Squirrel Spotting: Be Like The Boss

Peter Smith shares what he learned about great leaders from reading the autobiography of a legendary Boss, Bruce Springsteen.

Peter Smith TheRetailSmiths@gmail.com

Peter Smith has more than 30 years of experience building wholesale and retail sales teams. He currently is president of Vibhor Gems.

I recently read Bruce Springsteen’s very good book “Born To Run.” It’s almost sacrilegious to say it, but I’ve never been a huge fan of his music, being more of an Elvis, Sinatra and Beatles guy. That said, I’ve always been drawn to him as someone who exudes real passion, authenticity and a work ethic to die for.

His autobiography is a fascinating and worthwhile read, and it did nothing to dispel the attributes that I already had ascribed to The Boss.

It’s probably not news to his legions of fans, but it became patently obvious to me in reading his book that Springsteen, despite never having a “real job” in his life, is clearly not only a working man’s rocker and poet, but a great leader too. Far from locking himself behind high gates in Memphis or Palm Springs, Bruce seems to be somehow infinitely more accessible than other storied musicians and celebrities.

I loved a story I heard a year or two ago about Bruce walking through Boston’s Public Gardens.

He happened upon a busker and he asked if he could borrow his guitar for a bit. After playing a few tunes, he apologized for not having any cash on him (think about the gift he had already given that busker!) and went on his way. A short while later, Springsteen returned with some cash and tipped the busker.

As I was reading Bruce’s book, I happened upon the following passage and, if you’ll forgive the pun, it really struck a chord with me.

He wrote: “I’ve always believed the E Street Band’s continued existence--and it’s now been 40-plus years since its inception--is partially due to the fact that there was little to no role confusion amongst its members. Everyone knew their job, their boundaries, their blessings and limitations. My bandmates were not always happy with the decisions I made and may have been angered by some of them, but nobody debated my right to make them. Clarity ruled and allowed us to forge a bond based on the principle that we worked together, but it was my band.”

Some people may read that and see a self-absorbed egomaniac telling everyone that the ball is his and they can find another game if they don’t like it. I read it and loved every typed word. I thought that it was a brilliant reflection on why Bruce Springsteen

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has been so successful and why, despite many upheavals in his long career, he reigns today as one of the greats of music, irrespective of genre.

That one paragraph sums up so brilliantly why some leaders are successful and why so many are not.

Whether a company finds itself riding the crest of a wave or knee-deep in horse manure, what is always required from the leader is absolute clarity and conviction of purpose. It is not his or her job to tell tall tales or make excuses (anyone paying attention at United Airlines?) but to chart a clear course and to communicate that direction, unambiguously, throughout the organization. Clarity and consistency of message ought to be the minimum standard for a leader and, yet, it is so often lacking.

In the HBR book “On Managing People,” Daniel Goleman wrote: “Our research indicates that of the six leadership styles, the authoritative one is the most effective, driving up every aspect of climate. Take clarity. The authoritative leader is a visionary; he motivates people by making clear to them how their work fits into a larger vision for the organization. People who work for such leaders understand that what they do matters and why. By framing the individual tasks within a grand vision, the authoritative leader defines standards that revolve around that vision.”

It is not a leader’s job to ensure that his or her choices and directives please everyone or make him or her popular. And it is not, as we have seen in many high-profile cases of late, his or her job to make excuses in the face of failures or criticism. It is not his or her job to seek out scapegoats when things don’t go to plan or to sanction a continuous rotation of senior positions, as the last man in becomes the new savior.

What he or she must do is to be authentically clear and consistent in communicating the direction they are taking the company, and to explain to the entire team why that needs to happen and how they will get there. Anything less is simply not rock ‘n’ roll.

Peter Smith is president of Vibhor, a public speaker and author of “Sell Something” and “Hiring Squirrels.” He spent 30 years building sales teams in retail and wholesale and he can be contacted at dublinsmith@yahoo.com, peter@vibhorgems.com, or on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter.

Peter Smithis an industry consultant, speaker, and sales trainer, and author of 3 books on sales. Reach him at TheRetailSmiths@gmail.com.