Nesta in her “furever” home
A few weeks ago, I completed my first assignment as a Flight Angel when I answered the call by the Montego Bay Animal Haven (MBAH) to take a puppy on my flight from Kingston to Toronto. This sweet pup, Nesta (formerly Ella, but now Nesta in honour of the beloved Robert “Bob” Nesta Marley) had her “furever” home awaiting her in Vancouver. My flight was the first leg of the relay:
- Sabria of MBAH met me at the airport and handed Nesta to me in a carrier. Fortunately, she was small enough to travel in-cabin. Nesta’s bag was packed with towels, pee pads, sanitation wipes, a leash and most importantly, Nesta’s papers that certified she was healthy and vaccinated. She wouldn’t be allowed to leave Jamaica nor enter Canada without her papers being in order. Sabria even included a sweater to cushion her from the shock of the Canadian weather.
- On clearing Customs and Immigration in Toronto, I was met by volunteer Vicky, who would be fostering Nesta for a few days.
- On Tuesday, Vicky handed Nesta off to another Flight Angel who would take her on the flight from Toronto to Vancouver where she was met by her new family
Such a simple thing for me to do, yet so rewarding to help a rescued pup in Jamaica get to her new home in Canada. After my excitement had settled down, I reflected on the enormity of the task – a multitude of things could have gone wrong at each step (indeed, my flight actually left a day later, so there were two handoffs to me in Jamaica). None of us in the process knew the persons to whom we were handing Nesta. Yet we did, with the greatest faith and trust that all would be well.
This experience highlights the importance of trust in organizations. I liken it to the glue that binds the organization to its mission. Where does that trust come from? In the case of MBAH, it comes from the passion of the founder, Tammy Browne, and her entire team, and a deep and abiding commitment to the MBAH mission of saving rescues in Jamaica. This organization is what I term “mission-infused” – it’s who they are, and is obvious in everything they do. And underpinning that is their level of trust that every one of us in the process of transporting Nesta would do the right thing. And we did.
Let’s go further: What would our organizations be like if we had this level of “trust glue”, and how do we get it?
It starts with the mission. Interestingly, I was returning on that flight from facilitating a strategic planning retreat for an organization in the hospitality industry. Developing and agreeing on the mission was a critical step that framed the 2-day discussions. The team left excited, engaged, and energized. Now I wonder how that organization can get the level of commitment and trust that was evident in the process of transporting Nesta. For that is what will result in a level of service that none can beat i.e., the organization’s unassailable competitive advantage.
There are several things a leader can do (for of course it starts with the leader):
- Communicate the mission relentlessly: look for every opportunity to share the mission firstly with team members, and then with the wider group of stakeholders, including customers. Share success stories and celebrate and thank those who made them happen, always bringing it back to the mission.
- Have the right people: are the people in your organization as committed to the mission as you are? Do they even know it? Starting with recruitment, weave the mission into your people processes. MBAH cannot have someone on their team who doesn’t like animals. You should not have someone on your team who is not committed to, inspired by and driven by your mission. Make sure you know from Day 1 that their passion and purpose align with your organization’s mission.
- Have the right processes: examine each internal process through the lens of mission. Ensure that the raison d’etre of the process is to ultimately carry it out. Remove steps that create confusion, unnecessary work or distrust. Of course, you must have checks and balances, but make sure that these are framed as ways to ensure accountability and responsibility for the mission.
- Trust: “When we want to build a trusting relationship, the first step to take is to say, “I trust you””. This is a line from the section on Trust in my first book “Free and Laughing: Spiritual Insights in Everyday Moments in which I posit that Trust is one of the 6 elements of being “free and laughing” i.e., of being joyful. Trust starts with you. Avoid falling into the trap of people having to earn your trust, because that leads to you withholding trust. Why would someone trust you if you don’t trust them?
- Lead by example: model the behaviour you want to see in others. Want trust? Then you have to trust. Want passion? Then you have to be passionate. Always remember that people are watching and following more what you do, and less what you say.
What type of glue would trust be in your organization?
Is it a glue stick , masking tape, super glue, or epoxy? At whatever level it is, remember that trust starts with you and your relentless focus on infusing the mission into every aspect of the organization.
BEFORE YOU GO:
- Here’s the link to the Montego Bay Animal Haven montegobayanimalhaven.com
- And if you are ever flying from Jamaica to the USA, Canada, or the UK, do consider being a Flight Angel. It’s the most joyous experience
- Checkout this video of me “handing over” Nesta to Vicky
