Page 61 - Roy W. Rice - CEO Material How to Be a Leader in Any Organization-McGraw-Hill (2009)

42 • CEO Material: How to Be a Leader in Any Organization

team. And finally, do not be afraid of bullies; by doing so, you only
encourage and empower them.
Nothing will dumb down an organization like someone trying to stir
up politics; you’ve got to fight against a world of B.S.
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Deal around, not with, business bullies. Play politics with playing
politics.

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Business is not a love-in democracy. Not everyone thinks the sun
shines out of you—particularly your rivals.

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I read what somebody wrote in a company blog about me: “I’d rather
have a sister working in a whorehouse than be kin to [CEO’s name].”
It made me laugh, that’s all.

You are being watched from above and below in how you handle
the “managerial drive-by shooting,” as one put it. When, for example, a
coworker takes credit for your ideas, agrees to your face but turns the
opposite behind your back, speaks critically about you to others and gen-
erally makes your life unpleasant—take the perspective that it’s an oppor-
tunity to learn, help you grow, pass a test, and make you stronger.
With minor issues, register it, but let it go. Remember, people are
seldom out to “get you,” but they are out to “protect” themselves, and if
you’re in the way, you might get stepped on. (You should feel proud that
they think you are such a competitive threat that they choose to attack
you in this manner.)
Do your homework to understand the facts of the situation. Watch
how the person deals with others to check if it’s just you or that he or she
treats others the same. Talk to the person in private about your grievance.
Tell the person what you’ve seen and heard, let the person give his or her
side, and then state what you expect to have happen to clear it up.
Give the person a set amount of time to correct the situation and
change his or her ways. If it isn’t cleared up per your agreement, there is
no alternative: You must deal publicly with the boor and intimidator. In