CHARACTER FLAWS ADD UP
It's been said that "Great people talk about ideas......average people talk about themselves and small people talk about others.
The character flaw of Cynicism (as discussed last time) will create a negative atmosphere within an organization. When people work for a boss who is habitually critical or suspicious of new ideas, suggestions or people the group will be drained of positive energy. Lost opportunity and negative attitudes are the result of a cynical leader.
A manager with the character flaw of engaging in pettiness, will not only discourage the masses, but they will destroy their effectiveness and creditability. Being "petty" is to be small minded. Definition: typical of a small-minded person: marked by pettiness, narrowness, or meanness-conduct.
I know some very smart managers who appear unable to resist a very bad habit of talking about other people or about petty things. Years ago I worked with a CEO who was brilliant in marketing, sales and other disciplines of running a business, but who regularly engaged in gossipy, belittling comments about other managers. He seemed to take great joy in talking about his dislike of their personality, how they ran their departments or pointing out mistakes which he perceived as inadequate.
I know of a company where they call meetings to talk about someone they don't like and spend endless hours talking about petty issues. Most organizations have their gossips, but this company has taken it to a new level by encouraging people to talk about others. They have misplaced an "open door" policy with a habit of talking about any body at any time and give it legitimacy if it serves their purpose. They have created a culture of gossip in a formal way in the guise of seeking information. It has become so pervasive, it is now impossible to distinguish what is truth. Part of the damage for this group is they have replaced "brain storming" with "blame storming" sessions.
Families, Churches and groups which should embody "togetherness", are torn apart by petty issues and talking about others.
Why do people engage in pettiness?
1) Insecurity of their own abilities. If they can get you looking at someone else's short comings you will not see theirs or see the truth. Example: Look at government leaders who belittle people who disagree with their policies.
2) CYA activities are great reasons for people to behave in a small minded manner.
3) Immaturity...plain and simple.
4) People love "dirt" and some people love the attention received by providing that dirt.
5) People prefer to deal with insignificant petty problems because they are easier to deal with than the tough issues facing the group.
The character flaw of Cynicism (as discussed last time) will create a negative atmosphere within an organization. When people work for a boss who is habitually critical or suspicious of new ideas, suggestions or people the group will be drained of positive energy. Lost opportunity and negative attitudes are the result of a cynical leader.
A manager with the character flaw of engaging in pettiness, will not only discourage the masses, but they will destroy their effectiveness and creditability. Being "petty" is to be small minded. Definition: typical of a small-minded person: marked by pettiness, narrowness, or meanness-conduct.
I know some very smart managers who appear unable to resist a very bad habit of talking about other people or about petty things. Years ago I worked with a CEO who was brilliant in marketing, sales and other disciplines of running a business, but who regularly engaged in gossipy, belittling comments about other managers. He seemed to take great joy in talking about his dislike of their personality, how they ran their departments or pointing out mistakes which he perceived as inadequate.
I know of a company where they call meetings to talk about someone they don't like and spend endless hours talking about petty issues. Most organizations have their gossips, but this company has taken it to a new level by encouraging people to talk about others. They have misplaced an "open door" policy with a habit of talking about any body at any time and give it legitimacy if it serves their purpose. They have created a culture of gossip in a formal way in the guise of seeking information. It has become so pervasive, it is now impossible to distinguish what is truth. Part of the damage for this group is they have replaced "brain storming" with "blame storming" sessions.
Families, Churches and groups which should embody "togetherness", are torn apart by petty issues and talking about others.
Why do people engage in pettiness?
1) Insecurity of their own abilities. If they can get you looking at someone else's short comings you will not see theirs or see the truth. Example: Look at government leaders who belittle people who disagree with their policies.
2) CYA activities are great reasons for people to behave in a small minded manner.
3) Immaturity...plain and simple.
4) People love "dirt" and some people love the attention received by providing that dirt.
5) People prefer to deal with insignificant petty problems because they are easier to deal with than the tough issues facing the group.
What will happen when a leader or manager allows this behavior?
* They will lose respect and credibility.
* The organization will be paralyzed away from growth and improvement because of distrust of others.
* Communication will be shut down because individuals will fear that what they might say will, in some weird way, come back to haunt them.
* Divisions between departments and individuals will form, walls of discontent will be built.
* Companies will find people fighting against each other rather than fighting the real enemy i.e. the competition.
* You might find your self with legal problems.
Business is hard, and it's getting harder everyday! The last thing you should be doing is spending your valuable time dealing with pettiness. How do you stop it? There is a way, but the answer is to long for this blog. I'll be glad to show you the way if pettiness and or gossip is a problem in your firm. But at the very least, make certain you don't engage in the silly, unproductive, destructive activity of pettiness and gossip.
* They will lose respect and credibility.
* The organization will be paralyzed away from growth and improvement because of distrust of others.
* Communication will be shut down because individuals will fear that what they might say will, in some weird way, come back to haunt them.
* Divisions between departments and individuals will form, walls of discontent will be built.
* Companies will find people fighting against each other rather than fighting the real enemy i.e. the competition.
* You might find your self with legal problems.
Business is hard, and it's getting harder everyday! The last thing you should be doing is spending your valuable time dealing with pettiness. How do you stop it? There is a way, but the answer is to long for this blog. I'll be glad to show you the way if pettiness and or gossip is a problem in your firm. But at the very least, make certain you don't engage in the silly, unproductive, destructive activity of pettiness and gossip.
posted by Bill at
1:26 PM
1 Comments:
Dear Mr Lewis,
I think that is the case in a lot of the companies here in my country. People are so much worried about others, talking about
success or failure of others more than their own. They are finding mistakes in others, not trying to fix theirs. If managers are so much occupied with talking about the others, I think that they in fact will not have time for developing themselves and their employees. They will not have opportunity to meet customers' needs and wants or losing great ideas that could come to their mind. They think that doing nothing, and waiting for the things to be fixed with no taking any action will lead to success. That is more than impossible.
Instead of wasting precious time on minding others business gossiping as the way of providing information, they should maybe pay more attention on competitive intelligence which is nowadays so important.
I have read one interesting quote which says:
“Above all, remember that the most important thing you can take anywhere is not a Gucci bag or French-cut jeans; it's an open mind.”
Kind regards from Montenegro!
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