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Big personality Big ideas 

 This larger than life person is interesting therefore what they have to say is interesting. Whilst this doesn’t follow people frequently behave as if it did. 

“ People don’t believe in ideas they believe in people who believe in ideas”
Ze’ve Mankowitz historian 

Most employees don’t care about the latest big idea from senior management, but when the controversial new Director addressed managers /employees in his first week there was a full house. Why did the new Director packed out the training centre standing room only . Why were people so keen to hear what he said that the overspill crowd were standing in the car park listening through open windows? 

 

His reputation as a controversial figure preceded him, someone who was blunt, critical, not your usual company man, a larger than life character, a big personality, someone not bothered about upsetting people. Someone who would tell it like he found it. So how did he find our organisation? What was his brutal analysis of our organisation?   Did he have some uncomfortable messages for some people? What plans did he have for the future of the organisation? How would they effect mangers/employees?  Those who weren’t there wanted to know what he had said. What were the big ideas to go with the big personality?

They were to be disappointed. On this occasion he did not articulate any great plan for the future. Never the less he was a big man with a big personality who could command and hold an audience. For a short period he created a buzz of expectancy around the organisation. Inevitably the ideas didn’t last beyond his short tenure and as is often the case the big personality admired by so many alienated others. Conflict with individual board members led to a period of “gardening leave” followed by a quiet departure out the back door,  in marked contrast to the fanfare of his arrival. 

 

A Big personality is not enough. But big ideas do need someone who can attract and hold an audience, who can articulate a plan,  can get the ideas to take hold even if the individual moves on. 

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