As funny as that may sound, it’s really true! I have a PhD in Organizational Psychology, and I’ve been consulting to organizations large and small – not to mention coaching senior executives and business leaders in those organizations – for nearly 20 years. None of it though seems nearly as useful to my work these days as my many years I worked as a camp counselor!
When I was a camp counselor from the age of about 16 to probably 26, I spent much of my time trying to get the kids in my groups to “play nice” together. When riding the go carts, I needed them to take turns and wait patiently while their fellow group members took their turns. When shooting bb guns, it was the same thing – share the equipment with one another and cheer on your fellow campers when they did well and/or console them and say “You’ll get it next time!” when they didn’t. Well, guess what… It’s the same in just about every organization I work in these days. In general, senior executives and business leaders simply need to learn how to play nice in the sandbox and share their toys with one another.
How many times have you heard of the two business leaders hoarding resources from one another? Or how about the executives who keep their best people at the ready for when they will need them next rather than volunteering them to help out another business unit who could use the extra support? It’s pretty sad if you asked me… Most organizational leaders I interact with just never grew up!
Well I’m here to remind you that summer is over and school’s back in session. It’s time for all of us – that means you too C-level Cathy and VP Victor – to pay attention in class and learn the basics. Listen to your teacher and observe your classmates as they get along with each other. And when they don’t get along, remind them that sharing is nicer than hoarding and being able to help others is a gift, not a curse.
Our organizational performance management systems may not always promote this type of “grown-up behavior”. That’s a separate problem for another day though. For now, we’re simply focusing on individual behaviors and holding ourselves accountable for what we’re in control of. When my campers complained about their schedules and said they wanted to go horseback riding instead of to art, do you think I told them it was ok with me if they complained about it? Of course not! We simply don’t have control over the whole organizational system all of the time. Acknowledge it, and move on!
