I’ve been in many boardrooms or executive meetings
in the past. I always find it
interesting to see the dynamics at play.
People jockey for positions nearer the CEO, or sometimes nearer the
corner, depending upon their level of comfort.
Some will remove suit jackets while others adjust their ties. And then
there is the posture of the CEO. If he
is tall – and statistics show that it is almost always a ‘he’ and he is almost
always over 6’ tall - he simply stands to look down at those around the
table. If he is shorter, he will plant
his feet wider than this shoulders and invariably cross his arms.
We are seeing body language in its’ purest form; the
deliberate intent to intimidate and control without saying a word. It has been this way for decades and is a
remnant of the old ‘commander in chief’ style of management.
But changes are afoot. Not only are genders changing but so too are
skin colours and ethnicities. Obviously
the changes are too slow and late in happening, but they are coming and this
means that many of the white males at the table need to go back to school for
an executive lesson in the new ways of unspoken communication.
Women clearly lead in a different manner. But
equally true are the cultural differences brought by the new faces at the table
that represent cultures newer to the west. These groups do not come with the
same agendas that often dominated in the past.
And many times these people have had to fight through the prejudices of
these agendas and thus have a different perspective that needs to be heard.
To lead in today’s boardroom you must understand and
appreciate and accept that yesterday’s language simply doesn’t work. Those who persist in this antiquated style
are generally hiding personal incompetence’s and/or fears and do more harm than
good in advancing a company’s objectives.
Sometimes it is simply a matter of ignorance. In those cases, education is remedy. More often it is a matter of arrogance, and
there is little that education can do in those situations.
Regardless, it is the responsibility of the leader
to change; not the style or expectations of those new to the table. Take a hard look in the mirror and decide
what you need to do to remain effective and relevant. Help is there for the
willing. The door is there for the
reluctant.
