Comments on: Do Your People Ever Tell You No?

By: The Courage to Challenge « Bret L. Simmons

The Courage to Challenge « Bret L. Simmons — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:38:52 +0000

[...] you are a leader, can you accept challenge from your followers, or do your people never tell you no? Better yet, have you set up a system where challenge is expected and [...]

By: Bret L. Simmons

Bret L. Simmons — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:32:53 +0000

Once again I think you raise some valid points. I’m not really at the 10,000 ft philosophical level on this one. To me it is a rubber meets the road interpersonal issue. Regardless of what is going on at the corporate level, leadership is interpersonal. Corporate leadership matters, but the most important relationship is the one between an employee and the supervisor. Thanks again!!

PS: it’s ok to leave your name! Bret

By: Talk is Cheap, and getting cheaper

Talk is Cheap, and getting cheaper — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:51:45 +0000

Okay, thanks for the response. I’d ask you to expand your thoughts to the concept of stifling dissent, to the “leaders” whose entire organizations are focused on stifling dissent on corporate scale. Nardelli, whose board didn’t even show up to answer questions their own own shareholder meeting for Home Depot, and who ultimately terminated the meeting to stifle dissent. http://tinyurl.com/yx2vnr

My question is: Isn’t corporate structure itself designed to stifle dissent, and obfuscate responsibility for self-interested decision making? Shareholders have no real power (the corporation counts the votes), and their points of view are routinely dismissed or repressed. With the weakening of whistleblower laws, isn’t “dissent” now just becoming a quaint anachronism in reality?

Cheers.

By: Bret L. Simmons

Bret L. Simmons — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:56:26 +0000

I appreciate your thougts and hear what you are saying. My blog also requires moderated comments. What may not know is that we get hit by all kinds of automated spammers daily. I hate it as much as you do, but I will continue to do it given what I have seen behind the scenes at my blog. I will tell you I have published every single coment that was not obvious spam. And Ed is a great guy!!! Thanks for sharing! Bret

By: Bret L. Simmons

Bret L. Simmons — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:52:28 +0000

Nancy, I appreciate your thoughts! Here is my only question – why did they have to pay anyone to tell them what their folks should have been telling them? I don’t think the blame lies with the folks. Thanks!! Bret

By: Talk is Cheap, and getting cheaper

Talk is Cheap, and getting cheaper — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:39:50 +0000

I find it highly entertaining that Ed Batista’s blog, which expanded your thoughts about the evil of stifling dissent, has a moderated comments feature which requires that Ed approve all comments before posting them.

That kind of hypocrisy puts the lie to the author’s credibility….which is the fundamental failure of leadership. Credibility failure by a leader fractures the team, and immediately creates sub groups vying for power within, instead of focusing on the external mission.

By: Nancy Wiggins

Nancy Wiggins — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:00:57 +0000

Bret- You are right on. As a consultant for 25 years as well as a commercial real estate broker, I have found that smart executives have hired me and other up front consultants to tell them the truth, because they understand that perhaps they can find one loyal soul in house but others are content to do what is necessary for a paycheck and a promotion. Stifling necessary information
[good,bad & ugly] stifles thinking, creativity & progress.Intuitive thinkers, the future forecasters & planners, cannot work in that climate.

By: Bret L. Simmons

Bret L. Simmons — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 00:20:22 +0000

Love your blog post, Mark! Thanks for sharing. You are correct the trouble is manifest in the behavior of the leadership. But the real problem goes beyond personality of any individual. The real problem is systemic – e.g. why do we hire people like this and accept these ineffective behaviors. Unless you address that, you will continue to see this manifestation and others at different times, and in different places throughout the organization.

Thanks!!!! Bret

By: Bret L. Simmons

Bret L. Simmons — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 00:17:00 +0000

Dawn, you ask the million dollar question. Before I give you my answer, let me point you to Bob Sutton’s book “The No Asshole Rule” because he addresses this very issue, and in a different way that what I am about to say.

The behavior you describe is ineffective and hurting your organization. I think followers has a responsibility to address these bad behaviors – a responsibility to the organization and to themselves. Good people do bad things, especially under pressure, and behavior CAN change. But it will NEVER change unless there is some kind of awareness. That takes courage, both on the part of the person that confronts the behavior, and on the part of the person that will have to admit the behavior if they ever hope to change.

My bottom line, personally, is I REFUSE to give up my voice. Do everything you can to help change bad behavior, be patient, but also be resolute. Whenever I go down this path, I always prepare my exit strategy, just in case. If you try to help but fail, you have a choice – leave or stay. If you leave, you face uncertainty. If you stay, one thing is for certain – you have NO VOICE.

So GREAT question. My answer is just that, my answer, and I fully realize there are other answers (See Sutton).

Thanks!!!! Bret

By: Mark Allen Roberts

Mark Allen Roberts — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 23:56:14 +0000

I enjoyed your post.

I was trained early on to focus on adding value versus being a yes man.

The trouble is the leader, the board, needs to have a strong Emotional intelligence to be able to discuss real issues…I find that to be rare.

What is often the case, I become the Heretic as I discuss in my blog post : Want to add value to your bottom-line quickly?…Hire a Heretic! http://nosmokeandmirrors.wordpress.com/2009/04/10/want-to-add-value-to-your-bottom-line-quicklyhire-a-heretic/

Thanks for the content

Mark Allen Roberts