More Information from others about Tribal Leadership Programs

1. Above: cattle are held in high esteem;
right: ‘classroom’ session with Chris Howe,
director of ChangeMaker, standing behind
HR magazine reporter Nicola Harrison;
below and left: cultural exchanges
Natural born leaders
The delegates personal development
extract from David Macleod and Chris
Brady’s new book, The Extra Mile: How
Fred McCrindle, associate Guy Miller, founder and Rob Berting, director,
to Engage your People to Win, is a case in
director, Tenon Public director, The Kardia MRB Infinite
point: “Employees will not believe in
Services Partnership
your vision, strategy and engagement
What can Maasai tribesmen teach western business? Nicola Harrison camps out with a group agenda if they don’t think you believe in
of UK businessmen on a five-day programme in the tribe’s inhospitable territory to find out Before: I’m Before: I’m Before: I
it yourself. Authentic leaders live their
here to reflect here to test my hope I will be
values every moment of the day. By
on leadership new business able to transfer
authenticity, we mean that words must
skills and am hypothesis. the learning
be consistent with deeds.”
looking I’m hoping I’ll into my own
A wounded, blood-soaked young warri- experience. It hopes delegates will take bath began, is certainly no holiday. It is So how have the tribes continued to
forward to gain some life. I’m open to
or limps into view. His arms have been this know-how back to their workplac- more a camping trip with a business succeed and prosper for so many cen-
seeing them in a different context. interesting insights into what new experiences. I don’t think it will
savagely clawed. He has just risked his life es, and lead their own tribes (their peo- twist. Maasai warriors patrol outside turies? Howe thinks he has the answer:
I have no idea what to expect. The really matters and I believe the real change me, but it may reaffirm my
protecting his cow from the jaws of a fe- ple) to prosper in uncertain times. But ‘Cotter’s Camp’ to ward off roaming “Humility, authenticity and transpar-
Maasai’s life is so abstract, I’m learning will come from the debate values. Your experience with
rocious leopard and he needs medical at- can this African adventure really com- elephants, while inside course mem- ency; willingness to pass down knowl-
wondering if it can really translate and discussion we have. I think other cultures gives you great
tention. The sight is a dramatic one for pare with what air-conditioned class- bers are immersed in thoughtful reflec- edge; insistence on leading by example;
into the workplace. I don’t think the this trip could change me. I want management skills. Management
myself and the group of five forty-some- rooms have been teaching for years? My tion and discussion. the fact they are all working towards a
experience will change me, but I my viewpoints to be challenged. training without examples people
thing men who have flown 4,000 miles task was to find out. On one of our walking safaris, Howe common goal; and an ability to trust,
may be enlightened. can feel and breathe are useless.
from the comfort of their offices to the Organisations rarely fly employees to tells me that he has picked up countless show respect and dish out responsibil-
After: It was transformational. It
seemingly perpetual heat and dust of East Africa to discover how to lead. But lessons from his many Africa trips, and ity to the younger tribe members.”
After: It has reinforced my After: It’s nice to learn from other
gives people the opportunity to
Kenya’s Maasai Mara where danger, it according to Chris Howe, director of it is easy to see why. As we walk, our Tumate says juniors are invited to
thinking. Territory-mapping came undergo self-exploration. It sent cultures and transfer it to daily
seems, lies around every corner. We are ChangeMaker, there is much delegates knowledgeable Maasai guide, Tumate, attend elders’ meetings from a very
can learn. He claims just four days spent I got to know in handy when we were business me in a direction, and the mentoring behaviour in the western world. I
at Warrior School to soak up the knowl- points out aloe trees that help heal young age. Here they discover how to
there early in his career in pursuit of the my territory planning. I used the example of the I got from Fred McCrindle and have certainly implemented some
edge of the ancient Maasai tribes and re- wounds, as well as fallen trees that tell determine the health of a cow and pre-
respect and accountability that exists in by grazing Maasai when we were discussing Chris Howe helped enormously. of what I learned in the workplace.
discover what the western world appears him an elephant has been close by. In dict changes in the weather. Tumate was
which markets we should look into. The Massai’s level of humility and My wife has noticed differences in
to have forgotten: a wisdom that could tribes, taught him more than a decade turn, Howe and his enthusiastic busi- let out on his own as a youngster to graze
the cattle. The experience has also made me simplicity in life reminds me that my behaviour and has said I am
transform UK business. spent reading management books. ness partner, Anthony Willoughby, are the cattle. “This is how I got to know
“Tribes have simplicity,” he says. Young look at how I allocate time. The my firm is on the right track. The calmer than before. My most
Over the coming week our Jeep will keen to point out what this can teach us my territory,” he says. “Young people
“Organisations are more about com- people Maasai has to make sure water is customer-mapping exercise has memorable moment was seeing
break down in ‘lion country’, we will in the workplace: the importance of should not be prevented from progress-
plexity. The Maasai are in tune with should collected and the sheep and goats formed the bedrock of my thinking an intelligent person like Tumate
witness charging elephants, dance with knowing every inch of one’s territory, ing.” Howe also believes if leaders give
are out by a certain time each day. when I’m telling people what we struggling with the idea that the
Maasai tribesmen, and hear a chief their environment. Theirs is a culture including its pitfalls and its goldmines. junior staff greater responsibility they
where there is incredibly high passion, not be One of the most memorable do. I’ll always remember the boy world wasn’t flat. This showed me
tribesman’s unique take on leadership. This seems like basic stuff but they will learn much faster.
total commitment and great enthusi- prevented moments was seeing a little boy who fought off the leopard. He not to judge people. Just because
We will be asking: ‘Which customers say it is surprising how many compa- Kelian Ololpirikany, elder of the
asm. They develop people’s talent. The from carrying a lamb so protectively. demonstrated such accountability. our truths are different from other
are our goats?’; ‘Which ones our cows?’ nies get it wrong. According to them, Olngaenet village we visited, says he
biggest leadership threat facing British progressing When he saw us, there was no way He reacted as if to say: ‘It’s not a people’s doesn’t mean ours are
– all to discover what it is that makes the the Maasai are exemplars of great lead- commands respect by maintaining an
he was going to let it go – aged two big deal, guys.’ That was shocking better. They’re just based on
Maasai tribes able to survive in such an business is not doing this.” ers. The innate behaviours these tribes- atmosphere of transparency, leading by
Tumate,
he already had a strong work ethic. and an eye-opener. other things.
inhospitable environment. Training The five-day programme, taking Maasai guide men exhibit are the ones recommended example and being inclusive. “My peo-

