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Ram Charan What Every Company Should Know

Ram Charan, What Every Company Should Know

Don't Let Emotions Affect Your Leadership

by Ram Charan

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Excellent (196 Ratings)
4.530616/5
Posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2007, 12:00AM

The product launch was just six weeks away, and the team's spirits were high -- until Dave, the business unit manager, turned his attention to Jill, the head of sales. She was in charge of training the sales force to sell the new product.

Wishful Thinking

Two months before, Dave had asked Jill to map out the percentage of the sales force that was getting trained week by week, by region. He hadn't yet seen any of the numbers.

"We're kicking off our sales training this week," Jill explained. "I think we'll be able to get all the reps through by launch date."

Dave stiffened and furrowed his brow. He thought to himself, "You mean no one's trained yet?! What have you been doing for the past two months? Where are the percentages I asked you for?"

A Missed Opportunity

That's what he thought. What he said, very calmly, was, "OK. Let's get them trained as soon as possible."

The engineering chief couldn't contain himself. He burst out, "We killed ourselves to get ahead of the competition with this product. Now it sounds like our reps won't be trained in time and we'll miss our window."

Jill offered some mild reassurances, and the meeting adjourned with just an ounce of the boundless energy it had started out with.

A Very Human Failing

There are plenty of warning signs that deadlines and targets might be missed. Leaders too often ignore them for a very simple and very human reason: they need to be liked.

They know what they should do or say, they just have trouble doing it or saying it. They avoid the awkward conversations and skirt the sensitive issues for fear of offending someone.

Do you have a deeply etched need to be liked? If you do, you have a serious threat to your leadership. Unless you can overcome the emotional responses -- the sweaty palms and nervous stomach when you're about to challenge someone -- you can't be an effective leader.

For one thing, your team will eventually crumble, because the non-performers will cause resentment and distrust. What if Dave's product launch ultimately fumbles? His team will resent Jill -- but also Dave for not holding her accountable. And the others might start to wonder, "What is he not telling me?"

Your whole social system will also slowly corrode. Leaders establish the ground rules largely through their own behavior. If you can't be candid, others will think they can't either. Problems get buried when "niceness" is more important than realism and honesty.

Stealth Tactics Don't Work

Some leaders pass the buck when they have to give someone negative feedback. They ask a subordinate to put the pressure on or deliver the bad news.

Others procrastinate. They let frustrations simmer until the non-performance becomes chronic. Then tempers boil over and the leader does something rash, like fire the person. Those paths of least resistance create more problems in the end.

It's far better to confront any slips in performance on the spot, and it's the leader's job to do it. People generally appreciate honest feedback. The sooner they get it, the easier it is for them to make corrections and get back on track.

If they continually don't improve, well, at least there are no surprises.

Taking the Right Steps

To lead others, you have to overcome your visceral reactions to situations that have some degree of conflict or negativity. It is possible. These approaches can help:

• Be conscious of your gut

When a CEO repeatedly wasn't getting reports on the results from a new ad campaign, he stopped asking the vice president of marketing and made the request to a person one rung down.

He didn't think of it as letting the VP off the hook. It just seemed easier to go around him. Easier, because the CEO would unconsciously avoid the complaints and hassles the volatile VP could create.

If you're taking an action because it's more expedient, that's one thing. But if you're doing it because of an unconscious desire to avoid unpleasantness, watch out. Your inability to hold people accountable will bite you. Be sure you know the difference.

• Rehearse

Preparation can relieve the stress of difficult conversations. Even CEOs rehearse when they have to have a serious talk with one of their direct reports. By practicing, you can set the right tone and find words that are strong but perhaps more palatable.

Don't sugarcoat your comments, but you could start by saying something positive: "You've been doing really well with X and Y, but I owe it to you to tell you my concerns about Z."

Rehearsing also gives you time to think things through and prepare for possible reactions. You'll be less likely to back off from what you really think when you're in the heat of the situation.

• Don't wait

Most big problems start out small. That's the time to address them, not at an annual performance review.

If you can't give yourself a pep talk to face up to a person who's not performing well, find a coach to give you the psychological boost you need. Allow yourself to feel uncomfortable, but have the conversation anyway. After a while, you'll no doubt be more spontaneous.

Remember, people will really like you better and respect you more if your feedback is honest and ongoing -- and comes directly from you.

