Erich and I were discussing the next course. The original title was "Ethical and Effective Management". Erich said he thought it could be simplified, that when he found himself talking about issues and decision-making in the Introduction to Ethical Issues on Indian Reservations course that it all came down to two, Honesty and Courage. He is thinking of changing the name of the next course to Honest and Courageous Leadership.
Well, he may be correct in that Honesty and Courage are all that is necessary for ethical management, but a think a third one of those traditional values is definitely necessary for effective management, that is, fortitude.
According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, fortitude is
- strength of mind that enables a person to encounter danger or bear pain or adversity with courage.
It is also called perseverance
- the act of persisting in a state, enterprise, or undertaking in spite of counterinfluences, opposition, or discouragement
Involved with boards for too many years, I can tell you that effective management requires a lot of fortitude. It is an old-fashioned word, but now that I have read the dictionary definition, I am pretty fond of it. For example, when someone asked how travel funds were spent for one board of which I was the president, I wrote a response saying that although previous presidents had a travel budget, I had paid for all of my own travel, and, in fact, the only reimbursement I had ever received was for others who could not afford to travel or even pay up front and get reimbursed. So, I had paid for some other people, and submitted the receipts and gotten reimbursed. Do you think I received a letter back thanking me for my dedication and service to the organization and applauding my generosity in helping others?
If you believe that, you probably also think the letter was delivered by a unicorn.
No, in fact, the response I received stated said that I was obviously defensive since I felt the need to respond. Of course, if I hadn't responded, the same person would have said I refused to answer the questions about board travel funds.
So, what did I do? Did I quit in disgust because my work is so unappreciated? I thought about that for about four-tenths of one second. Then, I went into the kitchen and made some tea.
I have seen board members respond to such situations in a range of ways, from bursting into tears to screaming obscenities. More often, though, managers and leaders just experience burn out.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary is just my best friend today. It defines burn out as
exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration.
I have seen this happen to too many highly ethical people, the "Susie Saintes" of the world. They are working hard, sacrificing time with their families, leisure time, spending their own money or working at jobs that pay far less than they could make in the private sector. Rather than appreciation, they are faced with self-serving individuals who demand undeserved promotions, have chronic absenteeism or are unqualified for their positions. When standing up to those individuals, they face threats of being fired or losing an election from the "Tribal Joes" themselves as well as their friends and relatives.
How can we have ethical and EFFECTIVE managers, who have the strength to carry on even when they are attacked for their honesty and courage?
Maintaining fortitude - what managers can do for themselves
1. A sense of humor - Back when we were dating, my late husband worked for a huge corporation. He had a good-paying job in management when he found out that the company was illegally overcharging the federal government for work. When he went to the vice-president and presented his findings, he was told to shut up and mind his own business. Ron took off his company badge, threw it in the vice-president's face and walked out. Did he receive the respect of his peers for this? No, because company executives spread a rumor that he had been fired for drug sales, that he had made hundreds of thousands of dollars dealing cocaine and had a Porsche in his garage. He was quite upset when he told me about it. I started laughing, looking out in the driveway where our cars were parked. I said,
"Okay, I can forgive you for not telling me about the drug dealing, the money and the Porsche, but how come you never told me we had a garage?"
He started laughing, too, as he realized how crazy it all was. I have had just about every comment imaginable said about me, including a rumor that circulates every few years that I am a lesbian, a rumor that is always greeted with bewilderment by my four children and my current (and third) husband.
2. Keep a long-term view : You have probably had plenty of good days in your life, this one is just a bump in the road. As for Ron, he had a new job within the week, where he was very happy and stayed for years. The vice-president ended up going to jail for embezzlement, along with a couple of other top executives at the company. In my experience, the ethical people have happier, more successful lives over the long run. More days than not, I wake up and think what a great life I have. My husband brings me a cup of hot coffee, I have a day ahead of me working on challenging projects with interesting people. If you focus on the long-term, you will realize that the latest "tribal joe" is just a small part of your life.
3. Don't take opposition personally - No, it is NOT you. The same people who are trying to cut corners, to badger you into giving them undeserved positions, to waive policies for them and are attacking you when you have the courage and honesty to stand up to them, would be doing the same to whoever came before you and whoever comes after you. Whatever you do, don't give in to the naysayers, the complainers, the chiselers. Yes, it is hard to stand up to what may seem like a constant barrage of criticism, that's where the perseverance and fortitude comes in. Keep in mind all of the other people who do appreciate what you are doing.
