Beware the Nail that Sticks Up
August 1, 2010
Detroit Mayor Dave Bing seems to have the “change” theme down. He has been in office for a short period of time and has seemingly changed more of his top political appointees than Governor Jennifer Granholm did in her nearly eight years in office.
The latest casualty is Detroit Police Chief Warren Evans.
When I heard the news, the lyrics of country great Montgomery Gentry’s song came to mind:
Gone like a freight-train, gone like yesterday
Gone like a soldier in the Civil War, bang bang
Gone like a ’59 Cadillac
Like all the good things that ain’t never coming back
He’s gone!The mayor says it was a culmination of lapses in the chief’s judgment and leadership that ultimately led to his demise. The mayor added he was “blindsided,” apparently by Evans’ role in two reality television shows and his relationship with a fellow police officer.
Bing’s comments came a day after he fired his chief — one year after hiring him for the job.
History will tell if the latest lowering of the guillotine in the fledgling Bing administration is a sign of a strong or a weak leader.
It looks like Chief Evans broke one of the first rules in any organization: “Don’t surprise your boss.” The breakage was magnified by the highly politicized environment in the city.
Evans insists it’s not true. He is quoted as saying he “ran the ideas up the flagpole” prior to moving forward.
There are some lessons to be learned from all this (perhaps a bit late for an old pol like Evans), especially as a new administration takes shape in Lansing following the election of a new Michigan governor in November.
Will the new governor’s style mirror Bing’s and most other political bosses, who appear to not want anyone around them who shines brighter? Clearly, political appointees need to understand “who’s the boss.”
Having said that, as Michigan’s incoming governor will surely grasp, the state needs the brightest, hardest-charging, results-oriented, creative, innovative people to join the new governor’s team and help move Michigan forward. Michigan cannot survive, let alone thrive, with a team of wallflowers or sycophants.
The new governor is going to need a team of people loyal to his vision and willing to debate behind the scenes the best path to get there. As my first boss told me, “if we both agree on everything, one of us is not necessary.”
Our society is built upon the individual “star” system where the “image” is the message and standing out from the crowd is encouraged. While we preach “teamwork,” we praise and reward the individual stars. Lebron James, former Cleveland Cavalier and new Miami Heat star, comes to mind.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt had an extremely competent team during his unprecedented four terms in office. He demanded a “passion for anonymity” from his team — he had little desire to, and did not, share the spotlight with his staff.
As we rush to the primary election on August 3 and the general election on November 2, after which the current administration will fade from the scene as the new one emerges, staff seeking jobs in the new administration would be well advised to understand there is a relatively short shelf life for appointees who surprise and outshine their boss.
Political appointees-in-waiting, as they contemplate job offers in the new administration, may wish to consider the Asian cultural perspective of the individual’s role in society: “the individual is unimportant.”
As Mayor Bing stated, the issues swirling around Evans were hurting morale in the police department, “so I had to make a decision for the police force, not Warren Evans.”
Deng Yingchao, the wife of Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai under Mao, captured the essence of subordination when she compared the people of China to “a great ocean, and the leaders the white froth on the wave-tops, born of them, carried by them, forever renascent, but non-existent without the ocean.”
In essence, the communist leader had an aversion to underlings sticking out. Clearly, as was witnessed with the cult worship of Mao, for the paramount leader there was a different standard.
Bringing the issue back home and examining top cop Evans’ fall from power, perhaps it is wise to consider another Chinese belief: “Beware the nail that sticks up — it’s often hammered down!”
In a few short months we will witness the creation of a new administration in Lansing. No leader can accomplish his or her goals alone. How the new governor goes about building his new team will provide the citizens of Michigan with the first clue on how he will govern.
In any new administration, change is inevitable and keeping the boss happy cannot be optional.
Tom Watkins is an education and business consultant in the U.S. and China and served as Michigan’s state superintendent of schools from 2001-2005.
(Also see Dome’s September 2009 feature “China Bridge” by Watkins for a detailed focus on China.)
