Business Tools Blog

One day, a Harvard MBA (that really is the only way to describe him) came to my office and asked me why he hadn’t been promoted to Vice President.   He indicated that he was as qualified as others who had been promoted.  He said that he was smarter than most of the “idiots” who were already VPs.

I asked him, “Why do you want to be a Vice President at this company?”

He explained that he had accepted the position at the company because he saw it as a stepping stone to a CEO position some day, and that he had been sure that he would be promoted to a VP position within a year.  He needed his resume to say Vice President in order to get the next job.

I asked him the question again, “Why do you want to be a Vice President at this company?”

He looked confused, but stated, “Because I’m qualified, and I deserve it.”

I told him that I would have to think about it, but I would get back to him in a week.  I really didn’t need a week to think about why this manager wasn’t a VP.  He wasn’t perceived to be a leader in the organization.  But how do you tell someone that, in a constructive way?

Then it hit me … Jerry Macguire - in the movie Jerry Macguire- had the same conversation with Rod Tidwell, .

Alright. Here’s why you don’t have your ten million dollars yet. You are a paycheck player. You play with your head. Not your heart. In your personal life? Heart. But when you get on the field - you’re a businessman. It’s wide-angle lenses and who f@#!d you over and who owes you for it. That’s not what inspires people.  I’m sorry, but that’s the truth, can you handle it?  Just a “question” - Rod.  Between friends.

When I circled back with Harvard MBA, I was blunt.  I shared the Jerry Macguire conversation and told him that his response reminded me of how Rod Tidwell acted before Macguire talked to him.

He vehemently disagreed.

I explained that I had evidence.  Every time he spoke, all I heard was Me, Me, Me.  I replayed my question, “Why do you want to be a Vice President at this company?” and replayed his answer. “Because I’m qualified, and I deserve it.”

He stopped arguing, and thanked me for the feedback.

Yesterday’s blog concluded with  …

I think everyone should aspire to be a leader in the organization.  You don’t have to be a manager to be a leader.  You also don’t have to give up your paycheck … but you should ask yourself, if I could afford to give up my paycheck, would I still be working to achieve the vision?  If not, why?

Today I will ask,

Are you a paycheck player?  In sports it’s the biggest insult you can offer a person.  In business, it should also be perceived as a big insult.  Why show up and go through the motions until the better job comes along?  Why spend your time comparing yourself to others who are “idiots”?  If you are going to come to work … be a leader.  Put your heart into it.