Two Leadership Chess Moves for Difficult Times
Dolores and Clifton Wharton (Photo credit: Michigan State University)
Clifton Wharton passed away in mid-November at 98-years old. He was the first Black CEO of a Fortune 500 company, first Black president of a majority-white university and the first Black person to hold the number-two position at the U.S. State Department.
Bradley Akubuiro, writing at Inc.com, recently detailed 5 leadership takeaways from Wharton’s distinguished professional life. Two of them stood out to me that I will share with you today because I am confident that they will prove to be highly beneficial to you.
1) The more you make a habit of listening, the more you can trust your gut when there are tough decisions to make 2) People follow those who are calm in the face of chaos.
On the first point, “When Wharton took over as president of Michigan State University, he took the time out of his schedule to eat with students and to meet with them regularly,” Akubuiro wrote. “When, a short time later, protests against the war in Vietnam broke out on campuses across the nation, Wharton was able to move decisively.
“There was no protocol in place, but because he already knew students’ concerns, he instituted a policy that adequately reflected their perspectives and values. It resulted in a much more peaceful resolution than seen on most other major university campuses.”
It’s not always easy to be make time and be poised and patient to tune in deeply to people.
Asking questions and listening — and listening some more — caring enough to develop deep understanding might not be energy or time that you feel that you have to give.
Yet by recognizing the importance and choosing to say “yes” you can learn what is important or critical to learn to help you, if not in the moment, then one day (maybe soon) when it will be imperative that you have learned and know what is invaluable and necessary for intelligent, successful decision making and risk prevention.
You will be able to more confidently decide and proceed because you know what you otherwise wouldn’t have, had you not engaged and listened well in a professional, objective, responsible, emotional and psychological manner.
Many people trust their gut. The problem is that not all of them are sufficiently well informed to rely on that approach. You, however, will be to do so more beneficially because you will have been engaging and listening more frequently and better.
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On the second point, “Wharton understood that a significant portion of leadership and diplomacy is just being the person who lowers the temperature in the room,” Akubuiro wrote.
That’s an incredible skill and not one that is present in all leaders.
If a person ethically develops it, people notice and will feel safe around them and follow.
Calm, clear thinking, sound decision making and assertiveness in the storm can be magnetic and what you as a leader need the most: trust and buy in. That has to be earned up front as much as possible through investing in other people’s concerns and emotions: stakeholder relationship building. It’s a worthy investment with a strong ROI.
Wharton learned, benefitted and remembered for these shows of intelligence and strength.
You can also.
Michael Toebe helps individuals and organizations lessen stress with smart analysis for accurate decision making in matters of trust, risk, stakeholder relationships, communications and reputation.
He has a background in media, public relations, media relations, crisis communications, consulting and advisory and is additionally the writer, editor and publisher at the Reputation Intelligence newsletter (published on Substack). If you would like assistance for you personally or your organization you can contact him through the form below.
