Lies Leaders Love
Alex Pollock
June 10, 2014
The truth of these statements comes rolling home to anyone who has participated in an accident/incident investigation and tried to determine facts from people’s often strident recollection of their truth. The "video" we replay in our mind and rise quickly to defend regularly contains factual errors. Systems that we stake reliance on have more fault lines running through them than we dare admit. It is these very human traits that High Reliability Organizations (HRO’s), with their preoccupation with failure, strive to minimize. We are all vulnerable to self deception.
I’d like to focus these thoughts to people in leadership positions and pose two questions?
- What are some familiar self deceptions of leaders?
- How can this web of self deception be minimized?
In his book, "Impact: Great Leadership Changes Everything," psychologist Tim Irvin suggests that power in some form can breach the containment walls of our value system and sadly, self-deception occurs. From his research there are "Lies" he lists that can ensnare each of us if we’re not careful. These are:
- I’m the smartest person here. My ideas and instincts are superior to everyone else’s.
- Success is due to me. This could not have been accomplished without my contributions.
- These people work for me. They deliver to my standards. They exist to assist me.
- I don’t have to follow normal rules. They don’t exist for people at my level.
- People are envious of my success and will try to sabotage my upward trajectory.
- I’m entitled to a little bit extra. I’ve earned it.
- Fudging the results a little is OK. The next report will be better and this dip will be irrelevant.
- This problem is not my fault. I’ll find and deal with whoever dropped the ball.
- Results are much more important than process. How I get there is my business.
How do you avoid this trap? Here are a few suggestions:
- Be very clear about your core values. Strive in all situations to make these guiding beliefs part of your legacy.
- Regularly conduct a "self check". "In my actions are people observing my core values? Any fog rolling in?" Correct for drift.
- Share your core values with friends and colleagues. ("This is who I’m striving to be.")
- Use 360-degree feedback or similar tool to get a picture of how you are seen. Make corrections as necessary and be thankful to those who provided the data.
- Create an "Emotional Health Club" comprised of a few people you trust implicitly, can share challenges freely with and can tell you what you need to know, not what you want to hear.
What additional trap busters can you add to the mix?
Thanks for weighing in on a topic that’s tough to discuss but needs an airing.
Topics:
Leadership & Careers
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About the Author
Alex Pollock
Alex Pollock has been studying leadership effectiveness for more than 30 years. A former leader in environment, health and safety, and public affairs at The Dow Chemical Co., he learned that we all have leadership roles to play. He enjoys discussing new ideas and sharing practical ways we can all become better leaders.