VIM Executive Coaching usually doesn’t get caught up in current events, at least not to where they have an impact on our posts. However, in the past month or so, we have been “treated” to reading of several cases of fraud in the pharmaceutical, biotech, financial and banking industries where the perpetrators who were truly bad actors, were described as being “charismatic,” or “kind” or “great human beings.”
If we were to total the amounts of the fraud these executive leaders represented, it clearly amounted to tens of billions of dollars. The numbers, of course, are not reflective of the lives they destroyed; the families they broke; the injuries they caused thousands of innocent people.
The descriptors of these bad actors, got us to reflecting on the real versus the imagined; the ethical versus the unethical and most importantly, the authentic versus the inauthentic.
Three types of fraudsters?
There have been executive “leaders” who have been exceptional in their ability to deceive. It is difficult to discern where their lies begin and the truth ends. They are fraudsters of the first degree. Fortunately, those types are rather few and far between and frankly, they are at a level of fraud few of us (fortunately) ever see.
Unfortunately, many organizations do boast executive leaders who go through their work lives in a manner while not exactly deceptive, are clueless as to the harm they do and the damaging effect they have on themselves and everyone around them.
While the first type of leader borders on the sociopathic, the second type of leader may be people in our own work place or industry circle or sadly, our families. They are not necessarily “bad people,” but indifferent to those around them with no intent to change
These types often function, day-to-day, without knowing or caring who they hurt. They are narcissists. They are not difficult to find; we have all known them. Invariably, unless something catastrophic happens to their careers (terminations, accusations of sexual harassment, workplace bullying, petty theft, etc.) they retire or leave with dubious reputations and a lack of respect. Occasionally they are “admired,” but most often only by their flatterers.
Then there is the third, and most common type of “fraudster;” the person who thinks of themselves as so ineffectual that they consider themselves to be a joke, an interloper and a poseur. They believe themselves to be frauds and they are the person they often respect the least, is themselves.
Executives have come to VIM Executive Coaching fearful that they are leaders who fail to inspire, fail to impact organizations and are not taken seriously. However, they are not frauds, so much as never taught that leadership is a journey taken inward and requires as much self-compassion and nurturing toward self as they imagine they should be taking toward others.
“I don’t want to be one of them,” we have often heard, “a leader who is themself a fraud.”
We tell them, the word fraud could apply in some rare cases however, introspection and fearfulness are not bad traits and we think they are being unfair and unkind to themselves.
Stop apologizing
Most executives never learn that in order to compassionately and authentically manage people, they must start by being compassionate and authentic toward themselves, and that requires mindfulness.
Mindfulness is sorely lacking in management courses. An executive may be technically savvy; they may be high-tech super-stars and financial wizards, and yet lack the ability to intercede in an employee disagreement or solve an ethical dilemma.
The fraudsters and truly unethical executive leaders, are never mindful. Their lack of introspection eventually leads to their demise.
The executive who strives to be mindful and authentic is eventually the executive who succeeds. Never admire an executive leader who only sees the world reflected in themselves. See the world instead as one where compassion and authenticity matter. Don’t be afraid to follow that path.