The Power Playbook’s Rose Herceg reports from whichever city she finds herself in about the stories she sees and hears (or overhears) in boardrooms, business lunches and dinners across Australia (and sometimes the world).
Time: 4pm
Place: Board meeting Sydney
Players: Senior management, board members and the chairman
The scene: Senior managers come in one at a time to report their numbers and results to the board. One of the managers has bad results to report and uses the opportunity to blame the board for a lack of strategic vision and guidance. She has a complete meltdown in front of the board. The truth is, she’s right: but it’s neither the time nor place to let them know.
Power play do-over? (If this woman could turn back the clock and have that moment again)
There are two separate issues at play here: the poor results and then the feedback on the board’s performance.
The conversation should go something like this:
“My division’s results are not great. Here’s what’s happened and let’s talk about why. On a separate note (and not taking focus away from the poor results) I hope you can give me the opportunity to give this board some feedback as one of your senior managers. I am happy to do this now or we can schedule it when you think it is most appropriate…”
It’s calm and doesn’t attach blame to the board. Very powerful too.
Next week we observe a drunken sexual advance…