Have you ever walked into a high school locker room or a martial arts class? The smell that hits you is that of competition and sweat. In meeting rooms in organizations around the world, the dynamics, if not the aroma, are similar, as peers jockey for power in an adult version of sports competition.
Whats Slipping Under Your Radar?
Ben, a high-level leader in a multi-national firm, recently confessed that he felt like a bad father. That weekend he had messed up his Saturday daddy duties. When he took his son to soccer practice, Ben stayed for a while to support him. In the process, though, he forgot to take his daughter to her piano lesson. By the time they got to the piano teachers house, the next student was already playing. This extremely successful businessman felt like a failure.
Kiss the Ring: Hierarchy Matters (Its not what you think)
Someone once asked a Washington insider how to deal with important people whom you cant stand. His reply? You put on your respectful face and you dont blink. This strategy is known in business circles as kissing the ring.