Be Yourselves: Balancing Your Business Style

I’ve never been much of a salesman. Raised on a farm, my father instilled me with fairly humble values and a penchant for letting my work speak for itself. But my father never raised a boy intent on operating in an office environment and whether I’m pitching to a prospective client or trying to persuade a coworker to see things my way, salesmanship has to be a part of what I do. I’ve had to adapt my style at work to find a new balance somewhere between the humble farmer and the used car salesman. And perhaps more importantly, I’ve had to learn to be dynamic with my style and find the appropriate times to either stretch my overall straps or slick back my hair.

It may not be the most innovative topic in the world, however, beyond the quality of your work, your personal business style is perhaps one of the most integral elements of who you are in the office. Many would argue that how you act is even more important than what you do. Therefore, the question emerges, how should I act at work?

First, let’s get something out of the way. Anyone who answers this question with the sappy, age-old adage, “just be yourself” is wrong. Don’t be yourself. You’re an asshole. You’re shy. You talk too much. You’re too academic. You’re a control freak. You make people uncomfortable. You’re a doormat. And for god’s sake will you please stop forwarding joke emails and petitions; you’re not my Aunt.

I don’t care if you work on Wall Street or in a daycare; the business environment is a shark tank of political influence and jockeying for position (even if that position is avoiding the evening shift since there’s always one parent who is an hour late to pick up their kid and you don’t get paid overtime). If you remain naïve to the realities of your work environment, expect to get steamrolled and left behind.

This isn’t to say that you need to be a two-faced, back-stabbing, grinning sociopath; you simply need to be aware of the different ways that you interact with different individuals and how you should temper your style accordingly. Without getting too deep into social determinism – a theory that I have no business discussing or even uttering the very words – our personality, and by extension our style at work, cannot be considered in a vacuum. Social interactions are by definition a dialogue and who you are is defined differently for each individual dialogue you engage. You’re polite and pleasing to your customers. You’re submissive and attentive around your boss. You’re confident and alert with your peers. You’re formal and authoritative when speaking to subordinates.

I write all of this to help you realize that you’re already a two-faced sociopath or, as we better know the term: a person. You already adjust and tweak your style based on the people you speak with and the situations you encounter, partially because of a wonderful little thing we call empathy. This type of behavior isn’t fickle or false, it is simply part of being a social human being. As a matter of fact, if you didn’t adjust your personality and couldn’t be empathetic, then we would have true cause for concern and proper use of the word sociopath.

So back to the question of how you should act at work; you should act in whatever way is appropriate to the situation. Your business style should be a floating spectrum, not a fixed point. You should be the person that you need to be by crafting a context-sensitive balance of the most suitable pieces of yourself. Your subconscious is likely already doing this for you, so why not be aware of it and take a more active hand in how you present yourself at work? This doesn’t have to be disingenuous or inauthentic; it is still you in the conversation.

Give yourself some credit; your personality is a rich tapestry woven of countless experiences, emotions, and influences. Each interaction has the potential to surface different parts of ourselves to engage and connect with other individuals in a meaningful way. A CEO can be a humble follower. An apprentice can be a leader. An accountant can be an unpredictable maniac. A rock star can be tame recluse.

And yes, even a farm boy can be a salesman.

Warm Embrace of Uncertainty

It’s a classic quote, however, in my opinion, we’ve been saying it wrong for years. In fact, 3 things in life are certain: death, taxes and change. What I’m about to tell you is nothing new, so unless you have 10 minutes to kill, go ahead and skip this article; you’ve heard it all before.

And yet you continue to do so little about it.

I feel as though my colleagues and I keep saying the same things over and over again to businesses around the world and yet continue to see the same results. I’m reminded of a classic quote about this practice and am having growing concern for my mental health.

Let’s put our cards on the table; what changes in the business landscape? Technology changes in the blink of an eye. Competitors are constantly emerging with new products. Suppliers seem to always have the latest and greatest solution to our problems. Consumers are constantly looking out for the latest fad or trend. Even governments evolve their regulations and laws (granted often at a snail’s pace).

It feels like everything changes, no? Have things always been this way? Yes and no. In reality, the business world has always been this way; things simply change a lot faster now. Fifty years ago, companies could get away with this kind of laggard stoicism, however, times have changed, the world has accelerated and the old ways don’t cut it anymore. We can’t expect to be operating businesses sustainably using post-WW2 era business strategies.

Here’s a metaphor I’ve been thinking about recently to help reconcile all of this thinking. Imagine, if you will, the business landscape as an ocean (Mauborgne followers are going to love this one). However, instead of trying to find bluer oceans, greener pastures or darker corners to hide within, simply realize that you are sitting in the same big ocean as everyone else. Perhaps years ago, the ocean was calm, however, these days it is a tempestuous body of thrashing waves, strong currents, shifting winds and all kinds of terrors emerging to nip at our feet. The ocean swirls and shifts and swells and sways with all of its might and every coming moment simply brings greater uncertainty and faster change.

Does this sound like the kind of environment you would attempt to erect a building within? A building you say? Of course not! Trying to build such a structure with an ever-shifting foundation would be madness. And yet, each time we as business organizations lay down a strategy for the future, implement a new organizational policy, sign a 5-year rigid contract or build another document template, we are doing just that; starting to pour concrete on a foundation that will inevitably be destroyed before our tower is complete, expecting that this time, things will be different.

Who’s the insane one now?