company ChangeMaker runs the place a month before Kenya’s blood- by popular leadership books. This ple respect me because I don’t lie to
30 Human Resources March 2008 March 2008 Human Resources 31
www.hrmagazine.co.uk www.hrmagazine.co.uk

2. Above: after-work bonding session;
right and below: a touch of local colour
them. I know how to talk to them,’ he Delegates’ leadership insights: School: know your environment. This
says. “We get everyone together when entails identifying the elements most
we want to communicate something.” Good leaders try to impart their own important to a business: suppliers, em-
In contrast, a recent Towers Perrin views, ensuring that others see what they ployees, customers. It demands the
study shows 72% of the global work- identification of foes: competitors; lack
force does not believe senior manage- do and follow their example. It’s about of engagement; churn. Delegates were
ment communicates openly with staff. understanding. It’s not ‘do as I say’, but asked to draw maps using a method
“The best way to bring communica- ‘do as I do, only better’ Fred McCrindle called territory-mapping – an idea in-
tion alive is by telling stories that illus- spired by people who know their envi-
trate desired behaviours,” according to Leadership is about answering cries for ronment intimately: the Maasai. Howe
Macleod and Brady. Imagine a work- realised this method’s worth when he
help, giving yourself and being in service
force that sits down at the end of the noticed employees from the same team
working day and recounts stories to to others. It’s about doing the things you within an organisation would often
each other, as these tribes people do. say you will do Guy Miller draw entirely different maps to each
They see it as an excellent way to edu- other, which goes back to his point that
cate the youngsters. Our team found it- It’s about being an example to others by most employees within a business are
showing your experience and knowledge
self doing something similar, around not working towards a common goal.
nightly campfires, discussing the day’s In further discussions we are encour-
events – such as the young man who had with authentic behaviour. Good leaders aged to think of customers in terms of
fought off a leopard attacking his cow. are humble yet self-confident Rob Berting cows and goats. The Maasai treasure
Willoughby says this is the ultimate HR both, but cows are worth more and held
lesson. The boy was so dedicated to his Outsider’s verdict in higher esteem. What follows on is a
job, and knew his responsibility so ‘customer journey mapping’ exercise.
clearly, that he was willing to risk his Andrew Mayo, president of the Human Resources This teaches individuals to think about
Society
life. And he had the wounds to prove it. their business’s USP; why their custom-
Willoughby is not suggesting UK Discovery learning is a new and positive trend, and its principles ers buy into it; and how they are per-
employees should pick fights with are good as long as the course is focused. Going somewhere ceived by their customers.
man-eating cats. But he is pointing out completely different is very worthwhile, and I think most people For some HR departments, persuad-
the value of a person knowing their job would have a very meaningful personal experience, but I’d have to ing the CEO to send staff to Kenya may
responsibilities. All these practical ex- ask: ‘How much is transferable in the workplace?’ It’s very seem like an impossible task. But this
amples are backed up by the course’s questionable, but this is true of a lot of leadership training. The course can offer things most others
theory work. As Howe says: “It would actual benefits to the organisation can be fluffy and hard to see. cannot: real employee engagement,
just be an observational programme Going to the Maasai Mara won’t affect employee engagement – loyalty, lessons in leadership (this writ-
without it.” Our first exercise was life it may even make an individual more dissatisfied with their job. er should know). It may even deliver an
journey mapping, which helped the But it may make staff feel more loyal, which is a different thing. employee or two who is full of the
group relax and get to know each other. And it’s good to invest in the personal development of an gumption and ambition to be the next
great leader of the organisation. 
Then came another form of map-draw- employee, as part of their psychological contract.
ing, based on a critical rule of Warrior For more, go to www.hrmagazine.co.uk
32 Human Resources March 2008 www.hrmagazine.co.uk