I recently watched the movie “The Company Men,” written and directed by John Wells. The movie follows the life of three corporate executives trying to survive after they are downsized as a result of the economic downturn. During one scene Gene McCleary, a founder of the company who is later downsized himself, makes a probing question worthy of personal and professional introspection as he participates in the decision of who stays and who goes during a second round of staff reductions.
The Company Men
There are two characteristics I found particularly relevant about Gene’s character that are takeaways for all who aspire to become advanced leaders, including those in the HR profession:
Advanced leaders are those who fully embrace and thrive in the tension between the two extremes in any decision. Yet they hold themselves and their organizations to the highest standards of ethical behaviors in all decisions. As C. Michael Thompson explains in his book The Congruent Life, “The capacity to dwell in that middle place can also lead us to a kind of equanimity – balance- in our personal and professional lives.” “It’s no longer just short-term versus long-term, thinking versus feeling, or shareholder value versus employee security – it’s how to creatively maximize both by balancing their equally valid interest.” Advanced leaders have a heart. They care about their people, make a personal connection into their lives and in return, are authentic in their own lives. These leaders garner the trust, confidence, and affection from team members, which is critical to creating a team admired and desired outside observers. According to Patrick Lencioni in his book Three Signs of a Miserable Job, “All human beings need to be understood and appreciated for their unique qualities by someone in a position of authority.” “To manage another human being effectively requires some degree of empathy and curiosity about why that person gets out of bed in the morning, what is on their mind, and how you can contribute to them becoming a better person.”A special note to my fellow HR professionals. It is easy for us (yes, including me) to get narrow-sighted in the legal side of our duties. But we, too, become more effective professionally when we learn to live in the tension between being legal compliant and “trying for a higher standard than that.” If you feel that you may be in need of a refresher on your own leadership skills, check out Skywalk Group’s Leadership & Development Public Workshop schedule.
If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy reading the following Skywalk Group blogs:
Three Signs of a Miserable Job Leaders are Developed, Not Born. Top 5 Reasons to Implement Leadership & Development Training in 2011Share and Enjoy:
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