Impact of Leadership: Positive or Negative?

Proverbs 19:12 (NLT) The king's anger is like a lion's roar, but his favor is like dew on the grass.

Powerful CEOs expand the influence and authority of those around them by being careful of their personal impact on not only their senior staff, but also team as a whole. Any CEO, however, must be aware of the impact of his demeanor on those around him/her. In fact research has borne out the truth behind the verse above.

Work done by Porter, Lorsch and Nohria, reported in the October 2004 HBR found that seven surprises await the new CEO and Surprise Four is "You Are Always Sending A Message." A leader's anger may not be voiced particularly loudly, but it is heard like a "lion's roar." The leader's favor may be small, but it is experienced like "fresh dew on the grass." Everything is magnified.

I remember one CEO who would wear slacks with one of his Cutter Buck golf shirts to work the first week to see what his staff did. The second week, he would dress to the nines. The third week was usually sweater week - all this for the purpose of gauging impact on the staff. Would his staff wear what they thought appropriate? Would they immediately conform? Would they rebel? (This was the Silicon Valley days when dress codes really became varied).

One senior pastor of a mega church commented to me that he had to choose the type of car he drove very carefully because of the congregation's expectations. He refused to drive a Mercedes Benz, even though one of his members basically "gave" him the car to drive. He felt uncomfortable in his Lexus.

The leader, often subject to misinterpretation, must be aware of the complexities of how different groups within the organization will interpret the same facial expression. The same "news" from the lips of the CEO, perceived differently than from another staff member. The same strategy may be understood differently - and the larger the organization, often the greater degree of confusing signals. The presidential debates suffer from these phenomena also, where the President remains the President and sometimes cannot answer the way he would wish because of things he knows, talks he is having with foreign leaders and the signals he would send.

What’s the answer to the magnifying of the leaders words, facial expressions and actions? The research suggests striving for consistency in the message: a simple clear message. Repeating the message and illustrating with memorable stories. Sounds like our Lord Jesus who told stories to illustrate his message Do you have a process to stay on message; to hone the message; and, keep to a disciplined walk with the Lord? Each will help you be consistent in the non-verbal messages - those messages that reflect your internal "peace."  Knowing that a CEO's behavior is magnified beyond it original intended purpose takes Wisdom and the internationality to be Spirit-directed in all workplace interactions.

Easier said than done. I know. Even as a young manager, I caused myself many problems because I was not aware of the impact I was having in a small group. I did not operate from a base of humility (where I looked for other's needs before my own.) CEOs have a far, far greater responsibility and the solution begins with the humility to recognize the same Lord that allowed everyone to hear Peter's preaching at Pentecost in their own language must govern the impact CEO's might have on staff and the team. Since God can do that, He certainly can manage our interactions with people  - if we allow Him.

We are called to be "fresh dew" on the lives we impact. Nourishment to the thirsty. Hope for the hopeless. We cannot do that if we are roaring.

Copyright (c) 2005 by P. Griffith Lindell