OK, hang on…this could be quirky. I was watching the movie Brave. Scottish, animated and about arrows. That is really not all the movie says. Although my daughters now each have a love for archery. I did to and still kinda…OK, the topic. The voice of King Fergus is Billy Connolly. He is a Scottish comedian and actor. It was on one occasion, and I am sure he would not remember, that I sat with him and had a drink. Not sure what he had, I had a Bourbon on the rocks. I was with two other pals at a very posh hotel. My previous fashion company (even now I am bored bringing it up) put us up in very nice places. So I noticed Mr. Connolly from the distance and stood up without thought and just wanted to tell him his role in Mrs. Brown was brilliant. I chose that word due to his use of it in his stand-up shows. I was trying to be cheeky. Anyway, he invited me and my two chums to sit and chat. We laughed about what we all do and shared with him why I liked the movie.
Part two. He was on Letterman and mentioned that had had some drinks with three fellows at the aforementioned hotel and they liked the movie.
You see. He is a celebrity. I didn’t care. I didn’t want his autograph. Seriously, I worked in New York and most of the celebrities are “expletive” (you chose). They are so completely phony. He wasn’t. He just a bloke having a drink with other blokes. That was his face that night.
What is your face with your team? Do you factor your managerial-ness with an air of superiority or that you have their back? This is big. This is sincere. I have had managers who, if they looked in the mirror, I would say “you are a or an…” And another I would say “thank you for being you Scott. You are a great manager. You made me want to work harder even though sometimes I sucked and you still had my back.”
What is your managerial face? What do others see and feel and receive?
Focus and reflect…
If you had to do anything from yesterday again, what would it be?
Who sees you and what might they say…really?
Decide which matters most…sales or growth?
Who needs to win; you or them? And then how would you define “them”?
What is the face they see?
Billy Connolly doesn’t remember this. How could he? It was almost 15 years ago. I remember it because he showed a face worth remembering. It was comfortable. It was funny. It was familiar. It was real. He just wanted to hang out with some “blokes”. And he remembered us on Letterman. Maybe something can be said for just being a friend, not a celebrity. My title is manager (or regional or owner or CEO), but I am still just a bloke.
Cheers