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36 Comments

Showing comments 6-35 of 36<< PreviousNext >>
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  • Jim - Friday, November 14, 2008, 10:23PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 5/5

    Excellent information and right on target. JP

  • CTmortgageman - Monday, November 10, 2008, 6:49AM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 4/5

    Thank you. This was very helpful.

  • PeterTork - Tuesday, October 21, 2008, 2:28PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 4/5

    Classic University of Michigan thinking! Go Blue!

  • Yahoo! Finance User - Wednesday, June 11, 2008, 9:07AM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 4/5

    Very practical approach.

  • Doreen - Monday, May 5, 2008, 4:21PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 5/5

    Easily the best columnist on Yahoo Finance.

  • Yahoo! Finance User - Tuesday, November 20, 2007, 6:34PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 5/5

    Excellent advice as usual!

  • Yahoo! Finance User - Thursday, November 15, 2007, 11:27PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 3/5

    Your insight and advice has both merit and wishfull thinking as well. Honesty is appreciated by people who value it and practice it noticably within an organization. For those individuals who consider career protection first, honesty takes a back seat to "teflon shielding" tactics. These individuals are the spin doctors who have spun their way to top positions by slashing & burning unfortunate "honest" type people. So - my advice to those "honest" types who feel the urge to be "honest" but have not yet aquired the appropriate level of "street smarts" - be careful that you are not being baited by someone elses fallout from their teflon shield.

  • Yahoo! Finance User - Tuesday, November 6, 2007, 4:30PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 5/5

    Amazing! Thats nice to learn and know about the feedback.

  • Yahoo! Finance User - Saturday, September 22, 2007, 12:38AM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 5/5

    My manager exemplifies this behavior ; she is forthright , honest and can tell it like it is. I respect her.

  • Trice - Thursday, August 23, 2007, 1:21PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 5/5

    It's a perfect mark on a very important leadership topic!

  • Mukul - Wednesday, July 25, 2007, 1:17AM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 5/5

    Sir, As always you have hit the nail right on its head.

  • JJ - Wednesday, June 20, 2007, 8:36AM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 5/5

    Very true. Good leaders need to be proactive rather than passive, should see the warning signs early enough and take charge of the situation. That's the message here.

  • JOHNNY L - Saturday, June 16, 2007, 12:55PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 5/5

    While reading the article I reflected on situations with neighborhood leadership. Community leaders will fall victim to the "I want to be liked" theme. I like to think of it in terms of private and personal relationships. Community and work place are public relationships. Organizational goals and priorties over ride personal feelings. ( Personal relationships allow for more give and take.) I think that as a society we have not taught individuals the relational differences. So we blurr the home with community and work place emotions and vice versa. I will use this in the community to stimulate conversatins.

  • Yahoo! Finance User - Thursday, June 7, 2007, 4:04PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 5/5

    Great article with specific advice to practice the recommendations.

  • Yahoo! Finance User - Tuesday, May 29, 2007, 2:48PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 5/5

    More like this please!

  • __A_YAHOO_USER__ - Monday, May 28, 2007, 1:45PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 4/5

    Has this guy been watching me in the office. Wow!!! I have to change.

  • Ken - Sunday, May 27, 2007, 2:24PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 5/5

    Guilty, as described.

  • Yahoo! Finance User - Thursday, May 24, 2007, 11:53PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 5/5

    Good article.

  • Pat - Thursday, May 24, 2007, 1:25PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 5/5

    Outstanding advice. As a manager at a Fortune 500 company, I've often struggled with an internal voice that tells me to relate to my subordinates as if they were my neighbors or peers. The brutal truth is that as a manager, my function is to oversee productivity, and that means ensuring that my boss' expectations are met, and surpassed if possible. Let's remember that we live in a competitive world, and that to behave otherwise can be dangerous. So I try not to look at my workers as people I might pass on the street, but rather as promising creatures with fantastic potential that need to be guided, punished, and rewarded so that they do their job well, like dogs pulling a sled or mules carrying furniture. I have a "just get it done" philosophy which nicely eclipses any feelings of sympathy or guilt that might arise as a result of treating my workers harshly; it's a great device that muffles concerns of individual morality, as well as serving nicely to 1) complete my assigned task for my masters, and 2) earn a greater reward (money! ;). Lastly, let's remember what Jesus said: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Truthfully, I've actually learned to take pride in being treated like a pack animal, so I honestly don't see why those below me can't do the same. The Ram is totally right on this one.

