Backfire Leadership 101
As written in my to-go files 10 days ago...
Recent media stories depict traffic jam images about the New Jersey bridge closure fiasco now revealed apparently only for political reasons. Jimmy Fallon and Bruce Springsteen even performed an excellent spoof song on Jimmy's show.
Some staffers high up in the Christie organization took it upon themselves, we are told, to close a key commuter bridge as a form of revenge against some who did not support their candidate. The governor held a press conference that wouldn't stop while making brash statements. He claimed he had nothing to do with what had happened and terminated the two people who had gone behind his back. He apologized and took full blame since they worked for him. He stated he was embarrassed, humiliated and hurt by the betrayal.
I'm sure this story will continue to grow legs like a caterpillar, but let's just take it at face value. The leader trusted his team. He had a trusted inner circle that he had been transparent with and personally enjoyed. A few of them took it upon themselves to break that trust. While the governor is taking swift steps to correct the problem, his hurt cannot diffuse as easily.
When you are in a position to run something big that impacts a number of people, you cannot do it on your own. You know you need people on your team with a variety of gifts and skills to execute vision. You need a shared goal. And above all else, you need to be able to trust each team member unconditionally. For over 15 years, while I have not been in politics, I have been in positions to develop teams that impact communities and have relied heavily on trust.
That being said, I also understand the sting when someone you brought into your inner circle - your armpit - your heart - even introduced to your loved ones - someone you invested time with - proves your trust wrong. What a gut punch. Don't you hate to be wrong, especially about people? Cuz that means you missed noticing sheep turning into wolves.
Here's personal commentary about that kind of hurt whether or not you care about Chris Christie or anyone else. Here come voices from another betrayed leader who has had to "get over it" and "move on" several times, thank you very much for the "love".
1. My heart is broken because I believed we were on the same team and that you supported me. Then you disappeared.
2. I confided, trained or invested in you because I thought you had a future on our team and for our mutual cause or were even my superior.
3. When people came and talked about you to me, I defended you and believed in your best rather than their worst.
4. I depended on you for your area of strengths that supported my areas of weakness, of which you were well aware.
5. I invested in you and your family personally in many ways, because we were a team. Then you disappeared.
One of my career strengths is team building. That's why my ears perked up about Governor Chris Christie's team problems. The couple of times I have read the tea leaves wrong has caused reverberating repercussions for our family because of subjective actions by once trusted and smug ex-team members. Trust revealed to be unworthy.
Yes, I understand Christie's plight. When you have the passion to do big things - in whatever venue - you need a team you can trust. You expose yourself and risk betrayal but your passion carries you forward. When you are gob-smacked, it truly knocks you down.
To all the leaders who have been blindsided by supposed inner circle members: Shrug. Then shrug again. And again if necessary and certainly always prayerfully. They didn't "win" and if they have dared not to come back and apologize, their souls are tainted. Pray for that. You? You step forward and create a new path and keep being genuine, but perhaps more guarded from now on. But do not ever step away from being the mouthpiece for your passion.
Recent media stories depict traffic jam images about the New Jersey bridge closure fiasco now revealed apparently only for political reasons. Jimmy Fallon and Bruce Springsteen even performed an excellent spoof song on Jimmy's show.
Some staffers high up in the Christie organization took it upon themselves, we are told, to close a key commuter bridge as a form of revenge against some who did not support their candidate. The governor held a press conference that wouldn't stop while making brash statements. He claimed he had nothing to do with what had happened and terminated the two people who had gone behind his back. He apologized and took full blame since they worked for him. He stated he was embarrassed, humiliated and hurt by the betrayal.
I'm sure this story will continue to grow legs like a caterpillar, but let's just take it at face value. The leader trusted his team. He had a trusted inner circle that he had been transparent with and personally enjoyed. A few of them took it upon themselves to break that trust. While the governor is taking swift steps to correct the problem, his hurt cannot diffuse as easily.
When you are in a position to run something big that impacts a number of people, you cannot do it on your own. You know you need people on your team with a variety of gifts and skills to execute vision. You need a shared goal. And above all else, you need to be able to trust each team member unconditionally. For over 15 years, while I have not been in politics, I have been in positions to develop teams that impact communities and have relied heavily on trust.
That being said, I also understand the sting when someone you brought into your inner circle - your armpit - your heart - even introduced to your loved ones - someone you invested time with - proves your trust wrong. What a gut punch. Don't you hate to be wrong, especially about people? Cuz that means you missed noticing sheep turning into wolves.
Here's personal commentary about that kind of hurt whether or not you care about Chris Christie or anyone else. Here come voices from another betrayed leader who has had to "get over it" and "move on" several times, thank you very much for the "love".
1. My heart is broken because I believed we were on the same team and that you supported me. Then you disappeared.
2. I confided, trained or invested in you because I thought you had a future on our team and for our mutual cause or were even my superior.
3. When people came and talked about you to me, I defended you and believed in your best rather than their worst.
4. I depended on you for your area of strengths that supported my areas of weakness, of which you were well aware.
5. I invested in you and your family personally in many ways, because we were a team. Then you disappeared.
One of my career strengths is team building. That's why my ears perked up about Governor Chris Christie's team problems. The couple of times I have read the tea leaves wrong has caused reverberating repercussions for our family because of subjective actions by once trusted and smug ex-team members. Trust revealed to be unworthy.
Yes, I understand Christie's plight. When you have the passion to do big things - in whatever venue - you need a team you can trust. You expose yourself and risk betrayal but your passion carries you forward. When you are gob-smacked, it truly knocks you down.
To all the leaders who have been blindsided by supposed inner circle members: Shrug. Then shrug again. And again if necessary and certainly always prayerfully. They didn't "win" and if they have dared not to come back and apologize, their souls are tainted. Pray for that. You? You step forward and create a new path and keep being genuine, but perhaps more guarded from now on. But do not ever step away from being the mouthpiece for your passion.
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