Tulsa World: Employee trust vital to success

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Employee trust vital to success

By JOHN STANCAVAGE World Staff Writer
Published: 6/8/2008 2:48 AM
Last Modified: 6/8/2008 4:12 AM

When St. Louis-based Enterprise Rent-A-Car acquired Vanguard Car Rental of Tulsa last year, the decisions on how to combine the two organizations didn't come down from the executive offices.

Instead, Enterprise put employee teams to work on figuring out how to efficiently merge two very different, but complementary, organizations.

"You get the best ideas from the people doing the work," said Greg Stubblefield, who moved to Tulsa last summer to run the operation.

Stubblefield visited my office last week to talk about the first significant outcome of the company's internal analysis. On Aug. 1, Enterprise will shift the operations segment in Tulsa to St. Louis, and will focus much of the remaining Tulsa staff on shared services.

While the loss of 80 local jobs is never a happy development, about 400 will stay here. And there is at least a possibility for growth in some areas.

What fascinated me about the process is that the employees were the ones responsible for making the decision.

"It's the Enterprise way," said Stubblefield, who will be one of those relocating. "The department heads and their staffs figure out the best way to do something, and then it is supported by the top of the organization."

As I spoke with Stubblefield — who noted he did not arrive in Tulsa last summer anticipating another move a year later — I thought back to a panel discussion I'd attended recently. The theme of the luncheon, sponsored by the Tulsa chapter of the Oklahoma Business Ethics Consortium, was "How Good Organizations Turn Evil."

One of the speakers, Charles Leland, CEO of Edmond-based Performance Dashboard, said a serious danger for any company is to not show confidence and trust in employees.

"Without trust, effective teamwork is impossible," said Leland, whose firm offers performance analysis and consulting.

Top managers who act dictatorially lose the substantial benefit of having multiple minds working together, he said.

Not only that, but those minds also are likely to feel alienated, unappreciated and undervalued.

"This directly affects their level of commitment. You wind up having your good people leave, which decreases productivity and increases costs," Leland said.

He offered a quote from Sun Tzu, who wrote an ancient Chinese text called "The Art of War:"

"The one who treats me well is my leader; the one who treats me cruelly is my enemy."

Collaboration, Leland said — even when it includes "healthy conflict" — is good for any organization.

Enterprise seems to have figured that out.

John Stancavage 581-8314
john.stancavage@tulsaworld
By JOHN STANCAVAGE World Staff Writer

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	Report Comment Tulsa taxpayer, (6/8/2008 7:40:28 AM) I have never read such a grossly inaccurate article. The are not 400 employees at Vanguard now and they are not losing 80 jobs, the number is much higher. Sure about some people are transferring to St. Louis but all those employees that have rejected or were not offered jobs in St. Louis will be gone....trust me that is more than 80. Stubblefield acts like all is good, it couldn't be farther from the truth. I can tell you with absolute certaintity that every person that is losing or has lost their job was not part of the "employee decision" to move. That decision was at the St. Louis level. Sure there were members of Vanguard management at those intergration meetings but trust me the decision was not made by any Vanguard employee. The management currently at the helm of Vanguard is all Enterprise. While it makes good sense to present this "pretty picture" to the public but those dedicated Vanguard employees won't buy it in fact it is just insulting for those living it.
	Report Comment debra, (6/8/2008 3:38:03 PM) I do not work for either organization and I do not buy the spin in this article. St Francis Health System puts on the same spin all the while top management does as it pleases. Go back and look at how many CEO ran the hospital since the mid-1990s. It has been a revolving merry go round. It does not fit the moment's whim of Mr. Warren, well....I think you get the message.
	Report Comment zorba, Sand Springs (6/9/2008 11:20:36 AM) I love to read this articles...they are meant to UPLIFT the american spirit; however, reality is.... People are let go due to $$ and costs. The times where owners gave up their profits to make payrolls are long gone. Sure...we saw one airline CEO forgo his...he has backup his stock options. We have a Mayor who forgos her salary...she has backup her personal wealth. If both were the entrepreneurs of long ago, who is to say that they would give up a couple head of cattle for Mrs. Jones family to survive for a couple months. Integrity is lost in this country. It died in the 50's. Experienced Leadership along with smarts is a myth. Just yesterday..I saw Minnesota elect a comic to rep them. Everyone is on his own.. Good Luck.

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