I thought it was a good idea to to start a business blog to supplement the journal articles I write on change management.
(PDF Articles) I trust that some of the issues raised here may be of interest to you to pursue away from this blog of ideas and thoughts. The blogs run in date order with the most recent at the top of this page.
The Japanese Grand Prix was the event which transfixed my Sunday viewing of TV. Although I was waiting to watch several Rugby matches in the Rugby World Cup, I was amazed at the apparent ease which Lewis Hamilton was able to gain yet another winning 10 points - hopefully on his way to win the World Championship. I don't think anything other than mechanical failure can stop this impressive 22 year old from winning the World Championship.
Watching Hamilton hammer around the circuit cutting through the sheets of rain was truly inspirational. The course was waterlogged and perhaps the race should have been abandoned. The teams were forced to use heavy duty tyres to repel the rain but still he must have been aqua-planing most of the way around the track.
I think there is a lot to learn from his own personal philosophy of managing his emotional state and his public image. He has managed not be too damaged by the allegations against Team McLaren.
I think future months will see more detailed features on his own personal philosophy of dealing with achievement which is relevant to us all - whether we manage teams or race in Formula One.
Most of the costs associated of dealing with assholes do not appear on a profit and loss statement or a balance sheet. The costs are real and always go beyond the financial costs of the negative behaviour. It will impact the morale of the team, productivity and the attrition rate. Did you know that a survey on why people leave jobs stated that 56% of people move on to better themselves - 18% move on because they hate their boss (not dislike, but actively hate!). This never shows up in Exit interviews but is a real concern if 'asshole behaviour' is as rife as we think it is.
Sutton highlights a case study on the costs of being an asshole in his book 'The No Asshole Rule'.
Asshole - Top Performing Salesman Case
He refers to a top performing salesman - whose name has been changed to protect the guilty. It's amazing the behaviours a company will allow to be displayed by their managers if they are high achievers.
The individual in this case is called Ethan. Ethan is renowned for shouting, demonstrating extreme impatience - emailing and demanding people do his bidding at all times of the day and night. He has a major problem with anger management, in which his company have invested heavily to support him in his struggle to become less of an Asshole.
Here are the costs associated with being an Asshole - remember, this does not include the emotional and mental turmoil this person leaves behind them.
Time devoted to
Ethan's Manager dealing with key issues 250 hours = $25,000
HR professionals 50 hours = $5,000
Senior Execs 15 hours = $10,000
External Counsellors 10 hours = $5,000
Recruiting and Training staff to support Ethan = $85,000
Overtime costs associated with Ethan's last minute demands $25,000
The response has been unbelievable to the Blog on September 4. I never realised that so many examples of Asshole behaviour are evident. It seems this is equally dispersed between the public and private sectors, with bullying being a huge issue for some organisations.
We have had some interesting emails outlining some astonishing behaviour - here are some examples. You'll note there are two horrendous stories matched by two excellent examples of true leadership.
Appraisal at Breakfast
A manager in Financial Services who does not display the empowered approach to appraisal, decides to call on one his salesmen at his home and proceeds to conduct the salesman's appraisal at the breakfast table in front of his family. Oops.
Letters Dispersed at 100mph
Another manager of the old school regularly signs all the letters and places these carefully in a blotter. Then phones a staff member to collect the blotter and place the letters in envelopes. Sometimes just for fun the same manager throws the blotter across the room as the employee enters - dispersing the outbound mail on the floor. What a great way to treat staff and show them who is boss!
Rehearsing to Banish Stage Fright
A manager finds that one of his team leaders is terrified of presenting. What does he do? He sits down with the team member and works with them on the structure of the presentation. He focuses on addressing the benefits that the audience want to hear, He then takes his associate to the training room and they construct a PowerPoint presentation of four slides. Then he requests that the associate presents. The manager then gently coaches the person through the presentation and continues this process for twelve rehearsals - each time giving positive feedback. Both are exhausted as the session lasts well into the night.
The following day, the presentation takes place and the associate does a cracking job. After the session the associate states "it's easy when you put in the preparation. Walking me through multiple rehearsals has cured me of my stage fright."
Leader as Coach and Teacher
This involved an older staff member who lacked confidence in the use of modern technology. For some reason, they believed they would not be able to learn new processes underpinning the customer service system. The manager, recognising there was a problem, invested their time in making the learning process a positive challenge - ensuring that all on the job training was closely sequenced so that the employee received instant feedback. He ensured that the training was closely monitored and documented. Because of the close dedication and tailoring a solution to the employee, the staff member believes they can learn most things. Previously, the member of staff was viewed as just meeting requirements. Now his behaviour is exceptional and his motivation to his work has changed simply because of the attitude of the manager.
