LEADERSHIP: LOVE IN A COLD CLIMATE

Published: 2009-05-11   please add a comment below

Nancy Mitford's novel ("Love in a Cold Climate" - dealing with British high society after the Second World War) is not serious reading.  But its title is apt for one of today's most serious leadership issues: making staff feel valued and cared for.  So, what have you been doing?  If asked, would your people report feeling important to the future of your business?  Would they say you care about their well-being and challenges - at work and in their personal lives?

Today, many business owners might say (with justification): hell, I've got my own problems.  Customers are pestering me for discounts.  The bank wants our credit lines reduced.  We just lost a key supplier.  One of our JVs is falling apart.  And, my brother's filed for bankruptcy.

Welcome to today's world of leadership - leadership in a cold climate.  So, what are some of the things I've observed successful leaders doing to keep staff morale up:

• Be caring of those you let go.  One corporate CEO told me he'd been surprised by compliments from remaining staff over the care he'd shown in handling severances - ensuring appropriate financial and personal support for those leaving.
• Be generous where you can.  A woman with her own business decided she had to close a loss-making division and sell its production and office equipment.  She handled the redundancies well.  But, also offered staff the items being sold at written-down value - giving them rather than herself the upside potential.
• Display aligned personal behaviour.  As a contrary example, a friend whose business was in severe financial trouble, cut back staff and reduced costs severely.  But, he continued driving an expensive car incompatible with straightened times.
• Make small gestures.  Another businessman decided to travel economy rather than business class even on long-haul flights.  And, donated half the savings to charity.

Whether you're caring and generous (or insensitive as in one example above) you won't alter the central impact of being laid off - or the greatly increased workload for remaining staff as they pick up the slack.  However, it may lessen emotional hurt all around - and reassure people you're a leader worth following and in charge of a business worth caring about.

Being an effective leader is demanding at any time.  But, in tough times, it's a test for even the strongest.  I understand why some feel everyone gets sympathy but them.  But, there's an old saying that if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.  In terms of the metaphor I'm using, it's more likely to be: if you can't stand the cold, get yourself a blanket.

The foundation of effective leadership, as with any undertaking, is a clear plan that addresses your current priority issues.  If you're a leader today, how your staff feel (about you and their workplace) is more than ever critical to their productivity and commitment.  What are you doing about it?

Dr. Timothy Pascoe AM
PhD (Cambridge), MBA (Harvard), BE & BEc (Adelaide)
Creator, V|E|C|T|O|R Leadership^®