How to Avoid Being a Nasty, Clueless, and Idiotic Boss During the Downturn

A few months back, Guy Kawasaki asked me to write something for a blog he is developing over at AMEX's Open Forum. I just got a note from him that my piece, with the above title, just appeared.  If you read this blog regularly, and have seen my HBR article on How to Be a Good Boss in a Bad Economy or the related video over at the McKinsey Quaterly, none of the stuff in his postwill come as a surprise, but it is one of the shortest presentations of some of central beliefs and recommendations.  Here is an excerpt:

Assume you lack key facts. Research on people in power shows that – even when they have no idea what is going on – they assume that they know everything that is important because, after all, they are the boss. This is called the fallacy of centrality. This gets worse during bad times because people are afraid the boss will shoot the messenger. Assume your assumptions are wrong and check them out as many ways as you can.

Really listen. Another aspect of this problem is that, even if your people tell you what is going on, people in power have tendency to listen badly to their underlings. As renowned UCLA basketball coach John Wooden put it, “Listen to those under your supervision. Really listen. Don’t act is if you’re listening and let it go in one ear and out the other. Faking it is worse than not doing it all."

Frankly, I am not quite sure what this AMEX effort is, but if they have recruited Guy, that is a sign to me that the quality will be high and there could be some fun stuff published, assuming they don't get too paranoid about censoring things, as can sometimes happen at corporate blogs (I don't like it, but understand why it happens as life becomes hellish for management when things get controversial)

Comments

[Zahlenpeter]

"With great power comes little responsibility."
I've worked for a company which run into problems. As a result it's founder and unofficial boss started blaming the people for not following formal regulations and refused listening to other's different opinions, naming this "obstruction" and employee's own ideas "anarchy". This is especially full of irony because the man is a known expert in the field of knowledge engineering.
In this context I should mention that I've read in a Dutch career website that showing a dislike for politics might harm your application.

[wedding chair covers]

I agree Coach Wooden sets a very good example of leadership.

[Brad Hill]

Interestingly, on the article page, the thumbs-up icon does not work -- only the thumbs-down icon. Talk about bossy! Anyway, thumbs up from me on your excellent piece.

[Geoff]

I have been a long-time fan and supporter of your work. I have also been someone who reads much of the popular business press, particularly where matters of leadership come to bear. And, most fortunately, I have been one of the very lucky few who have had the pleasure to meet Coach Wooden and have idle conversations with him in a quiet and unhurried environment.

All this to say that your post brought to mind something that has been a tenet of mine for the past fifteen years: if we had more exposure to Coach Wooden's approach to life and leadership - and less exposure to the popular business press - the workplace would be far more civilized, principled, and efficient.

More of these nuggets please!