Getting fired is GOOD for Leaders

It’s strange the things that trigger your ideas and attitudes about leaders. I'd just been on a train to Paris, catching up on a month’s worth of reading (I’m the kind of guy who tears out pages from business mags and newspapers and squirrels them  away to catch up when I have the time). It’s messy, totally non-digital, deeply uncool, but it works for me. Often some of my best ideas come from reading some ink-smudged newspaper clipping months out of date.

In the midst of rapidly skimming through 30 or 40 pieces I’d collected, I was suddenly struck by one thing. Most of what I was reading was about failure, specifically CEOs who’d crashed and burned - usually taking a large slice of that year’s profits in severance settlements with them. “My goodness,” I thought, “there’s an epidemic out here. It’ worse than top-of-the-league soccer managers. CEOs are getting it from all sides, are we learning nothing about squandering all this talent? ”

I was still musing on this accident-prone CEO syndrome when I arrived to meet a client. Well, not a client actually, but hopefully soon to be one. I’ve known him for years. He’s just arrived into the hot seat of a large transportation firm. Lucky to be there, I thought, got fired about six months ago. Messy corporate divorce, but he looks OK – confidently exuding the air of man in charge of his personal destiny.

We shook hands, and I sat down across from his aircraft carrier-sized stripped pine desk. As I opened my folder, all my carefully hoarded clippings I’d been reading on the train, spilled, embarrassingly, to the floor.

“What’s that?” asked my host.

I quickly explained my dinosaur-like way of staying in tune with the times. As it was a very informal meeting, and I’d met him before, I also wished him luck in his new role, boldly referring to his last job and how I hoped it would work out well. He smiled at me. “Well after these last months, I reckon it’s not going to be too bad, at least I know how to play the game now.” He added, “You see I’m qualified. Got the t-shirt, been there done that. “

My host, then went onto describe in fascinating detail how he lost his job, how the forces massed against him had combined to bring him down. Over the next 30 minutes he itemized in detail what had happened, what he learned from each twist and turn and how he had got out clean, certainly richer but a whole lot wiser as well. By the end of it he had come across as a very professional operator, one I’d be happy to vouch for as a man who’d keep his head in any crisis that came along.

Finally, he sat back in his chair and said, “ So you see Rudi, getting fired taught me all I needed to know, to stay on top- it’s been my finishing school my post graduate business degree.  I’ve an MBA from the best school money can buy, a stellar track record, but now I know how to play the game better than anyone else.” He went on, “I Can deal with boards, investors, analysts, the media, over-ambitious lieutenants. None of them concerns me now. Quite frankly, you can’t be a real leader unless you know how to recognize and deal with all those things happening to you every day. Now I know how to build loyalty in my team   (I was just too busy before); avoid the sniping of the financial analysts (never bothered to take them seriously – now I do); ignored the media (I make sure I’m seen, heard and my image is polished like the brass plaque outside our HQ).”

Was taken aback by his words, and his enthusiasm, “ So what about the caring leader,” I asked, “ is it all just a fiction; are we led to believe that a CEO who takes care of his people is THE real leadership model we  should aspire too? “

He stared at me for a good 20 seconds, saying nothing. Then he smiled and finally said, “That’s what the book says that’s what all the management courses preach, but that isn’t real-life. Quite frankly, the reason I’m worth this huge salary they’re paying me is for one thing. I’ve been fired – I survived and I learnt all the lessons better than anyone else.  I have been shot at but now I’m bullet-proof Now when I come to choose my successor I know  where I’ll be looking. “

He got up to leave, shook my hand warmly and opened the door for me. “Walk you down to reception,” he said, got to do my daily tour, keep the people pleased by knowing I look pleased too.”

So is it true, can you really get better as a leader by experiencing the seamy side of corporate existence? My betting is my new friend – and he’s a new client now - has got it right. So, go get fired, learn from it and be the leader you should have been all along!

This column on leadership and organizational development is written exclusively for the IEDP by Rudi Plettinx, Managing Director of Management Centre Europe, the Brussels-based development organization. Have a comment or a question? Connect with him via Linkedin. 

Six Ways To Create A Motivating Workplace And Encourage An ‘Extra Step Culture’

What is it that makes one workplace productive, filled with energy, enthusiasm and a shared commitment to a common purpose, while others appear lacking in those qualities and, instead, finds workers instilled with a sense of frustration and boredom? 

The answer lies in ‘motivation’. A motivating environment is one where people are willing to work at their full capacity, give their best, and enjoy what they do, without any external push. It is an environment that ignites the will to do and the passion of shared goals.
Simply enjoying what you do creates momentum and it is the role of the leader to make sure that the work environment is full of positive energy and a can-do culture. 

Here are six different ways to help promote this type of working environment for our teams and ourselves: 

1. Link work objectives with the personal values of your team member: If individual team members feel that what they are doing is of no value, they can become unmotivated. It is the role of the team leader to help workers see the value of what they do and how their role helps the team reach key objectives.  

2. Communicate, listen, engage, offer feedback and define expectations: Reach out to team members for their feedback and how they feel about their role and shared objectives. Actively seek suggestions and opinions. 

3. Give team members space to work: Avoid becoming involved with every detail of the task at hand. Demonstrate that you trust and respect decisions by giving team members autonomy in their roles; coaching and mentoring, when necessary. 

4. Be fair and promote equality: Be equitable in the treatment of team members, especially when it comes to incentives and payment. Praise achievements and promote high performers. Likewise, be consistent when it comes to dealing with those who create a negative atmosphere, or perform poorly. 

5. Avoid routine and bureaucracy: Add fun and excitement to the work environment, wherever possible. People spend more time at work than they spend at home, or with friends. Lightheartedness breaks the routine and promotes enthusiasm and productivity.  

6. Dedicate some time each week on team building: Just a few hours each week spent on team-building exercises can dramatically boost morale and performance. 

Your team members deserve an open, positive, inspiring environment in which to develop their skills and grow in confidence and ability. By following these six steps you can motivate your people and transform the workplace into a positive environment where people can really enjoy their work. 

  

About the Author: 

Samir Bata

Samir Bata's expertise in Management and Leadership has been built in 26 years in key positions in sales, marketing, general operations management, and business development. In addition to his management and leadership expertise, Samir is also a Senior Associate at MCE.