Courage in Business: A How-To Guide
7 January 2011
Read by 1611 persons
It takes guts to resist your management, especially during a crisis. But if done with tact and skill, this high-risk exercise can pay off.
Summer 2009. Workers at the French subsidiary of Nortel threatened to shut down their factory. The image made headlines. Michel Clément, who then ran the company, scrambled to salvage what he could. But the Canadian telecoms equipment manufacturer remained firm: it wanted to sell quickly and leave the country. The order was given to the French CEO to "make the company look good" by cutting jobs.
Michel Clément refused. At the risk of being fired himself. "I didn't think in terms of career plans," he says today. "I did what seemed right, and I took responsibility." When many of his colleagues decided to leave, he stayed. He even volunteered to the buyer, the Austrian group Kapsch, to continue the adventure. With his wife's approval. "Her green light was essential: it reassured me in my choice," he concludes.
Parental Schema
Saying no to your bosses, no matter the cost, is a challenge. Even more so during a crisis. "In the current job market context, it's a real test of courage," says coach François Enius. But on closer inspection, the game can be worth the candle. As Jean-Paul Lugan, co-author of "Managing with Courage" (Eyrolles), notes, "the company reproduces the parental schema."
Opposing your boss, a figure of authority, would therefore be like confronting your father. Those who dare to "kill the father" are a rare and precious species. "The company needs lucid people: it has an interest in hiring employees who are neither resigned nor submissive. Yes-men who obey inept orders without protesting do not serve it," says Alain Pichon, doctor of sociology and author of "Executives Under Pressure" (PUF). A manager who has the courage to stand up to his hierarchy, provided he is convinced that it is wrong, can gain respect and credibility. But it is necessary to act with caution and discernment.
Before taking a stand, assess the situation by asking yourself several key questions: is the context favorable? Do I have a chance of being heard by my boss? What do I risk? "To counter a decision that comes from above, you must have assets up your sleeve: expertise, status or irrefutable arguments," explains coach Jean-Paul Lugan.
The Art of Saying No
Do you feel up to it? Then carefully prepare your intervention. "If you want to be credible, you must master your subject perfectly and build a case that really holds up," advises François Enius. This is what Dominique Cufi did. This senior executive at Arcelor, specializing in training, had 40 people under her when she received a curt email from one of her two direct superiors asking her to immediately lay off twelve employees. "I didn't answer right away. For ten days, I looked for other solutions, then I presented a plan that proposed reducing costs differently." Her idea was not retained, but she gained the esteem of her second manager, who kept her in her position until a professional opportunity arose. Dominique Cufi is now director of Macif's corporate university.
The choice of time and place to speak is crucial. "Avoid your boss's office," warns François Enius. "Prefer a one-on-one meeting in a neutral or informal place. And above all, never question his authority in public." Also pay attention to the form: the way you say things plays a fundamental role. "Value judgments, aggressive rebellion or tearful complaints don't work," warns consultant Christophe Perilhou, head of the human resources department at Cegos.
Nor does a cry from the heart. Adeline, deputy director of a leading environmental group, had a bitter experience of this. She had carte blanche to manage a budget of €45 million, until the day her CEO ordered her to reduce the payroll and lay off recently recruited employees. In passing, he jokingly asked her what she thought of his strategy. The trap.
Without taking the time to think of a well-supported answer, Adeline let herself be carried away. "I told him bluntly that he had no vision to successfully lead the company project," she says. The punishment was slow in coming, but it was severe. A few months later, she went on maternity leave. On her return, she no longer had an office and her name had disappeared from the organizational chart... Her departure, in the end, was negotiated amicably. "A clash rarely produces positive effects," confirms coach François Enius.
Only an open and constructive attitude in discussion is likely to bear fruit. "Be diplomatic: express your doubts tactfully and propose solutions," advises Christophe Perilhou. To avoid the dismissal of an employee, Claire, training manager in the construction industry, opposed rational arguments: "My boss used a flimsy pretext to try to get rid of one of my assistants. I found the process unfair, but I didn't respond emotionally. I simply relied on the person's skills and service record." Well done: the designated victim was able to keep her job.
A Little Trickery
However, it sometimes happens that even an irrefutable demonstration does not work. Should you resign yourself? Geoffrey Behaghel chose to use cunning. This key account manager at the consulting firm Amaris had been trying for a year to win over a prospect, in vain. Tired, his superior ordered him to give up. "I told him that my attempts were bound to succeed," says Geoffrey. The boss gets angry, raises his voice. And the salesman gives in. At least officially. "I continued to "work" this prospect on the sly. A month later, I signed one of the company's largest contracts with him." Perseverance earned him a nice bonus... and congratulations from his boss. Consider this: a little trickery can be more effective, and less risky, than a big showdown.