The No Asshole Rule: Act Your Age not Your Shoe Size
One thing that really bugs me is people who bully others to get their own way. It has no part to play in shaping a culture that maximises the potential of all. Besides, managing and retaining "talent" is difficult enough. Having a bullying approach to managing just drives the best people away, and creates a seething resentment amongst others, and has a huge impact on a company's TCA (more on this later).
There is just no need to adopt childish schoolyard tactics to get your own way. And yet it does happen.
To recognise that this is a problem in today's organisation I consulted a brilliant book which I had bought it last year and was reading through preparing for a training session for next week. It's a book written by Bob Sutton who is a leading academic at Stanford. The title of the book is "The No Asshole Rule". It's subtitle says it all - "Building a Civilised Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't."
Bob Sutton & The No Asshole Rule
Bob Sutton is a Business School Professor at Stanford in Connecticutt near to GE University at Crotonville. I like his approach - he hits the hard issues and focuses on the key people in the news. His regular column focuses on 'Bullying' and how not to become a real 'Asshole' and draws on the writing and thoughts of Suzi and Jack Welch (Jack is ex CEO, legend and miracle worker of change management of General Electric Suzi was Editor of the Harvard Business Review).
Suzi and Jack draw a distinction between various types of Leaders and much of their ideas are based on what Jack did in his 20+ odd years to turn a huge lumbering bueaucratic giant that was GE in the late 70's into todays fleet of foot performer.
Jack Welch - No Bullying Culture
Before Immelt became CEO of GE, Welch lay a firm foundation on no bullying. The strong performance culture had previously yielded an extremely tough set of managerial styles bordering on the dictatorial - 'it's my way or the highway' approach. From Welch's early days in the business, he was determined that the old style would be driven out of the culture and replaced by a style that maximised the potential of all staff without being in any way 'laisez faire' or 'touchy feely'.
I know its true because I have worked in many of the GE businesses, and the fundamental drive behind introducing change was instilling a strong behaviour of celebrating the potential and achievement of all rather than dealing with people as assets and treating them harshly.
If GE Can Do It So We Can
If Jack can lay the guidelines, leadership style and values of the business to achieve an outsanding culture reflected on double digit proftability growth for 20 years and without intimidation then the rest of us can easily follow his example.
The book - "The No Asshole Rule" is easy reading. Bob talks about the "inner Jerk" that befalls us all. Unfortunately, over the years I can relate people's style of management to the examples he outlines. I have been both the unwilling and outraged recipient many times of this behaviour and also unfortunately, on occasion, the instigator of such behaviours. Whereas, some people adopt the style as 'business as usual'
They reap what they sow. It's how they express their personal power and how they get their satisfaction, but there is a huge cost associated with this behaviour. You see it niggles away at their self worth and most secretly they wish they could repair the damage. Unfortunately, those who don't repent and relent suffer big time when it becomes their default manner of interacting and managing. They become enraged stress monkeys and pay for the consequences of their behaviour.
What's Your TCA?
What is the Total Cost of Assholes in Your Organisation? It can include damage to victims and witnesses to the events and the rumours that spread through the organisational grapevine. It spreads quickly even including suppliers, customers and business partners and, eventually potential investors.
It's most prevalent in organisations where the top team have little self reflection of their behaviour and the impact this has on others.
Then there is time spent dealing with legal issues in Tribunals, out of Court settlements, counselling, time lost, stress, ill-health - even sabotage and collusion expressed by employees trying to get even. Those who have high potential will not tolerate the atmosphere and will leave. Those who have less choice of moving, concentrate on protecting themselves and never give their best.
Making Good Business Sense
To be honest it's not worth being an 'Asshole'. It only drives up blood pressure of all concerned, and who wants to rule by fear when there are so many better and more productive ways of doing business?
I'll leave you with a few examples of "Asshole" behaviour outlined by Bob ...........and you may want to self-assess on when you demonstrate these behaviours.
.................and remember to pay Bob's website a visit and do the Asshole Test or, better still, get someone else to do the test from their perspective of your behaviour.
The Dirty Dozen Behaviours
Personal insults (sometimes veiled as jokes)
Invading other's personal territory
Uninvited personal contact
Threats and intimidation: both verbal and non verbal
Sarcastic jokes
Withering emails
Status slaps to intimidate others
Public admonitions of 'status degradation' to others
Rude interruptions
Personal attacks
Dirty looks and radically inconsistent behaviour
Treating people as if they are invisible
Luckily, I have not come across too many organisations displaying these tendencies, but all of us need to take a good look in the mirror from time to time just to ensure we are not the Asshole!
I have a feeling that we will be contributing more on this in the next few weeks.
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