11 responses so far ↓
1 Elizabeth // Jul 30, 2010 at 4:48 am
Watkins has this right: Michigan cannot survive another Governor that is surrounded with a ” team of wallflowers or sycophants.”
This state is in desperate need of a strong leader willing to pick a team to work with him that are equally strong and willing to push the envelope and make things happen.
We can only hope and in a few days the field will be narrowed down to two– GO VOTE!
2 John Telford // Jul 30, 2010 at 5:09 am
As usual, Tom hits the nail on the head.
3 KP CHEN // Jul 30, 2010 at 5:21 am
Politics can be difficult, very difficult, East or West …
Democratic elements mix with tribal or herdal spirit, the fine line is just too fine …
To pass the stress test, I guess:
1. Leaders need to be not weak; i.e., he or she has character strength to withhold (intentional or non-intentional) insults.
2. The source of power does not come only from his/her position; i.e., he or she has already accumulated enough moral strength or credit reserves. (not easily shadowed or overshadowed)
3. Mission Critical: we remain focused on the main things. Not easily distracted.
4. Gratetude, Respect & Love: Textbook virtues become natural …
5. Great Left-Hand, great Right-Hand Man and Woman …
6. Tao/Li: Manage a big city like cook a small fish.
When we are in a negative cycle, we are still diligently working to pay back our debts; uphill walks are laborsome, and the hilltop is still far and away.
4 Jeff Perlman // Jul 30, 2010 at 5:38 am
There’s nothing to lead if you don’t have a strong team. Ideally, you have creative friction and encourage vigorous debate before you chart a course. Only then, do you avoid group think and go along to get along behavior.
A strong leader doesn’t fear debate, he or she encourages and demands it and knows it make for better outcomes.
5 Billie // Jul 30, 2010 at 7:31 am
Behind every successful LEADER is a strong TEAM and to have a strong Team there has to be a Leader who has visions for the future and take on challenges. Michigan needs a leader who can bring Michigan back!
6 william arnold // Jul 30, 2010 at 7:51 am
Seemingly, no future government appointment in Mr. Watkin’s future yet, a very insightful article.
7 Matt Friedman // Jul 30, 2010 at 1:09 pm
Leaders must have vision. Those who support them must share the vision. That is seemingly much easier to accomplish in business than it is in government. But, if the tone is set correctly at the top, the vision stands a chance of being realized.
8 jackL // Jul 30, 2010 at 2:34 pm
I wonder if the winner of the Gov primary election will read this?
They better put together one hell of a team– because, the mess that people “think they know about” is going to be a lot messy when a new administation takes over comes January, peels back the curtains and finds the total mess that has been hidden from the public.
Much has been sweep under that rug, behind the curtain and under rocks– you mark my word.
9 TIP Lady // Aug 3, 2010 at 4:38 am
Tom,
You were really on task when you wrote this article. My advice is to just do the work!! That’s what they hire us to do. If we end up “getting a cookie” for our efforts. Oh, well! The TEAM is what makes it possible for us all to do what we do!! I often have been rewarded for the things that I do. But I never forget that I am only as good as the TEAM that supports me. THANK EVERYBODY!!! I even thanked my doctors yesterday, because if it wasn’t for the Pain Clinic I would be unable to walk!~
“I” is never more important than WE!! THE TIP LADY
10 Dan // Sep 2, 2010 at 6:06 pm
Lessons to be learned here that is an absolute.
Does anyone have a clue what kind of “teams” the new Gov is likely to put together?
They better be able to walk on water. I hope to see a bipartisan team and not the typical insiders and poltical hacks– we clearly need some experience, creative thoughtful folks to join the new Gov– I agree with Jack L.– because the mess that will be uncovered is going to require all the talent that can be found to solve!
11 chris // Sep 24, 2010 at 12:54 am
Tom,
I love your article here you writed.even i do not know much about the government affairs of your country but i cann’t more agree with you about the viewpoint you mentioned about TEAM and some famous chinese wisdom.
from the sentences you cite ,i have to say you may know more chinese culture than me.i admire you.you are so knowlegable.
welcome to china and hope to see you in the near future again.
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