Joe and Jane were both managers in a large company and supervised divisions roughly equal in size and responsibility. The company had recently implemented several unpopular changes that were disruptive to both divisions. Joe was having a lot of trouble getting his team to implement the changes. His team members were openly rebellious and many were filing complaints and grievances.
Jane’s division was also unhappy with the changes but was not openly rebellious and while not in favor of them, worked to implement them as best they could.
To understand why the stark difference between Joe’s and Jane’s divisions, let’s turn back the clock.
Joe is the type of leader who knows he’s in charge and if you work for him, you better know that too. He prides himself on listening to his workers, but in reality he’s only hearing them agree with him. He doesn’t bother to ask anyone else their thoughts before he makes decisions; after all, he’s the leader. He’s found it convenient to tell the workers whatever he thought would keep them quiet, even if it means stretching the truth.
Jane’s leadership style is quite different. She regularly gets out of her office and talks to her workers, making a genuine, and obvious effort to understand their concerns. She keeps them informed as much as she can and tells them when she isn’t able to answer their questions.
When the changes were announced at a staff meeting both Joe and Jane knew they would not be popular. Jane asked the plant manager, Greg, if she could speak with him for a few minutes after the meeting. Joe just rolled his eyes and said, “There she goes again. Why can’t you just do what you’re told?” Jane ignored him and privately expressed some concerns to Greg who quickly understood she had some valid points. Greg took her concerns to the company’s president who also understood and made some modifications.
While Jane was speaking with Greg, Joe went back to his team and told them about the changes, simply instructing them to make it happen. After Jane’s meeting with Greg she gathered her team and explained the changes that had been directed. She told the team that she knew they would not be happy about the changes and mentioned that she had made some suggestions to the plant manager that she hoped would ease the team’s implementation of the changes. Regardless, Jane was clear that the team would do their best to implement the changes and hopefully find something positive in the experience.
Jane’s division saw that she had represented their concerns and, while they weren’t happy with the changes, they knew that she would need their support if she was to continue representing them so well.
Of course word spread about Jane’s discussion with Greg and she was informally credited with making the directed changes a little more acceptable. Joe’s division was upset that Joe had not supported her, and them, so they didn’t see any reason to support him. They rebelled and many even refused to implement the changes.
Change isn’t always popular and it’s sometimes difficult to implement. There are lots of theories about change and how humans respond to it. A good leader will study change and understand the stages of acceptance, how and why people react, and all the other nuances of this complex subject. But there’s a basic factor that quite often can make the difference between acceptance and rebellion.
Trust.
When workers trust their leaders to represent them, even fight for them, change is much easier.
Bob Mason is dedicated to leadership development. He works with companies to solve problems by helping supervisors and managers become more effective leaders leading more productive teams. He is a professional speaker and author of Don’t Worry, You Can Do This: What New Supervisors and Managers Need to Know About Leadership; The Art of Not Motivating: How Leaders Can Succeed by Understanding the True Nature of Motivation; Balancing the Generations: A Leader’s Guide to the Complex, Multi-Generational, 21st Century Workplace; and Planning to Excel: Strategic Planning That Works.
A 30-year career in the U.S. Air Force exposed him to great leaders and leadership opportunities such as command of four squadrons, including the Air Force’s largest munitions squadron. He has studied leadership extensively, but more importantly has been there, working with real people, making hard decisions, and experiencing the results.
Contact Bob at Bob@BobMasonSpeaker.com or 505-453-5266
