Planning in turkey organizations, on the other hand, is a tortuous exercise tied to annual budgeting. Managers compete for resources, and the sales and marketing folks sandbag revenue forecasts.
Leaders at these companies lead according to whatever business book is at the top of the New York Times bestseller list. Managers are usually found sitting at their desks or in useless meetings instead of promoting action and communication.
Again, I hope you get my point: At the company level, what separates eagles from turkeys is leadership decisions about which goals to achieve and how to pursue them.
Employee-Level Leadership
Eagle companies have positive cultures based on shared values and respect. They understand the importance of hiring the right people and getting started on the right foot together. Leaders who are eagles insist on teamwork and have a low tolerance for departmental silos.
Turkeys say the right words, but their actions speak louder. You get a bad feeling from these companies the moment you walk in the door because of the dirty carpet or the crabby receptionist. Or maybe they have beautiful office space, but their managers are consumed by office politics instead of achieving common goals—too busy covering their butts to look into the future.
At the employee level as well, eagles are distinguished from turkeys by leadership choices about what the organizational values and priorities should be.
By the way, the capital markets are fairly efficient, and they generally feed the eagles and starve the turkeys. That could make eagles the better Thanksgiving dinner, but they don’t allow themselves to be eaten!
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Eagles
›› Compete in a niche market and offer a specialty product or service; have
few competitors.
›› Are able to provide the best value.
›› Have close relationships with customers.
Turkeys
›› Try to compete in a large, market with many direct competitors.
›› Offer a product or service that is too expensive or priced too low.
›› Don’t meet customer needs and wants.
Eagles
›› Follow a well-thought-out strategic plan based on objective analysis of
market forces and company strengths and weaknesses.
›› Pay attention to only a handful of appropriate and important metrics. ›› Effectively articulate a vision of the company’s future and marshal
resources and people to execute it.
Turkeys
›› Use the budget process as the strategic plan; don’t understand how value
is created and destroyed in their business.
›› Follow the "strategy du jour" or remain static rather than dynamic in
relationship to a changing market.
›› Have no vision of the future; the budget is the only expression of
corporate goals and values.
Eagles
›› Believe that employees are the company’s most valuable resource; invest in
communication, training, competitive compensation, and a pleasant work
environment.
›› Establish well-defined responsibilities and accountabilities so employees
know how to win.
›› Define, demonstrate, promote, and insist on a culture of teamwork and
shared success.
Turkeys
›› Believe employees are the biggest cost and liability in the organization;
view incremental costs for training, benefits, and work environment as no more
than added overhead.
›› Create an environment where responsibilities are vague and
accountabilities are nonexistent.
›› Encourage the development of departmental silos and competitive turf wars;
can’t define a desired corporate culture.
