powerof discipline, to get frontline employees to set andbeat their own high standards for performance. Itstarts with an executive decision never to he con-tent with enterprise-imposed, top-down discipline,and a commitment to encouraging self-disciplineand group-discipline. One simple method is to callattention to workers who demonstrate self-disci-pline: feature them in a company newsletter, honorthem with conspicuous awards. Such actions huildpride and serve as an invaluahle example for others.

Another powerful means to induce self-disci-pline and peer-enforced discipline is to displayshortfalls, particularly those that are apparent tocustomers. The seli-discipline and peer-enforced

discipline we ohserved at Marriott were due in nosmall measure to the company's practice of postingall guest complaints for employees to see.

From the Battlefield to the BoardroomNo executive of an organization that depends on itsrank and file can afford to ignore the example set hythe Marines. A skeptic might argue that theMarines have an incomparahle advantage: a longhistory of a fired-up front line. Their emotional en-ergy is genetic, so to speak. But the Marines havehad sethacks along the way. The Vietnam Wardeeply eroded the Corps' values and esprit. Indeed,it nearly hroke them. The great tragedy of the 1983terrorist hombing of a Marine barracks in Beirut,which killed 241 Marines, sailors, and soldiers, alsotook an enormous toll on tbe Corps' emotional en-ergy. The Marines had to rehuild their shared valuesand collective pride nearly from scratch. They wereas new to the MVP path as any start-up.

But what is perhaps most persuasive about theMarines' approach to energizing the front lines isthat the five underlying managerial practices can hefound in nonmilitary organizations today. Rarely,however, are those practices pursued with the dedi-cation, rigor, and relentless determination necessaryto convert ordinary workers into an extraordinarywork force. The Corps does that, and the corpora-tion can, too. . 0

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HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW May-Tune 1999 117

Documents

FIRING UP THE FRONT LINE