“Have you read it yet?” one of my colleagues asked me with a big smile. This was Tuesday last week; we were blissfully unaware of what was to come. No one in the office at that moment anticipated that the man who once tweeted that “Journalists are – with few exceptions – scum” would win the national election.
Waste of money
No, I had not yet read Japke-d. Bouma’s crash course in leadership in that day’s NRC. In a full-page article, the columnist called expensive leadership courses a waste of money. To prove her point, she provided 24 tips that were as hilarious as they were accurate and thought-provoking. I’ll mention a few. “Take the smallest, ugliest office.” I have practically the largest office at Observant, but there is a valid justification for this, I swear – my office also serves as our meeting room. In addition to my desk, it houses a large conference table, our planning boards and a cupboard stocked with coffee, tea and (last but certainly not least) a box of fun-size Snickers.
Ouch
“Learn to take criticism well.” Ouch. That’s a hard one, especially when I’m stressed. That said, I have internalised the quote that was printed on a coffee mug we used to have (may it rest in pieces): “Sometimes a colleague knows better.”
“Go for walks with people instead of sitting around in stuffy rooms. Tough conversations in particular are much easier when you’re not staring at each other from two metres away.” So true. Even if you don’t need to have a tough conversation, it’s refreshing to take a walk together. We made it a habit during the pandemic. Time to dust it off.
Dirty hands
“Make decisions. Don’t drag your feet. Your colleagues are looking to you to call the shots so they can get on with their work. Being a leader means getting your hands dirty. Accept that not everyone will like you.” Agreed, no matter how difficult this is for those of us who would prefer to be on friendly terms with everyone.
Just one last one, both insightful and amusing: “You’ll never get it right. That’s just the way it is. Be zen.”
Undesirable Behaviour
A few days later, with these tips in mind, I reported for the Leadership and Undesirable Behaviour training course, mandatory for all leaders and managers at UM. It was a useful Friday morning where I and colleagues from all over UM practised responding to complaints of misconduct and resolving bullying in the workplace.
Internal frustration meter
Not for the first time, it struck me that I find it hard to switch off my internal frustration meter, which shot up when the person being bullied got stuck in the victim mindset. It got under my skin. How can you resolve conflict effectively if that happens? One of Japke-d.’s tips came in handy here: “Never show who your favourites or headaches are. Keep a poker face.” In other words, having an opinion is human, but don’t let it influence your actions. It’s as Japke-d. says: “Listen to your colleagues. Yes, even the stupid ones. Don’t just hear – LISTEN.”