Never complain never explain - Blair McPherson

 

Kate Moss is 40. She has been at the top of her profession for 25 years. She has survived scandals, being dropped by her labels and some unwise decisions in her personal life. She says her mantra for life is  " never complain, never explain". Ok for super models but not for senior managers or patients or relatives or care staff but definitely not senior managers. The temptation may be to dismiss debate as pointless, to say you don't expect people to agree with a decision you know will be unpopular, to point out that you are in charge and it's your decision to make but still you must explain your thinking. Both a manager and a leader will impose their decisions but a leader will explain why this must be done where as a manager will simply say "because I say so" or "because senior management says so".

 

Closures, redundancies, service restructuring, outsourcing, leaders explain. Leaders don't hide behind carefully worded press statements, avoid the publics question on radio phone ins or get someone else to stand up in front of an anger and concerned group of service users and their carers .And when they are misunderstood, pilloried in the press or accused of lacking compassion they don't complain ( well not in public) it's just part of the job.

 

Blair McPherson author of People management in a harsh financial climate published by Russell House http://www.blairmcpherson.co.uk/