Appreciating the No-Men Culture
First, let’s be clear about this post’s title. Gloria Steinem is not our guest author today. We’re talking “no-men” as opposed to “yes-men”, those stereotypical, risk-avoiding, empty-headed execs who cower from taking any position that doesn’t fall in step with that of the person in the corner office.
And it is on that note that I feel kind of sorry for John Mackey, the embattled CEO of Whole Foods who faces mounting pressure to step aside. Yeah, I know, you have to wonder about the judgment about an executive who publicly questions the integrity of the public servants at the Federal Trade Commission, laces his blog entries with over-the-top rhetoric, promotes his company’s stock on Yahoo message boards using a pseudonym, and waits several days before apologizing for his dimwitted actions. But none of that is why I pity the guy.
Rather, it is because he is clearly surrounded by people who don’t seem to have the stomach, backbone – or any other body part for that matter – to save him from himself.
Then again, maybe I’m too quick to judge. Maybe they’re not mere “yes-men” but rather people whose judgment and counsel he is simply too quick to dismiss. After all, one has to think that someone within Whole Foods’ legal and PR functions must have seen the inherent operational and reputational risks to some of these untraditional CEO behaviors and tried to warn him of the likely fallout. If so, they obviously failed to get his attention.
By all accounts, Mackey is extremely outspoken and impulsive, personality traits I happen to share. But I’m fortunate to be surrounded by strong-willed people who feel free – and don’t hesitate – to challenge my decisions and rescue me before I go off the deep end. I’ve had a lot of good ideas in my time, but have had some synaptic misfires on occasion as well. Truth be told, I have bought my colleagues more than a few rounds of drinks for talking me out of some of the more impulsive things that have crossed my mind over the years.
One of the core reasons that companies retain Starkman & Associates is because they know that they can count on us to give them our best counsel and to tell them honestly when they are veering off course. It is an essential element in the partnership model we pursue with clients. After all, there’s no point or value – ego-stroking aside – to hiring an outside agency to simply rubberstamp ideas thrown out by the internal PR function head.
I expect no less when it comes to our own inner workings. When people ask me what the toughest thing is about building a successful company, the issue that always comes to mind is that notion of creating a real culture of “no-men” instead of “yes-men” – people who are not afraid to speak up, to question prevailing ideas or propose radically new ones. Fortunately, the people here are all quick studies – much to our clients’ benefit.
It’s too bad Mackey isn’t as fortunate. A few rounds of drinks for his team would have been a far, far cheaper price to pay than the final cost he’s now facing.