Sewitch Etcetera Corporation

Dear Stan,

I’m working with someone who is deeply concerned about their public reputation. If they are not allowed to lead a project, and it includes the opportunity for public notice, they will object to our strategies and tactics citing thinly constructed business reasons.  But the underlying motive is really about how much attention they receive in the business community.  Why do people have such big egos?  What can a co-worker or even a boss do about it?

Signed,

Trying to Pop Their Bubble

Dear Pop,

You don’t ask easy questions.

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I’ve often said that there’s no substitute for a leader’s judgement.  There are no models, tools, recipes, slogans, symbols, books or charismatic “thought leaders” who can supplant the role of a leader who has hard-won experience and is able to apply thoughtful commitment to making the right decisions in leading others.  It is no different in the arena of rewards and recognition.

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In the shuttle bus to the airport, Veronica, Mike and I shared our nostalgia from decades past.  Do you remember rotary dial telephones that had a hard wire to the wall, typically no more than a few feet long?  You had to sit or stand right next to the phone to talk to someone.  For a seven digit telephone number, it could take up to thirty seconds to dial, particularly if they were all high numbers.  The rotary return took longer to unwind than winding it, and you couldn’t force it to move faster.  SsshuNK, clicka-clicka-clicka-clicka.  SssshuNK, clicka-clicka-clicka.  Etcetera.

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