“I am and always will be a goby scouser who supports Liverpool”. This is a strange way for a chief executive to describe themselves. These are however the words of a senior manager of a large not for profit organisation talking about themselves in an interview in a national news paper.
I have noticed that our leaders, political and corporate, seem to want to be considered one of us. Suddenly they all feel they have to tell us which football team they support, who their favourite rock group is, which act they favour on Brittan’s Got Talent and how much they enjoy the simple pleasures like a take away and a bottle of wine on a Friday night.
This urge to tell us a little bit about themselves is a very obvious attempt to connect with us and it is important to connect with your audience/staff but this seems so superficial. We are not the same. Whatever your musical tastes, however you spend your time out side of work you will always be the one in charge. What we want is reassurance that you know what you are doing. When senior managers like senior Politian’s start telling us they are into the latest bands I just think of some middle-aged parent trying to use the latest street slang to impress their children’s friends. It’s not cool man.
I wouldn’t want to work for an organisation where the chief executive used the word “goby” never mind described themselves in this way. I expect a little more class and gravitas.
Blair McPherson author of Equipping managers for an uncertain future and People management in a harsh financial climate both published by www.russellhouse.co.uk