Mirror, Mirror, On The Wall

In my experience, there are two main reasons managers fail: hubris and working harder instead of smarter.

The paradox of becoming a manager is that we work very hard to get the promotion and once we are there, in order to succeed, we have to start working differently. Psychologically, it’s seems baffling. After the reward and positive reinforcement of a certain type of behavior, there is an unspoken request to adapt our behavior to the different requirements of the new role.

It helps to understand that the reward was not just for working hard but also for our work ethic. Service-orientation, a proactive approach and responsiveness are just a few of the qualities that, when combined with hard work, sometimes lead to managerial positions.

As managers, however, while we may work as many hours, or more, additional time and effort is required to accomplish our goals. As managers, we need to look at the bigger picture, understand how our efforts fit it and prioritize accordingly. We need to allocate time for thinking, for planning, and for motivating and supporting our peers and subordinates. We need to consult with and get input from our “superiors” (I refer to the Emersonian definition). We need to work smarter, not harder.

But here’s the catch. While we are working smarter, we might start to think we are smarter…

Just as hubris was the hallmark of Greek tragedy so too is it a primary cause of careers cut short in the corporate world. For some inexplicable reason, at a certain point in the managerial career path, individuals lose touch with their humble beginnings. Instead of continuing to relate to and take an interest in their fellow foot solders- the individuals who really know what’s happening- they begin to think they know enough on their own.

Jim Collins discussed this behavior in Good to Great. He refers to the “mirror vs. window” concept. His “Level 5 Leaders,” who are the elite of the elite, “look out the window” and credit external factors when things go well and “look in the mirror” to assume responsibility when things did not.

While I concur with Collins’s point, I’ve always frowned upon looking in the mirror.

Maybe because people who spend time adoring themselves in the mirror (yes, we’ve all seen these individuals at the gym and in elevators) are usually somewhat self-centered. David Lieberman’s book Instant Analysis says “it’s often not a case of simple vanity. You seek your own reflection because that is your only source of psychological nourishment… A low self-image often translates into a sense of diminished physical presence.”

Lieberman’s analysis fits well with Collins’s in that Collins’s reflection assigns accountability where Lieberman’s- and that of most self-gazers- reflects deflection. Those of us who are confident enjoy more time peering into the world and people around us than time gazing in the looking glass.

In today’s world, where the omnipresent handheld device is an extension of ourselves, we are prone to self-absorption. Our digital lives, devoid of nuances and human interaction, impair our ability to hear and see what is happening around us.

My motto and practice is to do as Darwin Smith, who headed Kimberly-Clark, is quoted as saying: “I never stopped trying to be qualified for the job.”

To All who aspire to inspire, and to All who wish to succeed in management- Follow Smith’s example because ultimately, inquiring “Mirror, Mirror on the Wall” will lead us to the same end as Snow White’s evil stepmother- demotion, disrepute and loss of our kingdom.