Towards the end of the 1987 film The Untouchables, Sean Connery’s character – fighting for life – asks Kevin Costner’s character, “What are you prepared to do?” The question references a sequence much earlier in the film. And it is a question leadership should ask of itself regularly.
Ask anyone to list the main qualities expected of a leader and you’re likely to hear something along the lines of goal setter, energiser, problem solver, strategiser, team builder, achiever, decision maker, top performer, inspirational, example setter, etc. All very important qualities and I have no issues with that (or a variation of that) list.
Well, perhaps I have one issue: most of these qualities are written from the organisation’s perspective i.e. what is the leader expected to do for / on behalf of the organisation he represents. These qualities do not describe the leader as a person. Apart from getting people to do their best (take them places they have not been before etc.), not much is said about what he is expected to do for the people he is privileged to lead. Let’s just think about that for a minute. His team makes him a leader. Without them he has just a title. Surely he owes them something?
Loyalty.
Earlier this year, I learnt of another experienced marketing professional getting cornered when different teams merged. This poor chap’s been shunted off to the Far East, and his role is now shared between four others. It’s common these days, I accept. What I do not accept is the manner in which this was done. His line boss told him that this was the corporate office’s decision. I know of few corporate offices that specify who has to get transferred. They generally specify numbers of proportional reductions leaving the details to regional management – his line boss. The boss blinked. Not only was this weak, it is also quite senseless. This chap had put in 20 years in the company, experience that the newly merged teams could draw upon. Instead, he’s been put to pasture.
Let’s change the context entirely, and look at cricket – a sport I love. In every team, anywhere in the world, there will be batsmen and bowlers who have done well partly because their captains have stood by them during a lean patch, and refused to bench them simply because of a couple of poor performances. Those captains removed the fear of tenure, allowing talent to express itself and performance to shine through. Respect!
Once in a while, a story emerges of leaders in the corporate world providing similar support.
In 1989, as a young Account Executive, I had independent charge of a medium sized account. The plan was to give me latitude to display the skills needed for promotion. The client had some issues with the agency historically and despite our best efforts, sacked the agency within three months of my taking charge. The then branch head (who is now recognised as the father of DM in India) reassured me that it was not my doing. A year later that same client rang the branch head asking for a presentation on DM. At the end of that presentation, we were offered the assignment. The branch head turned it down, citing the client’s earlier unfair behaviour and treatment of agency staff as the reason for not wanting to enter into another partnership.
Fifteen years back a major FMCG company was consolidating presence and relocating talent into one country. One marketing director called his entire group – brand managers, sales managers, business analysts, researchers, financial analysts – together, and said to them that unless each person assembled was convinced and happy with the move, he would refuse to relocate. He then worked with each of them to ensure they knew, accepted and were comfortable with the proposal. No one was left behind.
More recently, a team of ten software professionals in the Asia-Pacific region was made redundant. Their leader, who had put in more than 15 years at the firm, was kept on. With no change in title, responsibility or salary, he was tasked with training the new hires and welding them together. He refused that chance and decided to leave along with his team instead. He wasn’t shying away from the challenge; he took responsibility for what his team was made to endure.
Perhaps today’s business environment makes leaders wary of making such people focused decisions. Nothing could exemplify short-term thinking better. The team, not the title, makes the leader. So, when you next have an opportunity to take a stand in support of your team and demonstrate your loyalty to them: What are you prepared to do?
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