Tests of leadership character
It’s often observed that adversity is the true test of character. Among other things, today’s economic climate is a test of leadership character, and I recently heard two stories that illustrate some principles to remember.
One person I know is deeply anxious about his performance. Like many people, he is struggling to stay sane. Every morning he wakes up, carefully prioritizes his agenda, and brings undivided attention to the critical tasks. Despite that consistent focus, he feels as though he’s running to stand still. His brain is telling his legs to sprint, but they’re seemingly stuck in a quagmire. In a recent exchange with his manager, she made a throwaway comment about one of his many initiatives on the go, saying it was “great work.”
Those two words triggered a warm wave of relief. He was temporarily released from the clutches of insecurity and self-loathing. His spirit was revived, and he summoned the strength to go on.
Another person I know is under similar strain. Recently, she had a year-end performance review with her manager. Times are tough for their business, and the manager is understandably on edge. He kept returning to one of her key objectives for the year, which is behind schedule. The manager acknowledged her enabling work, but couldn’t get past the failure to achieve a specific result. Returning to this metric, he reiterated his disappointment, finally saying something to the effect that he wanted less enabling and more doing.
She was profoundly rocked by the conversation. It sparked existential worries about her ability. It produced complicated emotional undercurrents, as she wondered whether a successful turnaround would ultimately vindicate his browbeating, not her carefully considered recovery efforts.
What can we learn from these stories?
Today’s adverse conditions are tilting managers’ attention toward outputs over inputs. Leaders themselves fear the consequences of not hitting their numbers, and those fears are being passed down to their reports. There is less patience with process. Leaders just want things done. They want them done yesterday. No excuses.
The downstream consequence is heightened susceptibility to “negativity bias.” Humans are disproportionately vulnerable to negative emotion, and when they’re struggling to remain afloat they become increasingly self-critical. As more pressure is applied to prove one’s worth, the more likely one is to look inward and find oneself wanting.
Pressure tactics, while tempting, are largely counterproductive. In fact they can be profoundly demotivating for the person whose performance is under scrutiny. People need to feel the sand beneath their feet lest they find themselves adrift in a sea of despair. They need wins, even small wins, and wins are in shorter supply today.
All of us are constantly speculating about what others think. When times are good, it’s easier to believe others hold us in high esteem. Adverse conditions have the opposite effect. They bring out our worst suspicions: “I'm struggling. They can see it. My faults are exposed. People no longer respect me.”
There’s a famous adage that recognition is what babies cry out for and grown men die for. People need recognition more than ever from their leaders right now.