Enter Bill Smith…master of all he surveys. The people around the table give him his due. No one would expect anything different, after all he is the senior, senior, executive vice president. Bill really doesn’t care what you think (even if he says that he does). This is his show and he’s got numbers to hit and people to impress.
Someone raises a hand to question the unrealistic sales projections. Bill quickly states that you’re either for us or against us. Certainly, Bill knows this will not build loyalty and dedication? But he presses on anyway with a plan to "win."
The seeds of failure have been planted. There’s no shoot coming from the ground, but roots are taking hold. No one quite understands…
The above could be one of a million stories anywhere in corporate America. If you’re a teacher in business school or a CEO that cares, then get your leaders in a growth program where they can learn how to handle power. Why wait until failure sets in?