1. LOST IN THE MIDDLE (MANAGEMENT)
By Jim Huddleston, Partner; Crawford, Huddleston & Co., LLP
As a salesman of sorts, I’ve dealt with different kinds of companies, populated with exactly the
same kinds of people—all with short attention spans. Upper management is afraid to act so they
delegate. Operational management has no authority to act, so they punt. Mostly everyone goes to
work each day because they have a job. They huddle up and talk trash about the rest of their
industry—timidly living off of the risk that someone else took. That risk taker was from another
time--someone braver, someone with vision . . . oh look, it’s nearly 5pm. I’ve got to be somewhere.
Fear and anger are unhealthy motivators—but powerful nonetheless. Decisions
that are guided by little else are unlikely to be durable but have a good chance of
extending the game. The innovation of trial & error is a risky proposition—it might
take a lot of losses to generate a big win and the rewards (for winning) appear
proportionally smaller than the penalties (for loss). Why take the chance?
The president won’t make the call because of fear—maybe it’s just doubt, uncertainty. He was
once driven (maybe lucky) but in any event successful and the chances he took served him.
Those chances got him to the corner office and he sees no reason to risk that at this point.
Lifespan is a factor for him—it characterizes his methodology. He’s through taking risks. He’s
received his prize—his position—and nothing warrants jeopardizing that status. Even if a new
proposal makes some sense, he is insulated by need (lack of it). There’s nothing left to prove now
and the culture provides little reason to risk . . . so who are we playing golf with on Friday?
The department manager won’t make the call because of anger—maybe it’s more like envy,
jealousy. He’s mad that choices must be made by him and yet the president will get the credit. He
really lacks the authority—at least he can’t be certain of the authority he has. If he comes up with a
good idea, it will be commandeered by his boss. If his idea is bad, he’ll be rebuffed (by the boss)
as careless or unfocused. It’s easier to survive each day managing rather than leading. There is
no upside for innovation . . . I wonder what the wife has planned for us this week-end.
So we wait. We wait for visionary leadership. A business may wait for years for safety, when what
they really needed was bravery. We wait for someone (else) who can take a risk and stand behind
the results—good or bad—as worth the calculated chance. We try for consensus—for a bloodless
victory—and we hope that they’ll let us lead the parade . . . if there is one. Modern business life
has become less a series of risks than an endless positioning. Oh look, it’s 5pm—gotta go!
More information at www.crawfordhuddleston.com