Wake Up The Elephant

Posted by Jim Connolly on 17 August, 2009  Email This Post -  Print This Post

As the leader in your organization, among all of the tactical meetings, tasks and conference calls that will occupy your time, there is a way to improve the performance of your organization this week.  Ready for it?

Have the courage to wake the sleeping elephant in your company.  You know that the “elephant in the room” is there.  For those who are not familiar with the expression, an elephant in the room is an issue that everyone sees, but no one wants to talk about it.  The boss knows it’s there.  All of the employees know it’s there. 

The question is not whether there’s an elephant there.  The question is whether you, as the business leader, has the courage to poke the elephant, wake it up and deal with the consequences of chasing the elephant out of your organization. 

Maybe the elephant is that your brother is not doing his job and you’re pretending you don’t notice.  Maybe the previous owner is still on staff, but has overstayed his welcome.  Maybe the “rain maker” you hired isn’t making it rain.  Maybe your spouse is on the payroll and is not “working and playing well with others.”  Maybe the merger isn’t going as planned.  Maybe it’s a 30 year employee who isn’t cutting it any more.  Maybe the new strategy has failed.  Maybe the largest division’s performance has dropped and no one is really sure why.  Maybe you’re in over your head.

Granted, there will likely be some blood and broken glass from waking up the unwieldy and possibly frightened elephant and chasing it out of the room, but the performance of the company hangs in the balance.  Admit it!  Not taking action is really much more costly than waking the elephant. 

As the business leader, have the courage to tackle the issue.  Do so with dignity and respect, but tackle the issue this week.  You’ll move the company farther ahead more than a month full of meetings ever will.