Do they never learn?

Leaders and leadership teams often grapple with how to change the culture and behaviours within a business.

If after a few attempts things aren’t working they will regularly revert to the services of outside consultants and communications specialists to develop and run an engagement programme in the hope that this will finally get the message across.

However what they all too often fail to note is just how closely, their actions, words and relationships are being observed by those who work for them. One misstep, however small can undermine all of the investment that has been made in the “Engagement Activities”.

Once again this week in the UK the subject of expenses for Members of Parliament has reared up its distinctly ugly head, and once again the “but I am only following the rules” defence has been rolled out.

I am not picking on any particular MP since I suspect that apart from those who currently stand in the cross hairs of the media’s telescopic sights, there are many others standing back and being quiet, hoping that the spotlight doesn’t swing on them.

So why does this defence fail to convince?  It seems that there are two main reasons:

Ø  It may be technically correct but is it morally correct?  To follow a set of “rules” when you know that they are out of touch with the morale standards of those that you serve suggests a sense of arrogance and superiority.  Leaders who retain long-term respect are those who demonstrate humility and respect for the moral compass of those that they serve.

 

Ø  The rules are very different from those that these very same people set for the rest of us.  If I fail to submit receipts with my expenses the taxman will tax me, to suggest that I am too busy to trifle with such trivia will earn me no friends. If I claim for expenses that are out of proportion to my salary, once again I get taxed. To live by different rules to those that you apply to others is simply hypocrisy and cynical and suggests that the leaders do not care about the people that they serve.

 

But it isn’t only politicians, what about the leader that expects people to respond punctually and is late herself, or the leaders who freezes pay and makes people redundant but pays himself more?  What about the board that tells their employees that teamwork is important but work in factions themselves, or the executive who talks about the value of people but does nothing to develop others.

Don’t get me wrong; I think that engagement is critical since it dramatically impacts the performance of the business.  I think that engagement programmes are valuable because they can help to accelerate the rate of change.

If the executive/leadership team is acting congruently with what they say and want, change and engagement will happen.  It may be slow but it will happen and an engagement programme will accelerate that change.

IF however they are not acting congruently, it does not matter how much is spent the change will not happen or at least it will not be sustainable.

The good news of course is that most executives are not voted in by “their pubic”, they only have to convince the shareholders; but they can be brutal when things do not go as promised.

No special book this month but Google TED Talks - fantastic stuff - look for Sir Ken Robinson "Schools Kill Creativity" - magnificent