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Business Rule #6:
Pay Attention to the Details
October 15, 2004
(PAGE 2 of 3)
In John’s case, we have an example of a bad project manager/executive who goes about maintaining his position of authority by undercutting his subordinates and putting them in their place. John demonstrated this penchant of his in the boardroom when he said he had Andy doing work that was “non-intellectual” and “labor-intensive,” because he was “incapable of doing anything [else].” That’s not a good way to view your team, and I’m glad that Kevin backed him when John later tried to defend his selection of Andy by saying, “There is an unwritten consensus on the team that he is unable to step up when it counts.”
John was the Project Manager and that’s great, but let me tell you something, I’m the President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board at my company that has had a lot on the table lately, including my own clothing line. So I’m in a position to speak when it comes to the business of fashion. When I talk to designers and their staff, I’m the one who’s the rookie in the room. Sure, the clothing line is going to have my name on it and I can honestly tell the public that I am the designer of my fantastic new clothing line. The media, fashion world, and even my staff will expect great things from me, but do I really own the job? Have I proven myself? Not yet. I am, in a manner of speaking, on probation.
You might have the title; you might have the salary; you might have the car, the perks, and the huge corner office… but you don’t own the job until you have proven yourself. You have to earn it.
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Leaders are a lot like Baskin Robbin’s ice cream: there are at least thirty one different flavors. For the sake of brevity, I’ll list the three most basic types of leaders. See if you can tell which type of leader you are.
1. The charismatic leader exerts control through force of personality. Extreme examples would be sociopolitical leaders like Mahatma Gandhi or religious gurus like Jim Jones, although fervent demagogues like Fidel Castro and Adolf Hitler also fit the bill. So do John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. In all cases, the leader is a bigger-than-life personality, a combination of thinker and actor, who stirs up the emotions of followers to succeed.
2. The practical leader makes a rational appeal to straightforward self interest. The thinking goes something like, “Stick with me and work hard and we’ll make lots of money in the future.” Or how about this one, “If you support me, I’ll support you.” Yeah, you’ve heard that one on The Apprentice before.
3. The authoritative leader relies on title and position to induce subordinates to follow. Such a leader might say, “I’m the king, so you’d better do what I say.” Or better yet, “You owe me respect because I’m the leader. So there.”
John only employed the first of these leadership styles to motivate his team. That’s a mistake. Through sheer force of personality, through powerful projection of an aura of glamour and success, I inspire my people. I inspire them to exert themselves beyond the call of duty. I’m a classic example of a charismatic leader. But there is also, of course, a practical side to my appeal. Many people follow my lead because they intellectually understand that I can inspire a winning organization to do even better, reflecting well upon them, and that I will continue to increase their job security and, over time, increase their compensation.
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You might have the title; you might have the salary; you might have the car, the perks, and the huge corner office… but you don’t own the job until you have proven yourself.
