Just a Sliver of Light

Have you ever been sound asleep in a dark room, only to be startled awake when someone opened the curtains just a crack, allowing light to pour in? It’s surprising how much difference can be made by such a small sliver of light. That sliver is only mildly annoying when it disrupts your sleep. But the small sliver that can occur between leaders is a much bigger problem. I’m talking about those times when two leaders are not on the same page about important directional or personnel decisions. Even if their differences seem like just a “sliver,” the impact can be like the sunlight flooding the room in an unwanted way. These differences can occur between the first chair and a second chair, between two key second chair leaders, or between the first chair and the governing body. Regardless of who the players are, it’s a problem to guard against. Let me be very clear about what I am not saying. I am not suggesting that leaders should have the same perspective or opinion on every important decision. In fact, that kind of uniformity rarely serves an organization well. I expect leaders to disagree, sometimes vehemently, on important decisions. Debate within the team behind closed doors isn’t the problem. The problem occurs when the debate spills beyond the room. The person who grumbles about the decision to other colleagues may be “just venting,” but doing so creates an unhealthy sliver. So does an end run to the first chair to try to reverse the decision. Or a leader whose body language screams, “I’m not on board” when the decision is announced. Even if you think it’s a minor difference of opinion, others may hear it as a major schism. If you sit in a second chair role, raise your concerns when the doors are closed, and then lock arms with your colleagues when the decision is made. Don’t be the one “opening the curtains.” If you’re in the first chair role, allow room for the important debates. Sure this takes time, but involving other leaders in the decision brings the right light into a room. And every leader, regardless of their role, should be aware of how those seemingly small slivers can spread in damaging ways throughout an organization. It’s easy to receive my blogs by email. Just sign-up on Feedburner by clicking here.]]>