Column by Richard Randall
Nothing defines your culture, or you as a leader, more than the way you treat people. When you are the leader of an organization, the people you lead watch everything you do. They are tough critics, and they can smell hypocrisy a mile away. They take their cues from your behavior, not from your words. When you tell your people what your values are, you set the bar they will use to evaluate your actions.
It’s great to work in a culture with strong values like integrity, stewardship, kindness and respect. I’ve had the good fortune to work in cultures like that. When you are the leader who walks the talk in a culture like that you get high marks from your people. You get your reward when they respond to your leadership by giving their best at work. They have your back.
Yet over the years I’ve seen cracks in this ideal –many situations where good people have not been treated well in seemingly good cultures. I’m beginning to believe it has something to do with how leaders compartmentalize people and how that shapes their treatment of them.
I once witnessed a corporate restructuring in a company that had built up a lot of goodwill by treating people the right way. But when the restructuring happened, everyone who was being let go seemed to be treated as no longer part of “us.” They became “other.”
I was told to deliver the news to a friend of 20 years because our boss wanted to leave early for headquarters. When I objected, he said he’d do it over the phone. That felt inhumane, so I gritted my teeth and did it myself. I can never forget that discussion.
Word spread pretty fast about that and about a number of other people who were unceremoniously shown the door after long and successful careers. The company preached the same values it had always had, but the treatment of those people resonated and that culture was never the same. The respect for leadership was lost.
A friend recently related an event from her career. She had given two weeks’ notice to her employer. During those two weeks, the person who had been her closest supervisor never made eye contact with her or thanked her for her time with the company. I think the minute she gave her notice she became “other.” Imagine what her coworkers thought when they witnessed that behavior.
I started this column by saying nothing defines your culture, or you as a leader, more than the way you treat people. Whether it’s a layoff, a restructuring, a termination due to performance or a voluntary resignation, there’s never an excuse for not treating people the right way. Your people are watching your behavior and discussing your behavior. As a leader, your actions in difficult moments define your legacy. Let your people see, and feel, your integrity.
Richard Randall is founder and president of management consulting firm New Level Advisors in Springettsbury Township, York County. Email him at [email protected].
Executives Insights is a recurring feature from biznewsPA that provides local business executives and leaders a platform for sharing advice and perspective with the business community of Central Pennsylvania. If you are interested in contributing an executive insight, email [email protected].