  • sangram - Thursday, May 24, 2007, 1:24PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 4/5

    The article points to the human emotion of wanting to be liked. While an extreme case of that can derail a product launch, it is quite important to note that planning and constant communication between business unit silos will create a more transparent view of the entire product development. If Dave was communicating with Jill on a dialy or weekly basis than wait 2 months to ask where he stands, the disconnect could have been avoided. Also, if there were milestones attached to Jill's training schedule Dave would have known earlier if something was amiss. "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail" comes to mind.

  • Marcia - Thursday, May 24, 2007, 12:28PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 5/5

    Totally agree. I know too many managers that are just too "nice". Their people are screwing up and they never confront them about it. They say they are treating their team with respect; don't want to micro-manage; or "They're professionals! I'm not interfering and I'm letting them do their jobs." It's another way of saying "I'm too lazy to do MY job."

  • Yahoo! Finance User - Thursday, May 24, 2007, 12:21PM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 3/5

    Management and leadership is not the same. It is doubtful if a leader craves to be liked. This article in a way contradicts Jim Citrin's May 8th article "Ten Leadership Taboos Exposed".

  • Yahoo! Finance User - Thursday, May 24, 2007, 10:42AM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 5/5

    Great advice! No one appreciates a lukewarm leader. In a team environment, the alpha dog has to follow the prime directive: lead or be eaten by the pack. We've all disliked our favorite teacher, leader, manager, boss--even our parents--at one time or another, but we respected the fact that we knew where we stood and that we were accountable and responsible for our actions. Management today is to blame as a result of social awareness indoctrination (no one must have their feelings hurt). Since perception is reality, the team reacts by taking the socialization as it is: weakness. Ultimately the weakness is displayed as disregard for the manager's non-authority. Let's face it, if you're a manager, as Norm (Cheers!) said: "It's a dog eat dog world, and I'm wearing Milk Bone shorts"! Clear, concise, non-confronational, planned communication is always the best plan of action. Thanks for a great coffee break conversation today!

  • kajlig - Thursday, May 24, 2007, 10:28AM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 4/5

    Ram is a great writer and adviser.I felt, he should give some more feeling towards subordinate pint of view too.

  • James - Thursday, May 24, 2007, 10:19AM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 3/5

    This is a yes and no situation. The Social Science literature tells us that likeability is a key factor in successful leadership (Posner&Kouzes). I think it would be valuable to share both sides of the issue. Bosses that are inherently unlikable are destined for failure - the emotional intelligence literature tells us that, along with researchers informing us that the boss is the most influential person in one's workday experience. There is no doubt that simply wanting people to like you is a strategic error, but my fear is this will give tyrants the ammunition they need to return to the good old days where "the beatings will continue until morale improves." There are two sides to this issue.

  • J - Thursday, May 24, 2007, 9:20AM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 5/5

    Excellent leadership advice. This school of thought can be utilized effectively at all levels of leadership in many different circumstances. As a Naval Officer and graduate of the Naval Academy, the first thing you learn as a future leader within the military is the lasting proverb, "Leadership is not a popularity contest." Don't look at delivering criticism as being a jerk, look at it as delivering tough love. Just as Ram says, it will EVENTUALLY (this is not a "quick fix") earn you the loyalty and respect of your subordinates and increase your productivity as a leader.

  • Yahoo! Finance User - Thursday, May 24, 2007, 8:33AM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 5/5

    As a manager, I too had an experience trying to be too nice to employees. I was afraid to express what I really felt, but eventually, the bottled up feelings came out. This created tension and distrust in the group towards me, because I was not clear with my employees. I have learned that, as a leader, your success is measured not just by your intelligence, but by your effectiveness to clearly express your expectations of others, and provide real time feedback regarding performance. This leaves less opportunity for misinterpretation, and each time re-emphasizes that you are a leader that really has a clear vision for his or her organization. I would rather be respected than liked, sometimes you cant have both ... Great article, Cheers!

  • RJF - Thursday, May 24, 2007, 3:08AM ET  Report Abuse

    • Overall: 5/5

    I liked the article because in order for management to be effective they have to feel the pulse of their employees. This always generates a more effective, productive and happy workforce. My husband works for a company like that and he says that he will most likely retire there even though he probably could get a little more money somewhere else. Anyway, we get most of our employment/financial advice from my411financial.com As a matter of fact that is where he found the job posting. Good article. Keep them coming!

Showing comments 6-35 of 36<< PreviousNext >>
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