NEXT TIME: Maintaining fortitude - what managers can do for one another, and - Maintaining fortitude: creating a system to support ethical and effective managers
Well, he may be correct in that Honesty and Courage are all that is necessary for ethical management, but a think a third one of those traditional values is definitely necessary for effective management, that is, fortitude.
According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, fortitude is
- strength of mind that enables a person to encounter danger or bear pain or adversity with courage.
It is also called perseverance
- the act of persisting in a state, enterprise, or undertaking in spite of counterinfluences, opposition, or discouragement
Involved with boards for too many years, I can tell you that effective management requires a lot of fortitude. It is an old-fashioned word, but now that I have read the dictionary definition, I am pretty fond of it. For example, when someone asked how travel funds were spent for one board of which I was the president, I wrote a response saying that although previous presidents had a travel budget, I had paid for all of my own travel, and, in fact, the only reimbursement I had ever received was for others who could not afford to travel or even pay up front and get reimbursed. So, I had paid for some other people, and submitted the receipts and gotten reimbursed. Do you think I received a letter back thanking me for my dedication and service to the organization and applauding my generosity in helping others?
If you believe that, you probably also think the letter was delivered by a unicorn.
No, in fact, the response I received stated said that I was obviously defensive since I felt the need to respond. Of course, if I hadn't responded, the same person would have said I refused to answer the questions about board travel funds.
So, what did I do? Did I quit in disgust because my work is so unappreciated? I thought about that for about four-tenths of one second. Then, I went into the kitchen and made some tea.
I have seen board members respond to such situations in a range of ways, from bursting into tears to screaming obscenities. More often, though, managers and leaders just experience burn out.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary is just my best friend today. It defines burn out as
exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration.
I have seen this happen to too many highly ethical people, the "Susie Saintes" of the world. They are working hard, sacrificing time with their families, leisure time, spending their own money or working at jobs that pay far less than they could make in the private sector. Rather than appreciation, they are faced with self-serving individuals who demand undeserved promotions, have chronic absenteeism or are unqualified for their positions. When standing up to those individuals, they face threats of being fired or losing an election from the "Tribal Joes" themselves as well as their friends and relatives.
How can we have ethical and EFFECTIVE managers, who have the strength to carry on even when they are attacked for their honesty and courage?
Maintaining fortitude - what managers can do for themselves
1. A sense of humor - Back when we were dating, my late husband worked for a huge corporation. He had a good-paying job in management when he found out that the company was illegally overcharging the federal government for work. When he went to the vice-president and presented his findings, he was told to shut up and mind his own business. Ron took off his company badge, threw it in the vice-president's face and walked out. Did he receive the respect of his peers for this? No, because company executives spread a rumor that he had been fired for drug sales, that he had made hundreds of thousands of dollars dealing cocaine and had a Porsche in his garage. He was quite upset when he told me about it. I started laughing, looking out in the driveway where our cars were parked. I said,
"Okay, I can forgive you for not telling me about the drug dealing, the money and the Porsche, but how come you never told me we had a garage?"
He started laughing, too, as he realized how crazy it all was. I have had just about every comment imaginable said about me, including a rumor that circulates every few years that I am a lesbian, a rumor that is always greeted with bewilderment by my four children and my current (and third) husband.
2. Keep a long-term view : You have probably had plenty of good days in your life, this one is just a bump in the road. As for Ron, he had a new job within the week, where he was very happy and stayed for years. The vice-president ended up going to jail for embezzlement, along with a couple of other top executives at the company. In my experience, the ethical people have happier, more successful lives over the long run. More days than not, I wake up and think what a great life I have. My husband brings me a cup of hot coffee, I have a day ahead of me working on challenging projects with interesting people. If you focus on the long-term, you will realize that the latest "tribal joe" is just a small part of your life.
3. Don't take opposition personally - No, it is NOT you. The same people who are trying to cut corners, to badger you into giving them undeserved positions, to waive policies for them and are attacking you when you have the courage and honesty to stand up to them, would be doing the same to whoever came before you and whoever comes after you. Whatever you do, don't give in to the naysayers, the complainers, the chiselers. Yes, it is hard to stand up to what may seem like a constant barrage of criticism, that's where the perseverance and fortitude comes in. Keep in mind all of the other people who do appreciate what you are doing.
NEXT TIME: Maintaining fortitude - what managers can do for one another, and - Maintaining fortitude: creating a system to support ethical and effective managers
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