Recently, three bright, hard working guys got together (sorta) over a simple, residential police call and managed to turn it into a national incident. While the facts remain somewhat muddled, it seems likely that all of them contributed to the fiasco. One perhaps was a little too eager to be a “victim”, another would have done well to simply leave when it was clear that his job was done, and the third opened his mouth a bit too quickly and widely in front of a world-wide audience.
In fairness, the third guy is now proclaiming this to be a “teachable moment” and has invited the other two over to his house for a beer. Let’s hope he’s right and that it goes well. In fact, let’s hope that as they sort this little incident out they (and we, by extension) come away with reminders that:
1. We’re all self-absorbed and wrapped a little too tightly these days. Actually, we’ve been this way for some time, and the manifestations aren’t pretty when the slightest spark arises. Accordingly we would do well to “assume positive intent” as PepsiCo CEO, Indra Nooyi put it in a Fortune Magazine piece describing one of her best life lessons. Even though this is 2009 and everyone is moving at 90 mph, we’re well advised to pause and take a deep breath before initiating or escalating a conflict, any conflict. (After all, that’s how we got into one of our current wars.)
2. Maybe, just maybe after a couple rounds of Yuengling (America’s oldest brewery), these three fellas will each find it in themselves to mouth three little words that can go a long way to establishing personal accountability, not to mention civility. The words are, “I. Screwed. Up.” They need to learn, as do we, that uttering those words doesn’t make you less of a man (or woman), they don’t compromise your point of view, or even make you more susceptible to a lawsuit. Rather, they evidence your authenticity by being big enough to admit a mistake, and thus earn you the benefit of the doubt, both for the moment and in the future. It’s also a lesson that we manager types could stand to remember. Now, come on, guys… Say it!
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A thought leader in the arena of leadership and employee engagement, Bill Catlette is a seminar leader, keynote speaker, and executive coach. He helps individuals and organizations improve business outcomes by having a focused, engaged, capably led workforce. For more information about Bill, his partner Richard Hadden, and their work, please visit their website at www.contentedcows.com, or follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ContentedCows
