News came out over the weekend that Uber board of directors would be discussing a leave of absence for its embattled CEO, Travis Kalanick. This comes on the heels of months of terrible press related to claims of sexual harassment allegations, berating drivers on video, and a Pandora’s Box of other workplace and public scandal and crisis. According to the Wall Street Journal, the board will also vote on setting up an investigation onto workplace issues.
Just because a person has the CEO acronym following their name on their business card, doesn’t mean they have a clue how to lead, manage, and inspire people. Kalanick had publicly admitted he needed to grow his leadership skills, but hasn’t shown much growth so his board is now taking more swift action to try and salvage the brand of the company.
Small and medium-sized business (SMB) leaders should take note. Just because one can start a business doesn’t mean they can effectively lead, manage, and inspire people. In order to tap into and unleash the power and potential of a business, that SMB owner or executive must intentionally enhance that part of their professional repertoire. It should be a daily discipline and requires accountability. Unlike highly-visible public companies like Uber, there often isn’t a board of directors there to do it. The metrics are most often a combination of high turnover, workplace drama, apathetic employees, and lack of production.
If you’re in any type of leadership position, I encourage you to make the development of your skills in this area a daily discipline. Read articles and books, watch videos by experts, and most importantly find an advisor (or advisors) to hold you accountable to your leadership growth goals. You’ve got your hands on the wheel; make sure you’re driving down the right road.
Quote of the Week:
”All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make, the better.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
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