“Let me know if there is anything I can do” … interjected Rohit.
This was the first time he had interrupted. But I already knew it was gonna be a long unproductive meeting …
The interruptions irritated the problem-solvers. Regardless Rohit continued “I can write a short program, a script or get on a call and we can sort this out”
I clenched my teeth ! but politely said “Thanks”
Collecting my thoughts and moving on, I said “… is the problem, and these are the side-effects of solving it …”
Before I could wrap up, Rohit was back saying “I don’t know much about the project, but I would love to help where I can”.
I couldn’t take it anymore and left the conference call.
The Ailment
What is wrong with some folks trying to interrupt a fully functional discussion ? We try to understand today.
The problem is that of : Adding Too Much Value
Leaders rise through the ranks because they’re good at adding value. Their ideas boost the bottom line, time and again. But after a point, a leader’s relentless need to add value to every discussion becomes a liability.
Rohit was a great contributor to our team and organization. His technology skills, flexibility, and willingness had gotten him where he was. But he was over-contributing. And was hurting both himself and his team.
Let’s understand …
A wasteful fallacy
Imagine you’re the chief executive. I come to you with an idea that you think is very good. Rather than just pat me on the back and say, “Great idea!” your inclination – because you have to add value – is to say, “Good idea, but it would be better if you tried it this way.”
You may have improved the content of my idea by 5%. But you’ve reduced my commitment to executing it by 50% because you’ve taken away my ownership of the idea.
My idea is now your idea – and I walk out of your office less enthused about it than when I walked in. ( i got so irritated that I left the call )
Also, if it’s not my idea anymore, then why spend the overtime hours trying to implement it ? Since it is Rohit’s idea, he can spend the additional effort. As a result, the work gets delayed OR does not get done.
That’s the fallacy of added value. The gain of a better idea is lost many times over in our employees’ diminished commitment to the concept.
From our story … Rohit’s fatal error was not that he had an opinion (to which he was entitled). But that he didn’t know how his opinions came across to the people in his team – who in this case were the real experts. He made the classic mistake of many otherwise great leaders:
But oh ! the problem runs deeper.
Peel to the next layer
Let’s go next level into the problem.
Rohit adding too much value is a habit. Since he is pitching himself into all possible issues, he is always busy. Because he is busy, Rohit doesn’t have time for his own commitments. After all, he is a human having 24 hours a day. And as a result,
The point is … things have gone downhill for Rohit and his team. All because of Adding too Much Value.
Suggestions become Orders Blindness
Also, a lesser-known side-effect of the syndrome is that – Stupidity becomes institutionalized.
Leaders don’t realize that:
So, while leaders might put it forward as a suggestion, the team takes it as an order.
That is, despite knowing leaders are wrong, subordinates follow “stupid instructions”. As a result, many new problems are introduced. These, in turn, tarnish the image of the leader as a competent authority.
“What goes around comes around”, poor orders style !
Here is a sweet story to drive the point home:
Years ago a chocolatier in San Francisco agreed to make a sampler box of 12 chocolates. These were for the late designer Bill Blass.
Since the chocolates would bear his name. Blass wished to approve the designs. To give Blass more choice, the team added some chocolates they regarded as inferior.
To the chocolatiers’ horror, Blass liked all the inferior chocolates. The chocolatiers hadn’t expected Blass to be so firm in his opinion. But Blass was a man of great taste, used to getting his way, and he knew what he liked. He needed to add value to the process. After Blass left the room, the chocolatiers looked at each other, thinking “What are we going to do? He picked all the wrong ones.”
Finally, the head of the company said, “We know chocolate. He doesn’t. Let’s make the ones we like and he’ll never know the difference.”
Sweet !
(What Got You Here Won’t Get You There)
While the company head was smart enough to know that Blass’ was just a suggestion. most employees aren’t. And herein lies the problem.
WHATEVER YOU SAY IS AN ORDER
I learned a very hard lesson. My suggestions become orders. If they’re smart, they’re orders. If they’re stupid, they’re orders. If I want them to be orders, they are orders. And, if I don’t want them to be orders, they are orders anyway.
JP Garnier,
former chief executive of GlaxoSmithKline
Since the boss always has to add value, even to matters he isn’t an expert at. The organization ends up institutionalizing mediocrity or worse stupidity.
Autonomous vs Non-Autonomous
I hope the ‘suggestions become orders’ blindness made sense. If it did, then this will also sink in – constant value addition makes employees “orders dependent”. Used to getting every instruction, they do not know how to work autonomously. Meaning, individuals no longer remain “independent thinkers”.
Companies that discourage independent thinking cannot compete with companies that promote independent thinking. This is the reality of today’s economy.
Not the best example, but here is one to understand …
The war between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi rebels has been going for some time in Yemen. While Saudis have a much bigger army, weapons, and training (and the support of the United States). They seem to be unable to defeat the much lesser equipped Houthis.
A news broadcast explained the problem.
Saudis, due to their political structure, have very strict operation styles. As an example – If a Saudi soldier sees the enemy, he cannot engage them. He will need to ask for permission from his commanding officer. The officer in turn will need to ask the central command. The command, in turn, might need to check with the defense ministry.
By the time the order to engage comes in, the enemy might’ve disappeared.
Do you see the problem, when everything is channeled via one central authority?
On the other hand, Houthis engage the enemy as soon as they see it. Though a much smaller force, and with much lesser equipment, they are able to resist a much bigger force.
This is figuratively what happens at companies. This is the reason Twitter works with 13 employees and Angelist with 30. Yet both companies are worth billions of dollars. I bet the employees at these organizations are independent thinkers.
Companies that allow autonomous thinking always beat one’s that quell autonomous thinking. (also discussed at A case for independent thinking )
And adding too much value kills autonomous thinking ! Sound like a bad idea already ?
Compound Effect
Over time these ‘minor’ workplace foibles begin to chip away at the goodwill we’ve accumulated in life. And that other people normally extend to colleagues and friends.
That’s when the minor irritation blows up into a major crisis. But this crisis can be avoided – if leaders know what to stop doing.
Over time, the workplace becomes toxic, and productivity diminishes.
“We spend a lot of time teaching leaders what to do. We don’t spend enough time teaching leaders what to stop. Half the leaders I have met don’t need to learn what to do. They need to learn what to stop.”
Peter Drucker
Wrap up
People skills are huge leverage. We can achieve much more together than alone. While so, most people don’t realize the cost of achieving such leverage. Sometimes the cost is paid by shutting up and NOT adding value.
Think about your organization. When was the last retreat or training session you attended that was titled:
‘Stupid Things Our Top People Do That We Need to Stop Doing Now !!’
When did your chief executive deliver a talk, focussing on his negative traits ? And his efforts to stop this destructive behavior ?
Can you imagine your Lead/ Manager/ Director/ VP admitting a personal failing in public ? and outlining his efforts to stop doing it ?
Probably not.
It’s worth thinking about what we should stop doing. It gets no attention, but it can be as crucial as everything else we do combined.
So, shut the fuck up Rohit !
(Idea conceived and help from What Got You Here Won’t Get You There)
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