Follow the Leader!
“The worst of corporate culture often originates in the bad habits of the Boss.”
— J. R. StJohn
Madison Avenue:
An executive was averse both to a standard structure and actual eye contact. Accordingly, he (and his Minions…) wrote his presentations out long-hand, essay style, and had them transcribed in IBM Orator Font on clear acetates for use with an overhead projector. The Minions would shepherd the stack to the conference room and solemnly place them one-by-one on the projection panel as Mr. X would take his place, back to the audience, and read the words on the screen aloud.
Result: At the agency in question, the notion of training for optimal direct eye contact and “pictorial visual aids” were met with a cold stare…
Park Avenue:
Business Revue: The teams assembled in The Arena, stacks of overheads in hand, as one by one the Divisional Sacrificial Lambs would make their way to the center and place an overhead on the screen. The Senior conducted “the grilling” as to the details of each and every numeric indicator. No agenda but for the numerical read-through, and the sometimes (no, often) humiliating cross examination.
Result: The juniors were not thinking of optimum presentation or business revue methods, but how to remain composed while maintaining eye contact under withering cross examination…
Sixth Avenue:
An executive famously treated his divisional presidents to an unequalled display of profanity and personal humiliation beginning with business performance and expanding into personal innuendo and demeaning sexual remarks. He raised profanity, humiliation and innuendo to an art form!
Related Incident: I once encountered a young executive in the Boardroom, practicing his swearing at the head of the empty conference table…
Bayshore Boulevard:
An Executive shared this story: “I was unfamiliar with Flip Charts and attempted to use one in a presentation without completely understanding the set up. Part way through my appearance, a leg bent back and the entire *%^$ contraption collapsed! It destroyed me! So I don’t use ‘em — period! I have nothing against my guys doing it. As a matter of fact, one reason you’re here is to give my team the best available training so they can use every visual tool to their advantage. Show ‘em how it’s done so they won’t have my problems!”
Result: As we pursued our pre-check with the team, they informed us of the single pre-requisite: “No discussion of flip charts! The Boss doesn’t use ‘em. Neither will we!” “No Flip Charts!” had become corporate edict!
When questioned, each of these seniors wrote off their habitual behavior patterns with variations on the same answer. To wit: “It’s of no consequence, just my style. I’m the Boss, I can do whatever I choose! Pay no attention, it’s merely a habit!”
Well… Each of these proud, powerful, influential men had myopically missed the link between their own “private habits and patterns” — and the impact those “private” habits had on the massive organizations they led.
Have you ever built anything really beautiful, effective or long lasting while not paying attention? One might presume that in the interest of the greater good, a leader would attempt to change or (if that were impossible) to draw attention to their own bad habits and rely on the old saw: “Do as I say, not as I do!”
As you are called to Leadership, take care that your bad habits do not become the model for the next generation of followers! Culture is built every day — by design — or by default. The choice is yours.
Applications
1. For You
Take a little time this weekend and do a personal inventory: What about you merits following? What habits are inspiring? Creative? Quirky, or even adorable? Ok, so much for the fun. What about yourself could do with an improvement? What would you want your children, your students, your friends, your relatives to disregard? What bears becoming a model? Keep these things in mind as you plan the coming year and your efforts at change and self-improvement.
2. At Home
Parenthood/Partnership: the relationships we take on without realizing just how important, how influential they are. We influence everything and everyone we touch. How does your behavior influence your family? Is it all good? Is there an area where you can improve? Can you listen better? Speak more eloquently? Touch, when the situation requires a more intimate sign of caring and respect?
3. At Work
Are you still scribbling out your notes at the last minute, then struggling to read them at the lectern? Hard to see that as a model of excellence… Why not join the team in training? Or sneak away for a few anonymous days of private coaching? The power of excellence in communication is beyond price — maybe it’s something you should not only acquire, but pass along.
“Don’t do as I do…” Nope. It never works with the kids! And it works even less well with your adult employees, colleagues and subordinates. Take it on the chin! Eat those bad habits and make your good habits the model for the company culture!
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