Published September 28, 2010
Posted online January 7, 2011
Summer 2009. Workers at the French subsidiary of Nortel threatened to shut down their factory. The image made headlines. Michel Clément, who then ran the company, scrambled to salvage what he could. But the Canadian telecoms equipment manufacturer remained firm: it wanted to sell quickly and leave the country. The order was given to the French CEO to "make the company look good" by cutting jobs.
Michel Clément refused. At the risk of being fired himself. "I didn't think in terms of career plans," he says today. "I did what seemed right, and I took responsibility." When many of his colleagues decided to leave, he stayed. He even volunteered to the buyer, the Austrian group Kapsch, to continue the adventure. With his wife's approval. "Her green light was essential: it reassured me in my choice," he concludes.
Parental Schema
Saying no to your bosses, no matter the cost, is a challenge. Even more so during a crisis. "In the current job market context, it's a real test of courage," says coach François Enius. But on closer inspection, the game can be worth the candle. As Jean-Paul Lugan, co-author of "Managing with Courage" (Eyrolles), notes, "the company reproduces the parental schema."
Opposing your boss, a figure of authority, would therefore be like confronting your father. Those who dare to "kill the father" are a rare and precious species. "The company needs lucid people: it has an interest in hiring employees who are neither resigned nor submissive. Yes-men who obey inept orders without protesting do not serve it," says Alain Pichon, doctor of sociology and author of "Executives Under Pressure" (PUF). A manager who has the courage to stand up to his hierarchy, provided he is convinced that it is wrong, can gain respect and credibility. But it is necessary to act with caution and discernment.
Before taking a stand, assess the situation by asking yourself several key questions: is the context favorable? Do I have a chance of being heard by my boss? What do I risk? "To counter a decision that comes from above, you must have assets up your sleeve: expertise, status or irrefutable arguments," explains coach Jean-Paul Lugan.
The Art of Saying No
Do you feel up to it? Then carefully prepare your intervention. "If you want to be credible, you must master your subject perfectly and build a case that really holds up," advises François Enius. This is what Dominique Cufi did. This senior executive at Arcelor, specializing in training, had 40 people under her when she received a curt email from one of her two direct superiors asking her to immediately lay off twelve employees. "I didn't answer right away. For ten days, I looked for other solutions, then I presented a plan that proposed reducing costs differently." Her idea was not retained, but she gained the esteem of her second manager, who kept her in her position until a professional opportunity arose. Dominique Cufi is now director of Macif's corporate university.
The choice of time and place to speak is crucial. "Avoid your boss's office," warns François Enius. "Prefer a one-on-one meeting in a neutral or informal place. And above all, never question his authority in public." Also pay attention to the form: the way you say things plays a fundamental role. "Value judgments, aggressive rebellion or tearful complaints don't work," warns consultant Christophe Perilhou, head of the human resources department at Cegos.
Nor does a cry from the heart. Adeline, deputy director of a leading environmental group, had a bitter experience of this. She had carte blanche to manage a budget of €45 million, until the day her CEO ordered her to reduce the payroll and lay off recently recruited employees. In passing, he jokingly asked her what she thought of his strategy. The trap.
Without taking the time to think of a well-supported answer, Adeline let herself be carried away. "I told him bluntly that he had no vision to successfully lead the company project," she says. The punishment was slow in coming, but it was severe. A few months later, she went on maternity leave. On her return, she no longer had an office and her name had disappeared from the organizational chart... Her departure, in the end, was negotiated amicably. "A clash rarely produces positive effects," confirms coach François Enius.
Only an open and constructive attitude in discussion is likely to bear fruit. "Be diplomatic: express your doubts tactfully and propose solutions," advises Christophe Perilhou. To avoid the dismissal of an employee, Claire, training manager in the construction industry, opposed rational arguments: "My boss used a flimsy pretext to try to get rid of one of my assistants. I found the process unfair, but I didn't respond emotionally. I simply relied on the person's skills and service record." Well done: the designated victim was able to keep her job.
A Little Trickery
However, it sometimes happens that even an irrefutable demonstration does not work. Should you resign yourself? Geoffrey Behaghel chose to use cunning. This key account manager at the consulting firm Amaris had been trying for a year to win over a prospect, in vain. Tired, his superior ordered him to give up. "I told him that my attempts were bound to succeed," says Geoffrey. The boss gets angry, raises his voice. And the salesman gives in. At least officially. "I continued to "work" this prospect on the sly. A month later, I signed one of the company's largest contracts with him." Perseverance earned him a nice bonus... and congratulations from his boss. Consider this: a little trickery can be more effective, and less risky, than a big showdown.
Published September 28, 2010
Posted online January 7, 2011
