A Story

For two years following the collapse of the financial markets and the bankruptcy of many of our customers, we were under a lot of pressure. The workday was twenty hours every day. One day, one of our customers who had committed to extending their contract called to tell me that they now had to terminate it. We had enough bad news and this customer turning from an extension to a termination was not welcome. After I hung up the phone, I slammed my hand on my desk and threw a rubber baseball I kept in my office against the wall.

Two years later, after all the dust had settled, our company was out at an event and a long-time employee came over to me. She said she always had confidence that I would see us through. She did say, however, that the only time she felt like we weren’t going to make it was the day that I slammed my hand on the desk. We all felt, “If it is getting to you, it must be bad.”

“We WILL be there with you every step of the way.” 

You Have An Opportunity

In addition to a realization, it is an opportunity. At first, you may feel that with everyone watching, you are bound to screw up. Who wouldn’t when you are on the clock day and night. But having an audience also provides you with the chance to influence some very powerful and positive company behaviors. For example, people notice:

  • When you are the first to come to work
  • When you are the last to leave work
  • If you go to the end of the line when with employees to let them go first
  • If you admit you don’t know things
  • If you thank people for their candor (and mean it)
  • If you make fun of yourself
  • If you display kindness and empathy.

This stage provides you with a forum to have an impact on the culture of your company and the behaviors of others. If you have this perspective, you see your constant stage performance not as a problem but as an opportunity to lead by example.

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