| p>Some leaders use debate and discussion as a | | | | Let me be straight: these are not (necessarily) |
| way to frame their thoughts and opinions. To find | | | | bad leaders - they just suffer from a 'talking to |
| out what they really think about a problem or | | | | think' Tourette's syndrome that can be cured. |
| issue, they will often set up a straw man - usually | | | | Here's how: |
| a stance directly opposite to that with which they | | | | 1. Show them the collateral damage |
| have been presented - then challenge others to | | | | Most visionary leaders think that everyone else is |
| push back with their thoughts and opinions. | | | | just as flexible, open-minded and capable of |
| Eventually, out of this (often heated) discussion, | | | | dealing with ambiguity and contradiction as they |
| the theory is, a 'true' and 'tested' consensus will | | | | are. Hence, they don't really understand the |
| emerge, honed and strengthened by the rigorous | | | | damage they cause when they spray the |
| debate. | | | | workplace with their carpet bombs. |
| All well and good - and if used properly, very | | | | Make a list of half a dozen specific instances |
| powerful. At least, that's how it starts out. | | | | where people have been worried or confused, or |
| Unfortunately, over time, the Visionary leader's | | | | better yet made bad business decisions as a |
| habit of 'talking to think' very often degenerates | | | | result of misinterpreting 'talking to think' as gospel |
| into a tic or identifying characteristic, and | | | | (choose examples that aren't going to kill anyone's |
| becomes less of a useful tool than an irritating | | | | career). Have a quiet, unemotional, fact-based |
| source of confusion to others. | | | | discussion with the bomber pilot - sorry, Visionary |
| This happens if and when the leader loses sight of | | | | leader - and show them the real effect of their |
| the most important part of 'talking to think': | | | | actions. Enlist the help of others to back up your |
| involving others in the talking part. Whether | | | | case with their own examples. The goal should be |
| because they grow to like the sound of their own | | | | to have a discussion that isn't confrontational or |
| voice, or because they like to combine 'talking to | | | | causes anyone to get defensive. |
| think' with manipulating their team, or simply | | | | 2. Get them an outlet |
| because they surround themselves with weak | | | | Visionary leaders need to talk to think, so it's |
| people, eventually, what were once vibrant | | | | unrealistic (and wrong) to expect them to stop. |
| discussions descend into monologs - rambling, | | | | What you need to do is help them find a suitable |
| self-contradictory, seemingly schizophrenic | | | | forum for doing so. Encourage them to hire an |
| monologs at that. | | | | executive coach (this is one of the very few |
| This is bad enough in itself - who wants to hear | | | | genuinely good reasons for doing so), join an |
| their leader sound like King Lear on a bad night? - | | | | organization like Vistage,* or put together their |
| but it's positively dangerous to the growth of the | | | | own mastermind group. |
| organization when it is left unchecked. Eventually, | | | | 3. Set internal boundaries |
| subconsciously aware that he or she has lost the | | | | Just like it's icky when Daddy dumps his criticisms |
| interest of their immediate audience (their direct | | | | about Mom on to the kids, your visionary leader |
| reports), the | | | | needs to see the inappropriateness of |
| Visionary-leader-who-needs-to-talk-to-think begins | | | | over-sharing willy-nilly in the organization. Agree |
| to prowl the corridors, reaching down and across | | | | broad outlines of where, when and with who |
| the org chart to find someone before whom they | | | | 'talking to think' can happen internally, and ask for |
| can muse. Corridor discussions, ad-hoc 'chats', | | | | permission to hold him or her accountable to |
| 'phone calls out of the blue, lengthy emails to | | | | those guidelines. |
| surprised subordinates, hi-jacked meetings all play | | | | 4. Restore healthy debate. |
| their part in helping scratch the itch of 'talking to | | | | The biggest shame of the degeneration of 'talking |
| think'. | | | | to think' is the loss of healthy debate at a senior |
| I needn't write a paragraph explaining what | | | | level in the organization. To restore this, set |
| happens next - you've either experienced first | | | | specific, agreed times aside for brainstorm / |
| hand, or you can imagine, the havoc wreaked | | | | blue-sky / bull sessions - whatever you want to |
| when the Visionary leader's little time bombs of | | | | call them - involving your Visionary leader, in which |
| musings start to explode throughout the | | | | you and your peers commit to full engagement, |
| organization... | | | | and your leader commits to avoiding anything that |
| Boom!...He said what...? | | | | sounds like a monolog (these sessions can be part |
| Boom!...We're doing that...? | | | | of your regular management meetings if you |
| Boom!...She can't be serious...! | | | | wish, but don't let them take over the whole |
| Boom!...That's not what he said to me... | | | | agenda). |
| Boom!...That doesn't make sense... | | | | * I'm not a member of Vistage, so I can't |
| Boom!...That's not what we decided last week... | | | | personally recommend it - but a number of |
| Boom!...So that's our policy now...? | | | | people I respect have said they found it a helpful |
| Boom!...When did we agree to that...? | | | | forum. |
| ...you get the idea. | | | | |