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The story so far
A few weeks ago, I was invited by the Managing Partner of a Professional Services business to sit in on their monthly senior management meeting. The purpose of my presence: to observe the dynamic of the group as they had been described by a non-executive as “more a dysfunctional group of individuals than a management team”. Damning words, especially for a business that has been hit hard by the recent economic climate.
By the first coffee break, it was already clear to see that the only agenda in the room was politics. In a shocking public display of one-upmanship, as each person spoke it was evident that no-one was really listening, merely preparing their counter argument in their heads, ready to shoot down whichever proposal was currently being discussed. To use a cliche, the sound of cogs turning and knives sharpening was deafening. Now and again during the meeting, I caught the Managing Partner’s eye. His frustration was palpable but it was like a sane voice in an asylum of men and women behaving like baying wolves. It reminded me very much of my third year at school.
A student teacher arrived to teach us for a term. She was very nice, and very new, but most relevant for us was being able to sense her eagerness to please and her desperation for serenity. As such, the urge to misbehave was too strong and we rode roughshod over her to an alarming degree. Her voice could barely be heard amongst the melee. Only when she finally walked out and slammed the door did we finally stop.
Just as I was wondering whether in the same way, the new Managing Partner has allowed his will to be liked and fit in override his need to set clear boundaries with the senior management team and begin his journey of bringing them together, he made it crystal clear that he most definitely isn’t prepared to be a crash test dummy sitting at the top of the table simply absorbing the blows.
Whilst the HR Director struggled to put across his plan for a post-redundancy morale boosting exercise to the snorts of disapproval from those around him (“who cares about morale, it’s dog eat dog out there, we just need to earn more money and if they aren’t happy let them vote with their feet”) I sat back and watched as one by one the Finance Director, Business Development Director and Operations Director all pulled apart his proposed exercise. Words like superfluous, unnecessary, inappropriate, impersonal, irrelevant were all used. His plan was mauled and torn apart until (almost with tears in his eyes) he looked to the Managing Partner for support. He in turn glanced around the room at the disgruntled faces and quietly uttered one phrase. This phrase changed everything:
“This plan and programme was taken straight from a Harvard Business Review Case Study”.
As if by magic, the room silenced immediately with all 12 attendees nodding mutely in agreement and shuffling papers.
Whilst we broke for coffee, I popped a double dose of Neurofen to kill the headache brought on by three hours of bickering. The Managing Partner asked me “what do you think so far?” but before I could get to my own thoughts, I had to ask “what just happened?”
“It’s simple” he said “I haven’t worked out how to lead this group yet, but because of their own preciousness, all I need to do to stop an argument and get them to agree, is to mention it has been approved by Harvard.” As I stared at him open-mouthed he continued “Thanks to the previous incumbent sending most of them on a two week professional learning course at Harvard a couple of years ago, they all now follow the Word of Harvard as opposed to the Word of God. Funnier still, they like to start sentences beginning ‘when I was at Harvard’ although the FD was recently left red faced when a client asked what year he graduated as he was a fellow alumni.” As the coffee arrived, he looked me straight between the eyes and with a smile asked me whether I was “game enough” to try and help him bond the group if he provided me with a case of Neurofen.
I think he may yet be my favourite client.
More about the author
A creative genius in her own right, she is responsible for ensuring the creation of real value for clients through ingenuity and integration.
Recipient of first ever nomination for Internal Stakeholder category Award at Benchmark (Best in Brand Communications) 2009 for "BrandEd". An interactive portal aimed at educating intelligent organisations on the concept of brand experience and importance of personal brand.
Winner of awards from: D&AD, Design Week, Benchmark (Branding Communications), PAMADA, The Lawyer (Graduate), DBA and other organisations. A judge for Design Business Association awards and regular contributor to Design Week magazine's Business Insight column.
On a personal note; a caffeine addict, she tap dances when nervous, sings when happy, provides cake at just the right moment and can never resist rescuing an unwanted cat.
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Elizabeth A Lockwood
A Brand and Marketing specialist with over 15 years experience working with Corporates, Agencies and Charities to deliver exceptional brand experiences & award-winning marketing campaigns.