In this episode, I talk about those bad leaders that expect respect because they have a degree and others don’t. Yes, in 2015 there are still individuals that think having a degree means automatic respect. I also talk about what you can do to avoid becoming one of these bad leaders.
duration: 12 minutes 36 seconds
release date: 18 November 2015
What happens when your employees, your customers, your clients, your stakeholders have no confidence in your leadership or in your ability to lead?
What happens when leaders fail to lead? Now, it is quickly becoming the norm to remove those that are failing not only themselves but also the people they are directly responsible for. Those key stakeholders that are critical to the existence of the position of leadership they have been charged with filling, maintaining, and grow.
On Monday, November 9, 2015, the University of Missouri president vacated his position of authority and leadership after failing to properly address, handle, and get out in front of the controversy over “race relations at the school’s main campus”.
The ability to address the good, bad, and ugly is what every leader must do as a leader. While everyone, loves addressing the good, it is the bad and ugly that must be addressed. It is what leaders wanted to do and what they are expected to do. There is no shirking the responsibility of deal with ALL issues whether they go against what they believe or not. By dealing with a bad issue is no way means a leader has failed. It is when that leader fails to address the bad issues that he has failed as a leader.
In most cases, such as the case of the University of Missouri President, his followers and primary stakeholders (the Students) have lost confidence in his leadership and in his ability to do the right thing. The right thing in this case, was getting out in front of the matter at hand.
Now while it may be too late for the U of Missouri President, but it might not be too late for you. If you are not getting out in front of problems, you are most certainly heading in the direction of the dinosaurs, University Presidents that believe the only way to deal with real issues is to deal with them by sticking your head in the ground, and hoping it all goes away.
However, if that is the only way you know how to do business then please don’t even consider yourself a leader. Heck, don’t even call yourself a manager. Call for someone to come pick you up because you are done here.
reference: http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/09/us/missouri-football-players-protest-president-resigns/index.html
What happens when the unexpected happens? As a business owner/leader it is your responsibility to make certain that you are doing everything you can to avoid the unexpected.
You practice, you train, you simulate, then you practice, train, and simulate, again.
However, if it is going to happen it will happen. Then what do you do?
You move on. You press forward all the while doing what you can to avoid it from happening again.
If you haven’t heard this exact same thing just happened to the WWE. Yes, World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. that WWE.
This past weekend, the WWE World Heavyweight Champion had the most unexpected thing happen to him. The WWE’s number one guy, the champ, the top dog, Seth Rollins sustain a knee injury to end all knee injuries, at a WWE Live Event in Dublin, Ireland. This guy tore his right ACL, MCL and medial meniscus. If you know anything about knee injuries, most people that have a tear, in their knee, it is usually one or the other. It is very rare to have all three at the same time. It does happen and it did.
Now, the WWE World Heavyweight Champion will be out for the next six to nine months. That means that he will NOT be able to defend his title. This means no championship fights. No Main Event match on the WWE’s monthly pay-per-view events. Low attendance at the venues hosting any WWE event because the champ won’t be there.
OR WILL IT?
The WWE jumped out in front of this situation and has opted to hold a “tournament” to determine a new champion. That’s good thinking and planning on the part of the WWE. They had a situation occur, a contingency plan was in place and when the time came to implement they were ready. While it will be a long road to recovery for the current Champ, it will be a new and exciting time for the rest of the WWE as it is on its quest to find a new World Heavyweight Champion.
BUSINESS OWNER / BUSINESS LEADERS LISTEN UP!
Are you prepared for such situations? What happens when your Number One Performer is suddenly sidelined? Are you prepared to fill in the gap(s) that the loss will most certainly create?
For example, you run an Insurance Agency. You know Home, Auto, Life, Farm, Business Insurance. That kind of insurance agency. Your Number One Agent is suddenly rushed to emergency hangnail surgery and will be out for two weeks. Who is going to take care of the policyholders during that time? Certainly not the receptionist.
NO! NOT THE RECEPTIONIST!
If you said the Receptionist then you most certainly don’t have a plan. Well, that is if your Receptionist isn’t a Certified Insurance Agent. Otherwise, good call.
Seriously, so long as you have a contingency plan it does not matter who you select. What matters is that you prepare now and not when it is too late.