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Business Rule #33:
Know Your Market
October 7, 2005
(PAGE 2 of 2)
In Randal’s case, he was genuinely inspired by his grandmother’s life. Although he was still in mourning, he was able to come back to lead his team and swing for the fences.
But Rebecca suffered in other ways. Being unable to walk is a challenge all by itself. You may be able to hobble along on crutches, but how about carrying a briefcase or a glass of water? One of the major problems associated with many medical conditions is managing pain. There is a constant tension between working in spite of physical agony and taking medications that make it hard to stay conscious. If the warning label, “Do not operation heavy machinery” appears on the medications you’re taking, it might not be the most ideal time to volunteer to lead.
There is a time to lead and a time to follow. One can fully participate in a project without being the project manager. In fact, teams can’t function with too many leaders. So by taking a supporting role in the operation, you’re not admitting to anything, except good judgment.
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Did Rebecca’s pain from her broken leg and difficulty in walking impair her ability to function? Well, it certainly didn’t help. The members of her team were offended by her dictatorial edicts at meetings. Rebecca’s usual style of communication may be this bossy…or issuing orders may be the way she coped with the throbbing in her ankle. There are certain times when it’s best to bench yourself, and breaking your leg may well be one of them.
In the boardroom, Toral Mehta became a prime candidate for dismissal because the big-screen TV she was demonstrating at the expo kept freezing up. In this kind of situation, it doesn’t matter if it was actually her fault—the point is it looked like she didn’t know how to operate the remote. The mere appearance of sub-standard performance is often reason enough to be called to task.
Yet Rebecca, Toral’s good friend and project manager, refused to blame her. Instead, she brought in Jennifer Wallen, for screwing up the food and decorations, and Jennifer Murphy, who was blameless. Despite his unhappiness with Rebecca’s decision, Donald Trump gave her a pass, in part because he respected her loyalty to Toral—but also because she was playing injured.
Is that fair? Who said business is fair? Sorry Jennifer W., your lack of understanding your audience gets you fired.
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The mere appearance of sub-standard performance is often reason enough to be called to task.
