In this engaging discussion, Robert Sutton, an organizational psychologist and Stanford professor, dives into the nuances of oblivious leadership. He highlights how privilege can blind leaders to team struggles and stresses the importance of active listening. Sutton shares strategies such as measuring the balance between leaders' statements and questions to foster better communication. Through personal anecdotes and case studies, he illustrates how leaders can cultivate greater awareness and empathy, ultimately transforming their approach to effective leadership.
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insights INSIGHT
The Trap of Power
Powerful leaders risk cluelessness about others' struggles due to privilege.
Being aware of this "cone of friction" is crucial for good leadership.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Get Down to the Front Lines
To avoid obliviousness, get down to where the actual work is done.
Understand the processes and challenges faced by those on the front lines.
question_answer ANECDOTE
GM's Executive Perks
General Motors gave executives new cars every 3-6 months, sparing them customer hassles.
This privilege shielded them from understanding typical customer experiences.
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How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder
Huggy Rao
Robert Sutton
The Friction Project by Robert I. Sutton and Huggy Rao focuses on the concept of friction in organizations, highlighting both its positive and negative aspects. The authors provide tools and strategies for identifying, assessing, and addressing friction, including 'friction forensics' and a 'help pyramid.' They delve into common friction troubles such as oblivious leaders, addition sickness, broken connections, jargon monoxide, and fast and frenzied people and teams. The book emphasizes the importance of leaders acting as 'friction fixers' to improve communication, cooperation, and collaboration, and to maintain a productive workplace culture[2][4][6].
Scaling Up Excellence
Bob Sutton
Good Boss, Bad Boss
How to Be the Best ... and Learn from the Worst
Robert Sutton
In 'Good Boss, Bad Boss', Robert I. Sutton weaves together psychological and management research with compelling stories and cases to reveal the mindset and actions of the best and worst bosses. The book emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, controlling one's moods and moves, and staying in tune with how followers, superiors, peers, and customers react. It provides practical advice on how great bosses protect their people from unnecessary distractions, absorb and deflect external pressures, and make adjustments to continuously inspire effort, dignity, and pride among their team.
The No Asshole Rule
Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't
Robert Sutton
In this book, Robert I. Sutton discusses the destructive impact of 'assholes' in the workplace, providing strategies for identifying and eliminating negative influences. He introduces the concept of the 'Total Cost of Assholes' (TCA) and offers practical advice on how to build a more civilized and productive work environment. The book includes case studies from various organizations and provides a self-diagnostic test to help readers identify and manage their own behavior. Sutton also explores the difference between 'temporary' and 'certified' assholes and how to deal with each type effectively.
Robert Sutton: The Friction Project
Robert Sutton is an organizational psychologist and professor of Management Science and Engineering in the Stanford Engineering School. He has given keynote speeches to more than 200 groups in 20 countries and served on numerous scholarly editorial boards. Bob's work has been featured in The New York Times, BusinessWeek, The Atlantic, Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, Vanity Fair, and The Washington Post.
He is a frequent guest on various television and radio programs, and has written seven books and two edited volumes, including the bestsellers The No A-hole Rule, Good Boss, Bad Boss, and Scaling Up Excellence. He is the co-author with Huggy Rao of The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder*.
We’ve all worked with someone who seemed just a bit oblivious. None of us want to be that kind of leader. In this conversation, Bob and I discuss key strategies for how to stop it and also prevent it.
Key Points
Privilege spares you hassles, but has a cost. You risk cluelessness about troubles in the organization.
Power and prestige can cause leaders to focus more on themselves, less on others, and act like the rules don’t apply to them.
An antidote to oblivious leadership is less transmission and more reception. Measure two behaviors: (1) how much the leader talks vs. others in interactions and (2) the ratio of questions the leader asks vs. statements the leader makes.
Either manage by walking out of the room or get into the details with ride alongs, direct help, and doing the work with folks. Be cautious about “managing by walking around” getting ritualistic.
Hierarchy is inevitable and useful. The most effective leaders flex it by knowing when to collaborate and when to direct.
Resources Mentioned
The Friction Project: How Smart Leaders Make the Right Things Easier and the Wrong Things Harder* by Robert Sutton and Huggy Rao
Interview Notes
Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).
Related Episodes
Use Power for Good and Not Evil, with Dacher Keltner (episode 254)
How to Ask Better Questions, with David Marquet (episode 454)
How to Help People Speak Truth to Power, with Megan Reitz (episode 597)
How to Prevent a Team From Repeating Mistakes, with Robert “Cujo” Teschner (episode 660)
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