“D” words…

I was chatting with a friend of mine a recently.  He’s a Vice President of Sales at Oracle Corporation.  Oracle, like many technology companies, found themselves in an “over-hired” position earlier this year and went through a “reduction in force”.  Now, he’s working to restore morale.  It’s a difficult job: 

As one IT Professional put it; “We've been reorganized, restructured, re-engineered, right-sized, down-sized, up-sized, TQM'ed, and MBO'ed, and if I hear the word empowered once more, I swear I'm gonna scream!" 

Geoffrey James 

Maybe his company referred to it as downsizing; in the sales profession it’s called “cutting heads”.  Too morbid?  (Not for those fired with rent coming due.)  My friend’s unit was not spared; over a dozen heads.  He said they were lucky; it could have been worse. (Probably not for the departed.) 

Thankfully, this wasn’t the main topic of our conversation; we were at the other end of the head count.  We discussed his interaction with two reps that had just completed a successful sales year.  They don’t report to my friend, but they approached him in the office because he is the only sales executive still coming into the office.  They wanted to express their displeasure. 

There he was, shortly after cutting heads and these two asked if they could “speak openly” with him.  They had achieved quota but didn’t receive a pay raise as in the previous years.  They felt disrespected.  (Ah yes, there’s a fashionable “D” word.) 

Well, from these sales reps’ perspective, they were in a job; exceeded quota; and therefore deserved a raise.  Ah, “deserve” another popular “D” word.  Even though the company had missed their revenue target; even though the company had just gone through a downsizing; even though this VP had just lost several sales reps from his group; these two felt disrespected and deserved more.  (Reminds me of the movie Unforgiven and Clint Eastwood’s line, “… deserves got nothin’ to do with it…”) 

He listened patiently and they vented for 30 minutes.  He didn’t try to cut them off.  He could have, but he didn’t.  Perhaps he employed John L. Beckley’s leadership advice: 

Leadership strategy: 

When you are presenting an idea and are outlining its benefits, if the person stops you and brings up an argument or shows resistance, let it ride.  Don't respond for a moment.  And even then, don’t respond directly. 

Too many people seem to be in a too big a hurry to answer questions and overcome resistances.  Instead of making a case, we shift our focus and lose momentum by directly answering objections.  We forget that we are there to give a coherent, complete presentation. 

But maybe if we weren't in such hurry to answer the questions, our audience would find that the full presentation of facts covers the objections and the question would not come up again. 

Of course, a time comes when you must handle the resistance, and handle it once and for all.  But that time is always the second time, never the first. 

Leadership entails lots of… well… another “D” word… dimensions.  One minute, you’re having the “tough conversation” with those who have to be fired.  The next, you’re patiently listening to, and encouraging those who you’re wanting to stay; trying to motivate; relying on to continue their success so more heads won’t be cut.

In a leadership career, dimensions are a necessity for success.  My friend is… my favorite “D” word… darn good at it. 

                                                            GAP 

When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or… we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.