Instead, this article is a plea for accepting flux; a cry to embrace chaos. You wouldn’t create a building on the water, you would build a boat. You would build a vessel strong enough to withstand the rough waves and howling winds but still nimble enough to move with the current and adapt to the changing ocean. Organizations can be designed as rowboats – quick to change and move with the environment around them – or as aircraft carriers – massive beasts that can overcome some waves and shift with the broader shifting sea. However, what is important is that these designs are always capable of embracing change.

Of course, this can be a daunting, frightening reality to face, particularly for a generation of business women and men who appear to be prone to sea-sickness. If the business landscape is an ocean and our organizations must be boats, then what can we anchor ourselves to? If you truly buy-in to my metaphor, then ideally: nothing. The best organizations in the world are those who approach the world around them like a whitewater kayak – eager to hit the next wave and constantly paddling to guide a safe line through a current that is going to take them forward, regardless of what they do.

Realizing that some companies would love to have something to hang their hats on, there is always an opportunity for mooring up. Decades ago, technology was a decent anchor as it evolved and changed roughly at the same pace as organizational change and product cycles. In this day and age, perhaps the most static touch point in business is human need. While the way in which we consume products and services is changing, the basic necessities we fulfill are still evolving quite slowly.

However, what is essential is that we never drop anchor in any one place for too long, lest we risk becoming a giant heap of rusting steel, waiting for the day when the hull begins to breach and the ocean swallows us up like so many before.

Leading the Leaderless

Traditional business structures are shifting (albeit at a snail’s pace… but I digress, that’s another article entirely). Organizations are becoming increasingly flat, chains of command blurred, and reporting, collaboration and operational structures more dynamic and ad-hoc. As organizations strive to develop more open and creative working environments, the traditional shackles of hierarchical management are being loosened and are changing the way that we work.

This is a great thing, right? Creativity is up, problem-solving is being done with new perspectives, employees are happier and you don’t have to pay as many pointless middle-managers ridiculous sums of money to play corporate babysitter. However, in some scenarios, the absence of leadership can be exceptionally trying and erect sizeable walls to productivity.

There are countless situations in which we find ourselves in groups without formal leadership: cross-functional work teams, volunteering, non-profits, academic groups and even friendship circles. While creativity and collaboration may improve without a formal leader present, sometimes you simply need to get shit done. Leadership isn’t a bad thing – when done with empathy, fairness and a view to greater objectives, it can help improve productivity while still keeping everyone happy. We’ve all been in a two-hour long meeting with peers that has resulted in no good ideas and no action items; sometimes you just need someone to step up and take charge.

So in the increasing absence of formal leadership, how can you take control of a group without the authority to do so? Leading peers is perhaps one of the most difficult things to do (even moreso than leading up, since we all know how easy it is to manipulate your boss) because it requires for individuals to swallow their pride and accept the authority of another individual. The most important thing you can do in any group situation when jockeying for power is to read the people around you. Ultimately, it will be the personalities (and egos) of those in the group that determine how best to take leadership of a group.

That said, here are eight tactics to try and some words of caution when you do so.

Lead by Example: A classic tale of “put up or shut up,” this tactic is more passive and employed simply by setting the tone of what needs to get done. People will inherently flock to your hard work, dedication and energy. Think of yourself as the crazy sergeant who leads the charge over the hill into a hail of gunfire.

Caution: You may end up doing all the work.

The Visionary: People want to be inspired and if you can create a vision behind which a group can rally, you can take control as their guiding foreseer. You must be bold, charismatic, inspired and unwavering in your belief of the path you set forth. Rising above mere leadership, your group must believe that you have patent on an ability to create and execute on the perfect plan.

Caution: There is a chance that you will inspire and start a cult. (If this is your thing,check out this article)

Claim It: A bold and risky maneuver, you can identify the challenges of the current state of ambiguous leadership and offer to step up for the betterment of the group. Much like claiming “dibs” this leadership tactic is flimsily held together merely by the fact that you identified the issue and got there first.

Caution: By formalizing the position you have become the future scapegoat.

Resident Expert: By claiming knowledge of a situation, technology, process or anything else relevant to the group’s task at hand, you immediately position yourself as a voice of expertise in the group whose knowledge is not to be challenged. Somehow, that small bit of knowledge has turned you into an authority on everything and anything pertaining to the subject and whether you like it or not, you’re in charge.

Caution: You’d better know what you’re talking about.

Default: The two greatest words in the English language. If you ever find yourself among a group of exceptionally passive peers, you won’t need to rally leadership support so much as simply be the first one to open their mouth.

Caution: Be prepared for hours of micro-managing hopeless drones.

Manipulate: If you are dead-set on leading a group, then don’t let morality get in your way; lie, cheat, blackmail and force your way into a position of sullied power. Hold whatever personal power you can over individuals and use intimidation and mob tactics to keep the others under thumb. For inspiration, catch up on your viewing of Game of Thrones.

Caution: Your soul could be damned to hell for all eternity.

‘First Mate’: A tactic that could be tied to any of those above, this is an approach for keeping would-be leaders in check. Those who grow jealous of your authority and power can be kept close by giving them false co/sub leadership titles. These positions, pulled out of thin air, may be all the responsibility and distraction needed to keep your challengers at bay.

Caution: Mutiny. That is all.

Follow: If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Sometimes it is crucial to realize when there is a bigger dog in the room who simply wants it more. For the benefit of the group and your sanity, the best thing you can do is step back and let someone else take the reins.

Caution: That other guy could be a real moron.