Leading Quietly FINAL

8/7/2019 Leading Quietly FINAL

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Joseph L. Badaracco, Jr.


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Deanna Calvin

Tim Kastelic

MBA 635: Social & Ethical Responsibilitiesfor Managers

February 25, 2010


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Leading Quietly

A four-year study of understanding whatconstitutes quiet leaders.

Badaracco draws on powerful real lifeexperiences from managers challenged witheveryday business problems.

Leading Quietly highlights how thesemanagers demonstrate effective leadershipskills in subtle ways.


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Rebecca Olson & Richard Millar

Rebecca Olson was hired as the CEO of St.Clements Hospital in Omaha Nebraska.

A few days after Olsen started her positionshe was made aware that a clericalemployee with a physical disability wasfiling a complaint with the state employee

agency accusing the hospitals vicepresident of operations, Richard Millar ofsexual harassment and discrimination.


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Richard Millar was a long time employeewho was considered an insider within theorganization.

Olson knew that a scandal would severelyhurt the reputation of the hospital and

If Millar was found to be guilty, the victimcould file a lawsuit against the hospitalcosting them millions.


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Olson knew that Richard Millar needed to befired but was not sure how to do it.

Firing Millar would also meet the demand ofthe victim in which case she would not go tothe state board.


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Olson decided she would not fire Millar andwould not charge him with sexual

harassment. Instead, she would try to gethim to resign.

Before asking for his resignation, Olson

decided to get All her ducks lined up . Shebroke her problem up into a series of smallsteps.


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Olson prepared a detailed report on theinvestigation, knowing that her actions had

to both comply with the law on sexualharassment and also respect Millars rightsas someone accused of a serious offense.

Olson met privately with each boardmember and made a case that they neededto ease Millar out of his job.


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Once Olson had her plan in place she calleda meeting with Millar and asked for his

resignation.

She described the findings of the case andtold him of the severance package that theboard had approved.

After begging to not be fired, Millar signedthe letter of resignation.


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4 Guiding Principles

You Dont Know Everything: Do not exaggerate

how much you really know.

You will be surprised: No matter how much youprepare, expect to be surprised.

Keep an eye on the insiders: Insiders are

typically the winners of the long and intense

struggle for senior positions.

Trustbut cut the cards: Quiet leaders give their

trust carefully.


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The New New Servers

Frank Taylor senior marketing rep forCybersystems.

Client was Robertson & Bayless, largeChicago law firm.

Taylor was on the verge of selling firm a

new web server when they hired new ITdirector who preferred competitorsproducts.


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The New New Servers

Taylor managed to salvage the deal andplanned to sell the S50 server.

Before deal closed, Cybersystems launchedS60 server faster and cheaper.

Now firm wanted S60 server.

Competitor had a deal waiting in the wings.


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The New New Servers

Taylor developed new offer under Win-Win, Cybersystems new promotionalcampaign.

Firm would get S60 and other discountedequipment.

Firm would accept offer only if new systemcould be networked with legacy system.


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The New New Servers

Win-Win prohibited S60 from beingnetworked to older systems.

Franks Dilemma: Does he keep the dealafloat by breaking company policy?

Complexity of issue: High principles andgood character are not substitutes for

specialized knowledge strong convictionscan blind people to subtle nuances that arecritical to practical, responsible action.


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Four Guidelines

Remember your responsibilities

Look at your fish

Dont go it alone

Dont be afraid to back off


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Remember your Responsibilities

Dont let complexities obscure yourresponsibilities.

Complexity can serve as a smokescreen forwrongdoing.

Complexity leads to fatigue and confusionfor people with sound ethics.

Understanding the problem createsresponsibility.


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Look at Your Fish

Agassiz 19th century American Scientist.

Graduates students had to study small,

ordinary fish for weeks.

Ultimately learned minute details: Scalepatterns, teeth arrangement, eye coloring.

Franks application understand theproblem from a variety of perspectives.


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Dont Go It Alone

Avoid the impulse to be a hero.

Naturalistic decision-making: recognizing

subtle patterns, evoking past experiences,making the right judgment.

Gather perspectives from a wide variety of

sources and rethink the problem.


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Dont Be Afraid to Back Off

If youre in over your head, the morallyresponsible thing to do is buy more timeand get the problem into the right hands.

What are the signs?

Consultation leads nowhere

Unable frame issue in simple, newspaper English

Conflicting insights

Nagging puzzle piece that won't fit


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Three Quiet Virtues

Restraint: Sometimes instinct is to react Quiet Leaders have patience and self-discipline.

Modesty: Quiet Leaders know they are notchanging the world.

Tenacity: Matters because it runs counter to

Restraint and Modesty Quiet Leadersconceive, create and slowly construct the rightanswer.


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Leading Quietly FINAL