The Gaff
When I joined the ranks of upper management in my corporate job, I occasionally spoke on behalf of the company. With this responsibility came media training, and I still find myself leaning into that training, even in my daily life. Media training prepares you to think on your feet under stressful situations (journalists are always looking for that hook), but I also learned how mindful I had to be with every single word that came out of my mouth.
We’ve all seen examples of a single gaff upending the upward trajectory of a celebrity. Howard Dean and his scream come immediately to mind. Especially in today’s era of social media, one wrong adjective or mispronunciation can signal an army of haters that pile onto one another like a swarm of bees. Building people up and then knocking them down does seem like an American tradition, unfortunately.
You get promoted because you’re good at what you do, and as your responsibilities grow, so must your workload. There comes a day when you can no longer do all the work yourself and must learn to communicate and delegate tasks to others. If you’re a corporate slave, this means adherence to, or even the creation of, processes that supposedly streamline your work, track KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and make you more productive.
These actions are all necessary, but they leave out one of the most essential aspects of leadership. Your team is listening to what you’re saying, but subconsciously, they’re also monitoring your behavior. If your actions are inconsistent with your words, you’ll undoubtedly start to lose credibility, and as a leader, that will prove lethal. In the end, your words will lose impact and your people will stop listening.
Less talking, more doing
As you rise higher up the corporate ladder, the more eyeballs you will have watching your every move. I’m not exaggerating when I say people notice every time you get up to go to the bathroom. That’s a lot of pressure, Bitches! And with all those eyes watching you, the chances of choosing the wrong word or misbehaving increases exponentially.
I’m the biggest offender when it comes to commiserating and throwing F Bombs around with my team via DM, but I’m extremely aware of how my actions and behaviors affect team moral and motivation. Your less experienced colleagues are watching you, and by default, you’re mentoring them through your behavior.
No one wants a leader that is all talk, no action. Do be mindful of what you say, but more importantly, let your leadership be defined by your actions, not just your words.