Harvard Business Review
Redeeming Yourself After a Leadership Disaster
Editor's Note: The following case is based on real events observed by the author in his profession. Some of the details have been changed to protect the identities of those involved.
It could happen to anyone.
A mercurial client e-mails her long-time account coordinator, issuing new demands and intimating repercussions. Seeking guidance, the coordinator copies her manager. Initially, the manager drafts a reply to pacify the client. But he changes his mind and writes, "That woman makes my skin crawl" to his employee.
Just one problem: he sends the e-mail to the client.
Often, it's the cover-up, not the crime, that produces the most damage. Sure enough, the client replies in minutes, threatening to pull her account. Terrified, the manager claims his retort pertained to his employee. He adds that he'll review her complaints and coach his employee on her communication skills. Issue solved — or so he thinks.
Eventually, the coordinator learns of this treachery and confronts her boss. Initially, he claims it isn't a big deal, telling her to keep it between them and move on. However, the employee persists, compelling the manager to allude to potential discipline. So the coordinator clams up... until she learns the higher ups received her manager's cherry-picked version of events. Her reputation in tatters, she confides in her co-workers. Bad news travels fast — and the story ping-pongs across the company.
And so the manager is exposed. When times get tough, his coworkers surmise, he'll throw his reports under the proverbial bus. His good deeds and accomplishments are wiped away, as he loses his most critical asset: moral standing. Now, his rhetoric on accountability and teamwork is dismissed. Instead, the gap between his words and actions reinforce one point to his employees: we aren't in this together. His actions yield a clear cut and memorable narrative that defines him. Maybe the manager justified that he'd take the easy way out, just this once. But once is all it takes. Now, his people can barely look at him.
Certainly, you can argue there are worse sins. Physical and verbal abuse? HR draws a pretty hard line on that. Arriving late, leaving early and doing little work in between? Those tendencies are disheartening, but forgivable. No, our manager committed the ultimate sin: he didn't respect or stand behind his employee. Managers set the tone — and he demonstrated that he was only out for himself. His actions sent a clear message: employees are disposable and their reputations are acceptable collateral damage. Now, his people harbor doubts, watching and analyzing his every move, wondering if they'll be next.
Whether this betrayal reflected a moment of weakness or an innate flaw, this manager will need to repair the damage — or grow increasingly isolated and unproductive. Unfortunately, there are no quick fixes. Instead, the situation requires an offensive straight from the public relations handbook. It begins with humility and contrition. That's right: a public apology, replete with references to what occurred, who it hurt, why it was wrong and the steps he'll take to ensure it never happens again.
Even if the apology strikes the right tone, it is only a start. In subsequent months, the manager must focus on quietly rebuilding his reputation. In particular, he must change his employees' perception and renew their trust in him. That means re-introducing himself, spending greater time interacting with his people and reviving relationships he once took for granted. Even more, it'll require daily (often unspoken) acts that reinforce he has their back, can deliver what they need, and cares about them personally. Beyond that, the manager must seek coaching, to become aware of other tendencies that could potentially undermine his leadership.
During this time, the manager will be under the microscope. A similar lapse in judgment would quickly negate the goodwill his rehabilitation has produced. While employees possess long memories, they can forgive more easily when they see progress. They know a manager who learns from his mistakes — and works to make himself better — can be far more trustworthy than someone who has never fallen short and suffered for it.
Jeff Schmitt is a regular contributor to BusinessWeek. He has spent 17 years in sales, marketing, project management, training, legal compliance, and recruiting. You can reach him via e-mail or follow him on Twitter.
Access Content Source: http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2010/07/redeeming_yourself_after_a_leadership_disaster.html?cm_mmc=npv-_-DAILY_ALERT-_-AWEBER-_-DATE
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http://dreamlearndobecome.blogspot.com This posting was made my Jim Jacobs, President & CEO of Jacobs Executive Advisors. Jim also serves as Leader of Jacobs Advisors' Insurance Practice.
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