A Decision Is Changed
Twenty years ago I was sitting in our company president’s office. He was wanting to make changes to a recently-implemented major Marketing initiative and I mentioned to him there would be pushback from the team. When he asked why, I said, “Well, they will say, ‘That’s not what he said last week.'”
Candidly, I did not tell him this but was I thinking the same thing myself.
After an uncomfortable moment of silence, he leaned forward, sternly looked at me and said, “Brian, maybe I have different information than I had last week. Maybe I’ve (personally) grown in the last week. Maybe I have had some new thoughts, new ideas. Maybe the market has changed. Maybe our skill set as team has improved. Brian, maybe I’m a better leader than I was last week so I may see things differently from time to time. Are you?”
Now came the teaching moment.
He concluded by saying, “Brian, never be afraid of the phrase ‘That’s not what you said last week.’ Just make sure you can communicate that things are different, you are different, and new approaches are now required based upon new information.”
I’ve thought a lot about that conversation lately.
Tampa Bay Head Coach Bruce Arians
Last week, Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians was questioned by the media about why he gave troubled wide receiver Antonio Brown multiple chances to improve his behavior after saying last year he would cut him if he made one mistake.
It was then we saw how a leader responds when his decisions are questioned.
Arians answered, “The history has changed since that statement. A lot of things went on last year that I was very proud of him and I made a decision that this was the best thing for our football team.”
When the reporter asked a follow-up question about what would people think of his decision, Arians colorfully said, “I could give a s*#t what they think. The only thing I care about is this football team and what’s best for us.”
The Leadership Application
Leaders, you will always be questioned. It is part of the fine print in the leadership contract. If you are not mentally or emotionally prepared for regular cross-examination, you may want to forego potential leadership responsibilities.
You never want to be reckless, indecisive, or unsure of your organization’s direction. But never, ever, be afraid of the phrase “That’s not what you said last week” if you have new and better information.
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