Delivering bad news
Persian messengers had a tough job. When they conveyed the good news of victory they got rewarded lavishly, and when they delivered bad news they got killed. People are aware of the consequences of being the Persian messengers in the workplace. They stay silent about bad news fearing reprimand or consequences. As a result, leaders are kept in the dark. Munger took a different stand. He asked his team to deliver bad news fast. He believed bad news gets handled better at the earliest. Does your team feel comfortable sharing bad news with you?
“People knew that it was bad for the messenger to bring Bill Paley things he didn’t want to hear. Well that means that the leader gets in a cocoon of unreality, and this is a great big enterprise, and boy, did he make some dumb decisions in the last 20 years” – Charlie Munger, The Psychology of Human Misjudgment
Vulnerability loop
In a process lab, I experienced how the vulnerability loop plays out in group relations. A vulnerability loop happens when
a) there is a safe space
b) when one member opens up about their pain, fears, or struggles
c) when others respond positively to the member’s vulnerability
When there is a vulnerability loop, the individuals have to drop off their masks and the group sees reality and speaks their truth. It results in a deeper connection and cohesiveness within the group.
“Vulnerability is the birthplace of connection and the path to the feeling of worthiness.” – Berne Brown
Reverse signoff
Stakeholder management comes with a different set of challenges. One of them is the pace at which people share information, give time, or respond to our queries. In a past project, I faced a similar difficulty where I did not get the needed response and it seemed I was eternally waiting for the input. My previous manager suggested getting a reverse signoff. He asked me to share a date and time when I will be closing the thread with whatever I have. I was initially skeptical but it worked well. I realized people respond to deadlines more than requests.
“I’ve learned over decades of building that a deadline is a potent tool for problem-solving.” – Adam Savage