VIM Executive Coaching was recently invited to listen in on an executive roundtable featuring entrepreneurs in the hi-tech space. It is always fascinating to see and hear the amazing and highly innovative ideas that are part of the fabric of North American entrepreneurship.
Then a more “mature” company got up to present with a unique technology in the accounting software area. The “Chief Idea Officer” as he called himself, talked of how the breakthrough (his words) technology was having a number of challenges in getting greater acceptance. With that, he made the following statement that frankly evoked memories of black & white movies of the 1950s:
“We feel confident that by doubling down our sales and marketing efforts, and driving our ‘Global Idea Team’ to take no prisoners and sharpen their pencils that we will succeed. There can be no excuses in the pursuit of excellence. None. We cannot tolerate mediocrity at (Fanciful Company Name).”
Was this Guy Serious?
While we would never discuss our astonishment at an off-the-cuff comment at a large roundtable, we nevertheless glanced around the room after the gentleman’s talk and could not help but hear the murmurs and whispers and see the smirks and shrugs. However (and without response) someone did whisper in our direction:
“He must be a treat to work for!”
Well, we don’t know if the term “treat” would necessarily fit-in with what we were thinking, but when companies or organizations begin to “wobble,” it never ceases to amaze how someone at the “C-level” will talk of “doubling-down,” or driving or taking no prisoners. These terms often belie much deeper organizational problems in executive leadership than a product that has not fared well on launch. The comment of the executive, in the very least, is one of reacting to a serious problem rather than responding to it.
We made reference above to a 1950s scenario. As global markets began to shift in the post-WWII years, many companies failed who felt the key to their problems was simply pushing sales and marketing functions to failure and exhaustion. Eventually many of those companies were forced to shutter doors, have massive lay-offs, merge or be acquired. These were not simply small manufacturing entities, but massive companies ranging from steel production to apparel. It was a failure to respond to what was happening and instead turn into a blame-game where sales, marketing or manufacturing people were demonized as the culprits for failure.
Why Respond when Blame is Handy?
At VIM Executive Coaching, one of the key objectives we incorporate in working with clients is to get to the essence of problems by leading our valued clients to get as authentic as possible. We want to look at the way our clients respond to situations, and in that response, to be as mindful as possible as to bring about heartfelt and compassionate solutions.
Contrary to opinion, “heartfelt and compassionate” are not terms that are meant to evoke thoughts of “softness” or “weakness,” but rather honesty and non-judgment. There must come a time when the executive leader needs to ask: “Am I reacting to our challenges in this manner because we have mis-judged the market or had a flawed plan? Am I shut off from receiving honest criticism and instead blame others for a failure that was handed down through research and development?”
When we react rather than respond, when executive leaders forego authenticity to play the blame game, the results are often unfortunate. There is beauty in authenticity and the well-spring of mindfulness from which it grows.