By Kevin Meyer
Last week I discussed the value of listening to naysayers... and how that can make the difference between creating an Apple iPod and a Motorola Iridium phone.
Jim Collins likes to talk about "getting on the same bus" and some leadership gurus have then taken that concept one step further to say that everyone needs to be in the right seat on the same bus. Really? Perhaps that means that a bus-load of very smart people, all aligned with blinders on, will be driven right off a cliff. Even in the lean world we often say that people who don't buy in to the magic of lean need to be removed quickly before they irreversibly contaminate the rest of the organization.
Perhaps their concerns should be confronted, discussed, and analyzed. Perhaps a lean tool is being implemented simply because it's a cool new tool and doesn't have a defined need or problem to be solved. Perhaps the operating environment has changed.
Embrace the naysayers, the people that ask the tough questions and present alternative views.
Several readers publicly and privately brought up an important point: there's a difference, albeit sometimes a fine line, between being a naysayer and simply being negative. A naysayer may play devil's advocate, but is honestly trying to spur discussion and the consideration of alternate perspectives. A negative person, who simply can't see a positive outcome in anything, is a contagious force and needs to be dealt with... as long as you're sure he's truly negative.
Not recognizing the difference can lead to some interesting management (not leadership) philosophies... such as the one described in a recent article in that bastion of leadership thought, The New York Times.
I fired the unhappy people. People usually laugh at this point. I wish I were kidding.
I’m not. I have learned the long, hard and frustrating way that as a manager you cannot make everyone happy. You can try, you can listen, you can solve some problems, you can try some more. Good management requires training, counseling and patience, but there comes a point when you are robbing the business of precious time and energy.
Which is true, to a point. Some people are truly just plain negative and if action isn't taken they will create a negative organization, which will fail.
In the worst cases, the problem of a bad fit can have a bigger impact than just one employee’s performance. Being in charge does not necessarily mean you are in control, and being in control does not necessarily mean being in charge. Have you ever seen a company or department paralyzed by someone who is unhappy and wants to take hostages? It is remarkable how much damage one person can do. If you haven’t seen it, I suggest you watch “The Caine Mutiny.” Basically, one guy takes apart the ship. He was unhappy. It only takes one.
Ok, enough. Well before you get to that point there needs to be a lot of thought. Lots of questions like "why?" And a lot of introspection in terms of leadership style. One comment put that concept succinctly:
As someone who left a position in economically disastrous times because I was unwilling to work under the leadership of an irresponsible, degrading and manipulative boss, I fear that this could be used to justify the decisions of bad managers who choose to get rid of people with legitimate complaints instead of addressing those complaints. In these times, employees are willing to stay quiet in terrible circumstances because they cannot or know they may not be able to find another job.
I'm sure this is a good approach when used by good people. Unfortunately, I expect it will prove most useful as justification for managers who prefer to blame an employee than take responsibility for an employee's legitimate concerns.
Bingo. So perhaps instead of the simplistic "everyone on the same bus" philosophy, the Collins mantra should change to be something like "take the time to find the right bus by listening to those who are hesitant about getting on the bus but once you listen and think and analyze, then don't be afraid to drive off with some left behind... or to kick some off."
Sure beats "just fire them because they're unhappy."