3 Fatal Leadership Myths
Wiping the eight hours of glorious sleep from my eyes, I peered out the bedroom window at the New Mexican sunshine. The birds eased me into a state of wakefulness as a swell of gratitude washed over my entire being.
“I get another day,” I sighed deeply, tossing the covers from my frame.
Life hadn’t always been this way.
As an owner in an admired global management consulting firm, I had enjoyed all the trappings of success any career-minded individual could conjure: a beautiful wife, two fantastic children, a luxury car, and a bursting bank account. I averaged four hours of sleep a night, pursued a master’s degree while battling a debilitating illness and traveled non-stop internationally for years. In my sleep-deprived mind, I proudly wore it as a badge of courage. Look at what I am willing to sacrifice to “have it made”, I thought. When I was young, I yearned to become a CEO, a goal I eventually reached. Lasering in on the bottom line, as many executives do, I finally hit rock bottom when my body gave out.
One day, at the age of 44, I found myself on my knees on the bathroom floor.
It took four years to recover from full cognitive failure and regular bouts of blindness. During that time, I was house-bound and unemployed. My wife and daughter were dealing with severe illnesses themselves. Eventually, my wife’s health spiraled downward. She departed this Earth just as my health was approaching a new form of recovery.
In pursuit of ambition, status, power and financial gain, I had paid a high price that nearly cost me everything. Through a series of steps, I began to reconstruct my life (and my non-functioning eyes and brain) to ensure I would live — and lead — in a sustainable fashion. No more autopilot. It was time to embrace an improved way of living through conscious leadership. Today I coach other executives to veer off the path of self-destruction that almost killed me. In addition, I am on the Board of several non-profits, including WeForest.org, a non-profit dedicated to reforestation efforts on three continents (Africa, Asia and South America).
I’ve learned that a conscious leader is someone who comes from a space of self-awareness, a clear purpose, presence, a solid mindset of accountability, creativity and a thriving community to support organizational, societal and environmental objectives. B-corps such as Patagonia and Yogi Tea represent the kind of organizations that are placing passion and purpose while making profit on the map. Back in the 1990s and early 2000s, my mindset was embedded in getting the job done at all costs. I did not realize that leadership and business could mean so much more than that.
The biggest mistake of my life, and those of many leaders, has been the belief that material success is the end goal, that it is worth putting yourself and your environment at risk. In business school, we are trained to focus on finance, risk management and marketing. The current corporate ecosystem rewards shareholder-oriented leaders, but this system is no longer sustainable. Leaders need a multi-stakeholder approach, which considers not only shareholders, but employees, customers, suppliers, the communities in which they operate and the environment. What historically has not been taught in business school is the importance of people first. After all, business is about the people.
Myth #1: Profit first, people last
In their drive to maximize profit, many business executives succumb to analyst pressure to hit their quarterly numbers without considering the organizational, social and environmental consequences of their actions. But that kind of corporate behavior is not only detrimental to the planet, it drives away top talent, leading to costly employee turnover. In a recent study commissioned by Imperative, which is run by Aaron Hurst, author of The Purpose Economy, the group discovered that 64% of those surveyed preferred fulfilling (making a difference, experiencing love and happiness) work over just engaging (being busy, active, challenged) work. According to a 2016 Gallup poll, Millennials are currently the least engaged generation in the workplace. Six out of ten are open to new job opportunities while 21% were found to have changed jobs within one year. Such employee turnover has been estimated to cost the US economy $30.5 billion annually.[1] The Millennial generation is touted as more socially and environmentally conscious, seeking a more purpose-driven work environment in which they feel appreciated, heard and seen. Nonetheless, people of all generations thrive in a space in which their contribution matters. Leaders need to align their organizational culture to match the talent at hand.
Myth #2: Self-care is selfish
Quite the opposite is true. Human beings are social animals. Whether we know it or not, people depend on us to be the best version of ourselves. We cannot deliver results when we are in a weakened state. Overworked, overcommitted and overwhelmed: at some point or another, we’re over it. I encourage leaders to engage in some form of contemplative practice, whether it is a walk through the woods, meditation or a mountain hike. Even getting involved in a hobby such as music, which enhances cognitive performance, or doodling, which improves memory, are productive ways to spend time offline. According to a San Francisco State University study published in 2014, people who engaged in a creative activity had 15 to 30 percent higher performance rankings. They were also more likely to apply creative solutions to job-related issues.[2]
Think of yourself as the greatest investment of your life. Because it is your life. Besides, unplugging boosts productivity. Conscious Leaders know when to hit the brakes and step away for some time of self-reflection.
Myth #3: Compassion is for sissies
Being a leader is, in some ways, comparable to being a parent. You are ultimately accountable for what happens in your organization, yet you cannot force your employees to do what you want. Using scare tactics may have short-term results, but innovation was never born out of fear. If you expect your employees to offer creative solutions, show them the respect they deserve by giving them a framework of freedom to explore new ideas. A compassionate leader will ultimately gain respect in return. Trust-building starts by trusting others. They know what they are doing and are able to get the help they need when they don’t.
Just around the time I was lifting out of the fog of illness in 2008, Bob Chapman, Chairman & CEO of the global manufacturing company Barry-Wehmiller, faced a grueling decision that put his commitment toward compassionate leadership to the test. Overnight his company lost 30% of their orders. To keep operations running, he needed to save $10 million, placing his employees’ pay at risk. Although the Board tried to talk him into lay-offs, he had another idea. He developed a furlough program in which every employee, including the CEO, was required to take four weeks of unpaid vacation. They were given the choice to take time off whenever they wanted and they did not have to take it consecutively. When he announced the company-wide program, his argument was that each of us suffering a little is a whole lot better than some of us suffering a lot. By creating an atmosphere of trust and cooperation, Bob witnessed an amazing phenomenon. Employees began trading with one another: those who could afford to take more unpaid leave traded with those who could not. Morale skyrocketed and, in the end, the company saved $20 million. It was a process that worked because it had a leader who put the people first. Who we are truly impacts how we lead.
Leadership can be a lonely undertaking. The lure of power, money and influence is real. I am grateful for the near-death experience I had as it was the radical shift I needed to see the bigger picture. On those days when I veer off the path of consciousness toward autopilot, I quickly remind myself the destination that road would take me. A brisk walk through the woods, an early bedtime and the increasing ability to say “no” keeps me happy, healthy and contributing. After all, to make mistakes is to be human. By making the conscious decision to show up every day as a 100% human being, we allow others the freedom — through our role modeling — to do the same. As Steve Farber claims in his new release, Love is Just Damn Good Business, compassion and love are the best currencies for long-standing success. The irony is that when we do things with purpose, compassion and care, the profit automatically follows. Conscious Leadership is the next step in our human evolution and a necessary component to shaping the business world toward its fullest potential.
Tom Eddington, author of the free ebook A Quick-Start Guide to Conscious Leadership, is the founder of Eddington Advisory Services. As creator of “The IMPACT Effect™: The New Model For Conscious Leadership,” and one of Silicon Valley’s top business advisors, he is committed to ushering change in the business world toward a new paradigm of conscious leadership that includes measurable social, environmental and economic impact.
[1] Adkins, A. (August 27, 2019). Millennials: The Job-Hopping Generation. Retrieved from https://www.gallup.com/workplace/236474/millennials-job-hopping-generation.aspx.
[2] Eschleman, K., Madsen , J., Alarcon, G., & Barelka, A. (n.d.). Benefiting from creative activity: The positive relationships between creative activity, recovery experiences, and performance‐related outcomes. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 87(3), 579–598. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/joop.12064.
