There is a legend often repeated about one of the great EVPs at a major investment company. Let’s call her Susan. At the end of a major client conference about five years ago, she announced to her staff of 150 or so that she would be moving on to an important management assignment, in charge of another division. She then thanked everyone for their help and ended the meeting.
That would be a fairly typical scene in a company known for re-organizing every six to nine months in response to market opportunities. Except for one thing. At the end of the meeting she was crowded with well-wishers. And there were reports that the crying and sobbing among so many employees was so pervasive, that it could be audibly heard for a full five minutes after the announcement. There was lots of hugging, tearing, face-wiping, and use of handkerchiefs. This is behavior unlike the culture of a very rational, buttoned-up investment company. What caused such loyalty and devotion on the one hand and such disappointment at this change?
I would suggest it is related to another phenomenon observed in Susan’s management style. In addition to being known for caring about people, mentoring people, advancing others’ careers, Susan was criticized for having an organization chart that no one outside her world could understand. It was like a jumble of power lines after a bad storm.
And I can’t help thinking that this is her genius.
She lives the principle outlined in all the research of Marcus Buckingham and the late Donald Clifton: manage toward people’s talents. In other words, give people things they love to do and excel at. And cut everything else out of their jobs. The result is a highly engaged, productive workforce. After all, it got Susan a great career advancement opportunity. But I would suggest it was the real reason so many employees were sad – Camelot was over. The next management team would be much more logical. Everybody would be able to make sense of the new org chart. And the employees’ days would once again be filled with a healthy dose of tasks which they dread.
Now my question to all managers – why not create Camelot wherever you go? And why not do what it takes to make it last?
