When social media thrives on pretentious audio-visual blitzkriegs from HR leaders, crises within their firms are more probable. Employees experience the brand far more certainly than creatively projected messages that distance the HR leadership from their own employee bases.
When business leaders have more of their way than feedback from those in immersive value creation; delusions may overrun the firm' s fortunes. Surely the ability to receive feedback also atrophies with age and time, when such leadership proceeds as if unassailable. Let alone accepting and acting on feedback; communication rarely achieves the intent of the message in such firms.
I have known leaders in the recent past who due to their incomplete apprenticeship with power issues, have reported some of the tendencies as noted below.
1. In the frustration of not experiencing maturity or demonstrable competence, they deepen the divide between decision makers and implementers. Ironically, their attempts to kiss and make up in repentance meets with suspicion and slows the firm down further.
2. Upon initiating change in their organizations, their unrevised power archetype stresses them out. Unable to see their own role in the creation of phenomena they are part of, vulnerability causes more pain than change and they stay away from self-awareness. In hierarchical cultures, they even deny their tension with their investors. In less hierarchical cultures, their openness may be abused by even more insecure power mongers.
Can leaders meet such a challenge?
Surely. This is easier said than done. However, recent sharing from people like Bennis, on judgment and Goleman and Altman on self-awareness help.
It is when fallacious questions are asked that curiosity and self-development are arrested in their tracks. E.g. what's the way to show return on investment on self awareness ? The goal of self-awareness is the goal in itself.
Social media can be an alibi for human resource development. Let us beware. Only when the inward journey is reflected in outward expression is authenticity experienced, irrespective of the medium!
