When the baby is ugly, don't try to convince your people it is not
Watched any press conferences lately? I can barely tolerate them. Between failure to admit fault, passing the buck, and trying to spin a positive narrative, we are seeing what wrong looks like. here I am, drifting dangerously close to politics and you can probably sense my anger. Let's return to leadership shall we? We can leverage some leadership lessons from what we are seeing.
Things go wrong in a business. Leaders make bad decisions which can impact the whole team and cause serious wreckage. Moments when things have gone awry call for the best in leadership. Failure is difficult for anyone to talk about but in a bad situation, the worst thing a leader can do is what you are witnessing on the television.
If you are wrong, admit it. "Mea culpa! This is my fault and mine alone." Even if there are other people or groups or a previous leader who contributed to the failure, a leader must accept complete ownership. A leader should never say, "I accept responsibility but..." That is equivalent to saying, "This is the fault of someone else."
Do not get defensive. Avoid using the word but. "I take ownership, but..." Your people will sniff out your defensiveness through your words, demeanor, or your writing. Once a leader throws up a shield, he or she has lost the audience. All they will see is a big ego who cannot accept blame. When you've done something wrong or are the responsible person on top of a failure, tell it like it is. Be completely vulnerable.
Offer something positive or reassuring. After admitting fault, talk about what you have learned from it and how you will be better next time. Share what steps you are taking to clean up the mess and what measures you are developing to prevent a similar failure. You can even ask for ideas or help. Reassure your people that the team is strong and your trust in them is absolute. Be vulnerable for sure, but be strong and confident.
Give people credit. They realize things are challenging at the top of an organization and that leaders are not perfect. They may even empathize with you. Don't polish a turd. It's still a turd. Don't tell everyone the baby is beautiful when it is not.
I'm a man of many failings and I'm ready to share my ugly babies with you. Reach out today.
Make it Personal!
Rob
Rob Campbell