14 April Alfred Sloan's Management Style (...'friendships'...)

[Paul Terlemezian]

Drucker's assertion with Sloan as an example is that leaders must focus on performance and character not on personality.

 

As humans we have friends and with our friends there is usually some sort of mesh between our personalities (not always a healthy mesh.)

 

In the business world we have such an obsession with performance that I wonder if it causes us to be lenient with our focus on character. Do we allow personality to influence this leniency? Does personality influence our response to performance as well?

 

What do we teach and model as leaders in the training world?

 

To some friendship may imply the creation of political capital to be spent during times of character lapse.

To others friendship may strengthen character as we seek to bring honor to those that know us.

 

Much of this may be based on our upbringing and perhaps our culture.

 

Does the company's "friendship" with employees mean that the employees must cover up poor character attributes of the employer (e.g. deceptive pricing practices - "the fine print?")

 

What role does the corporate training department play in shaping the character of the company and the expected response by the employees to company character lapses?

 

 

[Paul Terlemezian]

"Loneliness, distance and formality may be contrary to the leader's temperament - but they are the duty." Is this still true in this era of social interaction? Who bears the responsibility to be sure boundaries are respected?

If we are leaders within our roles in the training organization then how can we respect loneliness, distance and formality while assuring relevance - and level 1 Kirkpatrick?