Transcript
A (0:00)
This is the Jocko Underground podcast number 168. Sitting here with Echo Charles, going to address some issues from the troopers out there in the world. What do we got? Let's go.
B (0:10)
First question. I'm an executive at a large corporation with several senior managers reporting to me. After months of feedback and coaching, I removed a manager from his role due to performance issues and reassigned him to a position better suited to his technical and leadership skills. This was a deliberate decision, not spontaneous. Our organizational effectiveness specialist recommends briefing the senior leadership team on why the change was made to maintain trust and prevent rumors. I believe the specifics are private between me, the manager and his new boss, and that sharing could undermine his credibility or set a precedent. How should I balance transparency with the team to maintain trust and morale while respecting the manager's privacy and taking ownership of this decision?
A (1:03)
So I do think it's important to explain what's going on, right? If we don't explain what's going on, then we get rumors, and the rumors are not going to be good. So I think it's important to explain what's going on. But I would. I would focus on the. The reason that the change was made, and I would. More specifically, I would focus on the positive reasons that this change was made. And there certainly are positive reasons that this change is made. And those are like, you could be saying things like, hey, listen, he has more experience in this area, or we needed his expertise in this subject matter, or he has better technical knowledge. Hey, listen, I got to move Fred over there. You know, he's got more experience, he's got more technical knowledge. We don't have any time to train someone up to his level. That's why we're going to put him over there. And I think that's the move, right? So you, you figure out what the positive. And it's. It actually says in here, like he says, and moved him to a position better suited to his technical leadership skills. Oh, I need. So you can. You can frame this in a way that it is a positive thing as opposed to framing it that it's a negative thing. And by the way, I've done this a lot. And. And it's. It is telling the truth, right? It's telling the truth in the situation. And I think that's what I would do. I would say, hey, listen, we're moving Fred. I need someone in that area. I needed to get it. Someone that's going to be real specific and focused on. On that technical aspect. And he's the guy that has that real good technical leadership skill. So that's why I need him in there. And they're real, you know, I frame it that way and it'll be fine. And look, there will be some people that sense, you know, a little that they'll, they'll sense the, some of the negative aspects of it as well, but you don't need to give it to them. Like they'll. Okay. Like. Well, yeah, it's cuz he. Because he rubbed people the wrong way. You can sit there and say that in the, in the. That be like a, A mitigated rumor. Right. But the mitigated rumor will be overwhelmed by, oh yeah, he had this going on and that's why we moved him. Simple as that. And by the way, this still means it's also your decision. So you're taking ownership of the decision and you're presenting this stuff in a positive light, which is all true. It's good for the company, it's good for him. It's good. It's good all around. So that's what I would do in that situation.