The 'Vision Thing' Behaviors Three Key Leaders ... - John Renesch

ETHICS CRITICISM burst was more about her own frustra- LEADERSHIP FAILURE
tion than about helping John get back
Ethical Criticism
on track. It’s understandable to be frustrated
when people aren’t doing their What You Can Learn
Great leaders bring out the best.
best work, but ethically intelligent criticism
is given with an eye toward
improving the other person, for that
from government leadership failure.
by Bruce Weinstein
person’s sake and for the sake of others.
by Becky Shambaugh
IT WAS THE WEEKLY TEAM
meeting, no different
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Here are four ways to give ethically
intelligent criticism:
RECENT EVENTS IN WASHington
have illumi-
from others. My friend 1. Find the right setting. Cheryl was
nated the stunning failure
John, his boss Cheryl, and his assistant right to criticize John, but she shouldn’t of our leadership. I’ve never before seen
Minsun, were planning their work for have done so in front of John’s assistant. from various factions of government
the week. John made a casual remark 2. Start with something positive or such a lack of collaboration and willing-
about the prestigious grant he’d been praiseworthy that the person has done ness to work together for the greater good of
awarded, when Cheryl exploded. recently. Cheryl might say that she was the country. Yet I choose to look for the
“All I’ve heard about for weeks is glad John had gotten the grant he had silver lining—something we can learn.
your grant!” she blurted. John had worked so long and hard to earn. Most firms have processes in place
never seen his boss show anger, and Starting with praise is good from both to encourage people to work together,
the two had worked together for years. an ethical and a psychological point of yet they still struggle with collaboration
Cheryl stopped yelling, and John view. Ethically, it gives to others their between leadership levels, departments,
became quiet. Her anger had simmer- due. Psychologically, it makes them genders, generations, and cultures. A
ed for weeks, and it erupted violently. receptive to what you’re about to say. culture of collaboration starts at the top.
John confessed to me that he had talk- 3. Focus on the behavior, not the per- How well leaders work together sets
ed much about the project for which son. If you’re troubled by a team mem- the tone for how others work together.
he’d been given funds. It was valuber’s work ethic—coming to work late, If the vice presidents of sales and cusable
to his career, and he had worked leaving early, spending too much time tomer service won’t collaborate for the
hard to get it. He also admitted that surfing the Internet—calling him or her good of the customer, don’t expect
although the organization had given lazy or selfish diminishes that person. It’s their teams to work together either.
him some time each week to
also probably untrue; he/she One big factor in collaboration is that
work on the project, he was
has likely done good work in too many leaders are trapped in 20th-
spending too much time on it.
the past, and outside of work, century leadership models that simply
Cheryl was right; John had
may be full of energy. Instead don’t work today. Our world is becom-
his priorities in the wrong
of saying, “You’re a goof-off,” ing more complex and interconnected.
order; nevertheless, Cheryl
you could say, “You’ve been We can’t use the thinking and decision-
could have presented her crit-
coming to work late often, making processes to navigate the global
icism more respectfully. John
and when you’re here, you’re terrain that we used just 10 years ago.
was embarrassed to be
not spending enough time on It will take a fully engaged, collabora-
dressed down in front of his
the projects you have to do.” tive and cross-functional group work-
assistant. Surely, Minsun did not have The first is an insult; the second a valid ing toward a common cause to deal
to be in on the bloodletting.
complaint about a behavior.
with tough, complex problems. If lead-
Cheryl did prompt John to rethink 4. End on an inspiring note. If this is ers don’t put away their political agen-
his priorities, but her style of criticism a first offense and it’s not egregious, das and egos, it will catch up with them.
wasn’t consistent with ethical intelligence don’t give an ultimatum or threat. I once worked with a Fortune 150
—the art of doing the right thing and Instead of saying, “You’d better get your organization that had exceptional
treating people the right way. It wasn’t act together, or else,” give your vote of growth for 20 years. But things started
compatible with leadership excellence. confidence. People rise—or sink—to to go awry, and they lost key contracts
What should be the goal of criticism? levels expected of them. EILs seek not and market share. The leaders called us
You might achieve several goals: Help to frighten but to inspire.
to assess the situation. We discovered
people get back on track; make them If you find yourself in Cheryl’s posi- that their leadership was the problem. First,
feel bad for what they did or didn’t do; tion, speak privately to the trouble- they lacked clarity about objectives.
remind them of your power/authorisome employee, praise that person’s Second, departments were not working
ty; inspire/motivate them to do better contributions, mention specific con- together—the silo mentality and blame
work; display how clever, smart, or cerns, and affirm your belief in him or game were rampant. The lack of collab-
perturbed you are; or blow off steam. her. The employee will likely make oration between functions created a
Flaunting your power doesn’t improve changes for the better, and you will ripple effect that reached to customers.
the situation. Being nasty or instilling have achieved the ultimate goal of With a targeted leadership development
fear is disrespectful and hurtful. excellent leadership.
approach, we worked with the leaders
Ethically intelligent criticism seeks People will pleasantly surprise you to get the organization back on track.
to bring out the best in others. When if you only give them the chance. LE You can move beyond organizational
you have power over someone else,
you ought to use that power imbalance
constructively and seek to make
Bruce Weinstein, Ph.D., is a speaker and author of Ethical
Intelligence (New World Library), and host of “Ask the Ethics
Guy!” Visit http://theethicsguy.com.
politics, find common ground, and work
toward common goals using five ideas:
• Take time to build relationships and
things better, not worse. Cheryl’s out- ACTION: Be an ethically intelligent critic. build the team. We saw this strategy
14 November 2011 www.LeaderExcel.com