The BBC, the British news giant, decided to undergo an experiment with their staff and employees where the company would have a news division -- an exciting development of the company. Though all staff members felt that they had given their best, management decided the division would have to close. To convey their apologies to the team. The BBC sent two different executives to deliver a speech to the employees. The first leader began his speech with how amazing their rivals were operating; and how he just had an amazing trip from Cannes. The news of the closure was upsetting, but the worst part of it all was the speech. It angered the employees so much that security had to escort the executive. This executive was too direct, blunt, and ego-centric in giving the news. The next day, the second leader came and visited the same staff. He spoke from the bottom of his heart about the purpose of journalism, the ever-changing society, and the calling that had drawn them to the field in the first place. He invoked passion and dedication into the staff members, and hoped that they could continue getting on with their careers.
The speeches made by both leaders were vastly different; the first leader demonstrated dissonance, whereas the other represented resonance. In musical terms dissonance describes an unpleasant, harsh sound. The first leader was giving unpleasant vibes, and overall angering the staff. It is unfortunate that many companies (mostly start-ups) still take on a dissonance leadership style with their employees.
Late last year, Better.com was the scene of mass media and negative business etiquette when they fired over 900 employees over a Zoom call to create a “leaner, meaner, hungrier workforce,” and also for “market efficiency.” And that’s just one example. Earlier this year, an Edtech firm in India laid off 30% of their team to “increase efficiencies and lengthen the company’s runway.” Though layoffs happen for financial reasons, it’s the way that leaders respond and inform others that their jobs are now gone. Hundreds of other examples can be found where poor communication and dissonance are eloquent. Quite recently, Shopify cancelled their internship program and laid off a few individuals. Sending an email is an efficient way, but is not the most resonant path.
Resonance is the “reinforcement or prolongation of sound by reflection.” It’s a positive attitude that creates a positive emotional environment, one where team members are motivated and inspired to work. Emotions play a significant role in the workplace; it can either repel or motivate team members to work effectively, creatively, and ambitiously. And that environment stems from a positive climate, which comes from a primal leader. When someone is laid off, a colleague passes away, or something upsetting happens at work, its important that you communicate it with your team in an appropriate manner where they are inspired to do something good.
Over the next series of posts, I will be summarizing the concepts from the Harvard Business Review’s Primal Leadership by Daniel Goleman. Follow me on LinkedIn or subscribe to my blog to attain the repertoire of a primal, resonant leader.
Note: All knowledge and ideas are attained from the book "Primal Leadership: Realizing the Power of Emotional Intelligence". This blog summarizes the content from the book, but may unintentionally contain the same wording.
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