Leadership Fright Night

October 31, 2022?

Dear Leaders,?

Halloween, a time for costumes and candy, ghosts and goblins, and a reminder that scary things in the lives of leaders aren’t limited to one day out of a year.?In keeping of my love for classic Hollywood horror, let’s look at some of the monsters in the minds of our leaders.??

???????????Dracula – Sucks the life out of everything; walks into the room and drain you of all your energy.?

???????????Frankenstein – Behavior so bizarre, you wonder what they could possibly be made of.?

???????????The Mummy – Wrapped so tight in their own drama, they can’t get anything done.?

???????????The Invisible Man – Always has a need and an excuse to be gone and never there when needed.?

???????????The Incredible Shrinking Man – Seems to get smaller when asked to perform even the most routine functions, unable to reach the keyboard to complete anything.?

???????????The Blob – Not a take on weight, but someone who just absorbs everyone and everything without purpose.?

???????????Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde – Shows two different personalities, depending on the people and tasks involved.?

???????????The Wolfman – A variation of the preceding type; personality changes from demure to devouring in seconds.?

???????????Attack of the 50-foot Woman – Mad at someone or everyone and hell-bent for revenge.?(It’s the title, and men do this too, so please don’t call me sexist.)?

???????????Godzilla – Angry at being awakened from a slumber of mediocrity, goes on a rampage trampling everything in sight.?

Terrifying traits are not limited to your employees, as they can also be among your bosses:?

???????????The Crawling Eye – A micromanager that seems to be watching you all the time.?

???????????Killer Klowns From Outer Space – They take sick delight in making mayhem and killing careers.?

???????????Psycho – Seems a bit off from the start and will put a knife in your back when you least expect it.?

When it comes to dealing with them, upper management, and law enforcement, tend to frown on actual use of the tried-and-true movie methods of stakes through the heart, burning, silver bullets, electrocution, tanks, etc., so you will have resort to more conventional means.???

As leaders, it’s our duty to face our fears and keep harmony in the workplace while maintaining productivity.?We have to remember the origin of Halloween was to chase away evil spirits in preparation for All Saints Day, and while we can’t expect to turn all of our monsters into model employees, strong techniques can make them seem a bit less scary.?Setting standards and requirements, keeping an open door and an open mind, and recognizing the why behind the behaviors can aid you in taming the terrors.?We also have to accept that there will be times when exposing them to the sunlight of the outside world through terminating employment is the only way to defeat them.?As for the bosses from hell, you have to again use your talents and skills to communicate, understand, and as necessary, work around.????

Managing your monsters need not be something that keeps you awake at night like those you thought were under your bed as a child.?Real as these are, rising to the challenge and applying your skills will allow you to save the burning for the steak and the keep the silver bullets on ice for a nice Halloween party instead. ?

Sincerely,

Tim