We’ve all skilled shiny pennies. As kids, it appeared so magical to carry a newly-minted penny, because it sparkled within the mild of day. Once we held it subsequent to a different penny, we immediately drew a comparability and determined someway that the outdated one may have by no means been as new or stand out so brilliantly.
Many purchasers converse of recent additions to their workforce very like these shiny pennies. The eyes of CEOs mild up as they describe the skills of a brand new chief who has simply joined the corporate. One not too long ago informed me, “This new particular person is so sensible they will see round corners!” One other famous, “This one is a house run – much more efficient than anybody else on my workforce – there’s no comparability!
These different leaders who’ve been with their firms for an extended time period usually see their senior executives develop into enamored to the perceived skills of a brand new workforce member and may battle with what they really feel are unfair comparisons. They will usually really feel some sense of envy that may evolve into resentment because the boss continues to reward the intelligence, capabilities and potential contributions of the latest particular person to affix the workforce.
And the brand new one that has simply joined the corporate additionally feels the feelings and the invariable back-channel feedback which happen.
Within the Boston Govt Coaches method, we work with shoppers on understanding what is going on throughout the “system” or firm through which they function and we encourage them to discover what they’re experiencing and the way they really feel about it earlier than drawing any conclusions or appearing upon them.
We name it “Constructing Consciousness earlier than Transferring to Motion.”
As I work with numerous shoppers who’re experiencing turnover on the highest ranges of the corporate (and albeit, who isn’t?), I ask in regards to the new additions to the workforce and pay attention rigorously to the solutions. One consumer not too long ago informed me that the boss had introduced in a brand new member of the C-Suite and was talking glowingly about that particular person.
“What are you noticing?” I requested.
“Effectively, the boss thinks they stroll on water.”
“And what are you experiencing if you hear that?
“It actually makes me indignant – we’ve been working for years to make the corporate profitable, and now the brand new particular person is seen because the chief who can repair every part.”
“I’m sensing some resentment from you,” I replied.
“You’re spot on – this new member of the C-Suite is a “Shiny Penny,” who isn’t any extra skilled or smarter than me.”
“And what do you do with that feeling?” I inquired.
“Effectively, I tamp it down, however it doesn’t go away. It makes me really feel unbalanced and even much less productive – and I generally assume the boss sees me in a different way than earlier than. I discover myself reacting to the brand new man in a really unproductive method.”
It was with that comment that I noticed the consumer’s notion shift. They instantly realized that the scenario – the brand new “Shiny Penny Phenomenon” was shading their method to others. I requested yet one more query:
“And what can be a productive method?”
From there the consumer spoke at size about how that they had beforehand labored successfully with all members of any workforce. And the consumer realized that the Shiny Penny might need even been a label that had been placed on them at instances. They opened up about their emotions and realized that the label and the emotions they felt had shaded their method to others – and so they had successfully misplaced their “middle.”
When my consumer discovered that middle, the reply shined as a lot as any new coin:
“Each penny is shiny to start with, and when it begins to uninteresting, it nonetheless has the identical worth. It’s as much as me to not let the label get in the way in which of the actual worth – and work with that particular person as a member of the workforce, simply as I all the time have.”
Dave Bushy of Boston Govt Coaches is a former senior airline government who works with leaders all through American business.
