A storytelling manager’s tale

A colleague of mine, not from the vocation I am in, narrated to me his experiences of dealing with one Mr John (name has been changed to maintain confidentiality), who is actually the chief operating officer of the organisation. My friend had issues with his style of management. I said to him, describe and elaborate. The gist of it is as follows. John is a senior leader in a large organisation. He is known for his impeccable mannerisms, articulates his ideas in a scholarly style and works amicably with people generally. John has many aspiring stories to share. At times, he would resort to sharing anecdotes from political history and at others he would bare his personal life to offer some ‘profound’ insight or ‘lessons in life and work’. He also tends to flaunt his interests which in his mind are the 'finer things in life' such as literature and music and operates with a bias towards those people who have not adopted these interests in life. His meetings with people, which in a usual corporate setting are expected to be crisp and to the point often drag on. His office area resembles a doctor's clinic where people queue up to see him. During the meeting initiated purely on work matters, John has a tendency to slip into realms which have no bearing on the bottom line or to the subject under discussion. As a result these short meetings usurp a chunk of expensive business hours both for John and the attendees. Soon a trend ensues and people in the organisation pine to have some face time with this top guy. The freebie here is the supposed 'enlightenment' that comes with these coveted meetings. The lucky ducks who then get to have a meeting slot with John eventually start praising John obscenely for his versatile personality, erudite temperament, seemingly inspirational discourses (which by the way have no connection with the matter that matters). Oh and our good ol' John feels so chuffed about this pattern which is stories>praise>stories. Whilst people are being people, who will always suck up to authority in most instances, what’s happening with our friend John? Well, he’s gone off to a fairyland where he is thrilled about being ‘popular’, ‘being liked’ and ‘being sought’. Oh amidst all of this work does happen, but sequenced with generous amounts of boot-licking which John can often see through but enjoys the attention to the hilt. I interrupted and asked how many Johns can you spot in your organisation? My fellow said, many. Sadly though, you will find many in the leadership class afflicted with this disease. I read a book recently by a Western author who manages behavioral issues targeting C-suite level people and in it, the author candidly asks his audience this straight forward question around who tends to get the most attention at home by these people and majority of the people coached respond that it's their dog. The author then asks, do they love their dog more than their family and the response is a resounding 'NO'. So why does the pooch get the most cuddles? Well because it comes wagging its tail each time and literally sucks up which family members won't do. This explains every John's dilemma too unfortunately. It is all about a desperate need to be approved, admired, and being fed by sycophants pumping his/her nibs’ ego ceaselessly. Who hates praise or finds it distasteful? Listening to this woeful tale, I wondered what kind of organisational culture would develop where John's cycle of story>praise>story actually becomes embarrassing, in fact fit for punitive action! This tongue-in cheek and vitriolic direct accusation hurled at John, inspired me to meet up with him, to know as a student of management what would be his views, if the impressions are justified or not. It was only fair to form a complete opinion only after hearing his views. John, the thinking manager, as I noticed on first glance, pointed out: “I hold meetings with colleagues in a very formal and standardised manner, while the general environment remains friendly. The meeting could be about budgets or any subject, but I deliberately avoid hitting them straightaway with “achievement vs budget” discussions; because most participants have arrived into the meeting filled with anxiety. So to calm them down, I reach out to inviting them to subjects other than the “announced agenda”. “Since business people read less and read only what relates to their profession, the reference to history and literature is made. At the end of the day, we are dealing with “human beings”, who have all kinds/types of needs; so to manage them, isn’t it important for seeking help from anecdotes that dwell upon understanding of human nature; be it from literature or history. Nothing inspires most than learning from stories of successes and failures.” And as regards, licking up boots, he said that he (John), as result of loads of reading on human behavior through the medium of literature, fairly well knew how to distinguish between genuine praise and that which was meant to tickle the ego. Without being direct, those falling short on achievement are prodded to do better. “Respect” for the individual reigns supreme. A respected colleague goes beyond the call of duty. Fear does not generate the same quality of enthusiasm to perform, as does, soft, subtle, and sometimes pronounced techniques of inspiration. John also said, “Look at the evidence of performance by those who were consigned to the backyards of the organisation. The only thing that revolutionised their behavior was extension of respect, faith in their skills and trust”. He admitted he follows an open door policy that was well matched by an open mind, for all colleagues, regardless of the cadre. The most important part of the human anatomy, John believes is the shoulder; he subscribes to lending it to all and sundry, to cry upon. Post this action, he confirms that normally no “action” is required. The staff returns to their desk, having unburdened their apprehensions. He (John) reminded me that if the decade of seventies, eighties, nineties, and further, promoted from across the Atlantic, the ‘mean & lean attitude’ as a true representation of professional approach; it has in the last decade undergone a metamorphosis. The newest books on management carry chapters on humility, respect, inter-dependence, empathy etc. He said it was his opportunity to turn tables on those accusing him, by stating they were living with outdated and worn-out management theories. The business world has changed too; and so have the professionals, he added. A culture of openness prevails in such institutions where the manager allows for freedom of expression; and also where discussions are held on a variety of subjects, other than just business. It is the ability of the chairperson to guide all discussion towards corporate objectives. Recently a financial institution in the United States, for their International Graduate Management Trainee program, hired freshmen from universities, who had liberal arts degrees to flaunt; no trainee with a degree in business or management was hired. Why? Because at the end of the day, organisations are made of “people” and a deeper understanding of human emotions can only ensure better management for better management for better productivity.Placed before the readers is both the charge-sheet and the response to it. You many pass a judgment according to your own understanding and experiences. In conclusion, John said, I have to change strategies, but not principles.The writer is a freelance columnist

from The News International - Money Matters http://bit.ly/2Stp5TX