Ludicrous‌ ‌Leadership – Part 2 

Useful phrases for the leader who has long ago been rendered obsolete, but hasn’t realized it yet…

– By Nigel Girling

What they say….

“Leave your problems at home”

Usually said using a tone that implies that an employee is there to focus solely on their job and forget about everything else.

After all, it’s not the company’s fault your marriage is falling apart and that you’re in danger of losing the house. Just get on with your work and keep your head down.

It’s my job as a manager to make sure you’re productive and that we’re efficient. I can’t afford to let anything get in the way of that, can I? The company exists to make a profit. We’re not a flipping charity, after all. (plus ‘I’m not here to be popular’….and round we go again).

What they really mean…

“That sounds all emotional and it’s nothing to do with me”

Whatever else an organization exists to do, and clearly in a commercial organization that includes trying to make an honest profit, it remains first and foremost a community. When leaders start to see any organization as just a P&L and a Balance Sheet and the only measures of success as the profits and share price, then trouble will soon follow.

People have real lives that carry on existing 24/7. They have children, they have elderly parents, they have pressures and challenges. Oh, and by the way, it might in truth be the company’s fault – even the manager’s fault – that their marriage is falling apart, when one or both partners is working 60 hours a week to earn enough to pay the bills, one or both of them is always stressed and they still can’t keep up with the mortgage because the workforce haven’t had a proper pay-rise in 10 years. Quite handy this austerity thing isn’t it? And that Brexit. Gives the unscrupulous and profiteering so many good excuses to cut costs and keep the wage bill down. Doesn’t engage people’s goodwill, creativity and best efforts though, does it? The coming war for talent will see those organizations losing out to those with better and more enlightened cultures. And actual leaders.

Written by Nigel Girling, Senior Consultant, Inspirational Development Group

For more information about the Inspirational Development Group visit:

www.inspirationaldevelopment.com

Please note, the views expressed by the original article author are theirs alone and do not necessarily represent those of Washingtondowling Associates Ltd or The SHE Show and therefore we take no responsibility for the content or accuracy of this post.