progressed from the shop floor in a factory making light bulbs to chief executive and director of many companies, I’ve made more than my fair share of slip-ups along the way. I can recall with horror some of the things I did, which at the time I thought were best practice.
For example, I went through a phase of telling candidates at the end of an interview they hadn’t got the job. And then I’d tell them why. Unsurprisingly, this led to anger and in some cases tears. To me it seemed expedient, but I think most people would have preferred a softer, written response to immediate outright rejection.
Many, many years later I still meet people I’ve long forgotten who can still recall an interview with me. Not necessarily because they were brutally rejected after 30 minutes but because the direct questions and challenges were unexpected. For some, this was a good experience and others found it intimidating. At that time, I probably only employed the more confident candidates and a cleverer, more thoughtful technique would have resulted in a more diverse workforce. Assembling the right evidence to support my decision would have helped no end. I realise that now.
I hope I learnt from my mistakes and over many years improved. And that when I became a leader of a large organisation, I hadn’t completely forgotten what it’s like to be on the front line and not been seduced by the so called ‘C Suite’. Never perfect, but I think I always recognised where the front line was and would readily join it myself when the situation required it.
I say this because I often find organisations where the managers and the front line seem to have a kind of ‘no man’s land’ between them. But here’s an example where the opposite is true.
This company has, over many years, created a bond between the leadership team and the people who do the practical work. In this instance, the front line is made up of highly skilled people, experts in serious illness and community care.
This is a business that operates 24/7 in a very tough environment. It’s in a sector where money and resources are tight. It needs a cohesive, pull-together approach with strong leadership. The leader and her senior team have created a really strong model of great working practice that’s really worth sharing.
Managers can go missing from the front line, leaving others to fight fires and deal with the problems as best they can. But not in this company. The organisation and its people operate in such a way that their real potential and resourcefulness is allowed to show itself. This has, I’m sure to a great extent, become learned behaviour from the team leader. People really do follow the example of those in charge. If they engage with their teams, are notable because they are often seen and promote the challenges of their people in a positive upward manner, it gets spotted. And, would you believe it? Often their behaviour is replicated down the line.
The company has a board of directors and an experienced chairman. They need to be on side too. Being a leader isn’t easy. There are plenty of people on the board that need to keep believing in you. This might be true of your situation. Or perhaps your company is just starting out, and hiring others to provide oversight and experience is yet to reach your to do-list. Never mind.
Monday Revolutions come in a variety of forms, shapes and sizes. What matters is the championing of your people. The consequences of not engaging with the front line are high sickness rates, staff turnover and low morale. A tragedy, really, which could be easily put right.
The lesson here is crystal clear. If you want to get the best from your organisation, make sure you spend time with the people who the organisation depends on for success. And you can’t do this in a token way. You’re not on a state visit. You should participate in meetings, meet customers, buy the beers in the pub, say a few words at anniversaries, birthdays and even leaving drinks. Sometimes it feels awkward, but it has to be done. There is only one way to lead and that’s from the front. Knowing when to be highly visible, when it really matters, is a demonstration of true leadership. Going missing when the chips are down is a dereliction of duty.
During my time at Capital Radio we bought many other radio companies. In some instances, we were welcomed as the new owner. They saw increased opportunity in being part of a larger organisation, but that wasn’t always the case. I remember visiting our latest “purchase” to say hello and answer any questions. I stood there in front of a large group of people who made it very clear they weren’t very pleased to see me. Nobody asked any questions and eventually the local guy in charge said there had been a lot of historic ownership problems. They were proud people and had no wish to be owned by a London-based company that was very likely to destroy their local identity – as had happened in the past.
The local manager said he’d been given some anonymous questions to ask me. The first of which was why could people earn more in McDonald’s flipping burgers? You get the drift.
I wasn’t expecting this to be honest. Maybe treating them as a “purchase” in all but name had come across to them prior to my visit. Just using that one word among my colleagues had been interpreted by them and sent some early negative messages. I agreed to visit the business in the future and get involved in activities, providing they were useful, and also have some fun. It took a while to gain their trust, but over time it worked out for all of us.
Be visible, starting next Monday. A small effort here will transform your standing and your business. Don’t be the kind of manager who only appears when mistakes are made. Celebrating the success of others is part of good practice, not a sign of weakness.
The Monday Revolution (you can start on Monday)
1. Leadership is about recognising when to be visible. You can’t lead an organisation unless people know who you are and what you stand for.
2. Spend time with the front line. Get to know individuals and how they spend their day. Your direct reports may protest that this is undermining them. Make sure it isn’t, but don’t let that possibility stop you doing it.
3. Make a commitment to being a visible, in-touch leader, by building a plan into your working week. Being too busy and not making the effort to stay in touch simply isn’t good enough. But don’t steal the limelight or all the glory either!
Chapter 2
The Horse’s Mouth
Communication from you
As a species we’re told that we’re highly sociable creatures and enjoy communicating. Isolation and loneliness are very definitely to be avoided, if possible, at all costs. We have the tools to get this right: a common language and culture. Communication rules aren’t written down, but from an early age we know roughly what they are.
Like many things in life and business, it’s not that straightforward. My idea of good communication may not be yours. But wherever you are on this, liking more information or less, I’ve never heard anyone complain that their company or boss over-communicates. “They just tell us too much, constantly.”
This part of The Monday Revolution is an attempt to let you know just a couple of things really. Confirmation that some of what you do is on the right track, and the possibility that there are some ideas you don’t practise that might help if you did. To win The Monday Revolution you have to get your message across, or nothing will ever change.
I’ve worked with people whose idea of communication was simply telling. By that, I mean there was no interaction or dialogue. More like a statement you might hear a lawyer read on their behalf on the steps of a courthouse. Such occasions rarely resonate and inevitably provoke questions that remain unanswered.
In
