Getting-to-the-point clarity saves time, answers questions and calms fears.
Ambiguity wastes time, generates questions and stirs up the dark unknown.
And this isn't just on in-flight announcements. This works in every form of inter-personal relationships, from colleague-to-colleague, from parent-to-child, from spouse-to-spouse.
Be clear, say what is...and deal with the consequences now.
Smoke-and-mirror it...and deal with even more consequences for a long, long time to come.
(P.S. I am writing this at the airport waiting for my flight back home. I just heard an announcement for the delay of a Jet Blue flight to Boston. The reason? "Weather." Oh, that explains it...)
Back in 1984, the Gillette Company lunched a series of commercials for its "Dry Idea" antiperspirant. The ads featured notables such as fashion designer Donna Karan, actress Lauren Hutton and comedian Elayne Boosler, and were all capped off with the bold tag-line "Never Let Them See You Sweat." Take a look:
But that was 1984.
A little over a quarter-century later, I think the opposite holds true. Not only do I think that indeed, you should "Let 'Em See You Sweat," I think you wear your perspiration with pride.
I learned this lesson double-barreled over the weekend in Chicago, where I was attending our Just For Laughs event there.
Part (A) of this lesson...
...was the difference between two shows I saw at The Vic Theater.
On Friday, Jeffrey Ross, the unkempt teddy bear known as The Roastmaster General tanks to his raucous appearances on the Comedy central Roast series, performed his solo how there. The following night, the much beloved Seth Myers of SNL Weekend Update fame (not to mention his unforgettable, show-stopping stint keynoting this year's White House Correspondents' Dinner) did the same.
Myers was smooth, personable and polished; quite the impressive feat given that stand-up is not his mother tongue, so to speak. At then end of his hour-long set, there was nary a hair out of place. He was fresh, funny and suave.
Ross, on the other hand, was the visual equivalent of Filene's Basement after a bridal clearance sale. His wild hair was wet-tipped, his shirt pulled from his pants and rumpled (his jacket came off about 10 minutes into the show and was tossed randomly over a chair). He wasn't nervous, but he was visibly working it (especially when he brought a dozen or so audience members for a speed roast on stage), and it was evident.
I saw both shows and loved both of 'em. But there was something different about Jeff's performance vs. Seth's.
Seth made it look easy. Jeff made it look hard. And although both got standing ovations, I'd dare to say that Jeff's was more heartfelt, driven by appreciation in addition to TV recognition.
So, now for Part (B)...
I worked out twice at the hotel gym with my TRX RipTrainer while in Chicago. Following each workout, I took a pre-shower detour into our production office for a post-workout treat (a sample-size Twix bar, for a sugar fix/sin/reward).
The first time, I wore a black long-sleeved top. Not a lot was said; a few "You've been in the gym?"s but that's about it. I was basically anonymous.
The second time, I wore a grey long-sleeved top. The sweat showed through like a grotesque, Rorschach blot-like stain. The reaction was remarkably different.
"Oh my God, you must've had one hell of a workout!" was the basic tenet. Here, check me out in this G-rated, Anthony Weiner-esque, un-retouched photo at my Saturday workout:
There's a fundamental reason why grey is the best-selling color of workout and yoga wear--sweat shows through it blatantly.
You wear grey to the gym, you show the results loudly and with pride.
There's no shame in sweating.
Better still, there's a benefit in letting it show.
Because Sweat Sells.
Houdini understood, and exploited, this over a century ago. The master of escape could break his bonds in seconds. But where's the win there? By making it look hard, he heightened the tension, and exponentially cranked up the appreciation once he made his appearance, free of all encumbrances. (Under cover of tarps or crates, he often relaxed with a newspaper while his audiences were hyperventilating, hoping and often praying for his safe re-appearance.)
There's something about today's digital society--and I can't put my finger on exactly what, but go with me nonetheless on this--that rewards those who are liberal in exhibiting effort, and better yet, in not hiding the inevitable kicks in the pants they bear the brunt of. Steve Jobs' legend is almost deified due to his ongoing battle with pancreatic cancer. And Donald Trump is almost universally reviled because of his seeming sense of entitlement.
Nobody likes the guy who makes it look effortless, too easy. In business, as in sport, the grunting, grimacing and pouring of perspiration is a sign of strength, not weakness.
So even if it's easy, find a way to make it look a bit harder.
Go ahead.
Forget the Dry Idea.
Let 'em see you sweat.
Despite the stains and smell, your audience, your customers, your teammates, employees or bosses will embrace you tighter because of it.
There IS room for dissent, but only WITHIN the vision, not AGAINST it.
And to maintain this, one needs 100% commitment to said vision. You can argue on how to make it better, but you've got to believe in it. And you may not believe in it 100%, but you've got to believe in it enough to fight for it.
You either buy in, or check out.
Unfortunately, most people won't merely check out of they don't buy in.
And that's when the rough stuff has to start.
It's the same in business as it is in sport--a team needs one goal, one vision, one plan. You can't play two games, with competing game plans, at once.
Those who are convinced get on board easy. For those who aren't, leaders are left with two choices.
First, you try to:
Convert them.
And if the art of gentle persuasion doesn't work, you're left with only one choice:
Eliminate them.
I know these ain't exactly Sunday School rules, but success requires unanimous commitment.
These days, especially.
In this economy, in this digital world, things move hyper-fast. Infighting reduces the time and energy needed for out-fighting.
In any competitive field, there will always be victims.
But better the battlefield be littered with a few dissenters...than with your entire organization.
I learned an important lesson in leadership this past week.
Not about how to lead, not about who to lead...but about two types of people sure to encompass you asyou lead.
They are, in no particular order:
Backstabbers
Ass-kissers
Both groups, while polar opposites, are dangerous and disproportionately counter-productive. And while unavoidable, they must be ignored at all costs as their mission in life is to throw you off course, and affect your potential to lead.
Ain't nothing you can do about them except eventually prove them wrong.
Trouble is, because of their ghost-like omnipresence, leaders may pay too much attention to countering their handiwork, which ranges from mischief and gossip to full-scale sabotage.
Ignore 'em.
Ass-kissers are equally as harmful, but because of their up-front niceties and ego-boosting, are seductive. Don't buy into it.
As the old saying goes, "if it seems to good to be true, it probably is." That goes for you, and me, as well. We ain't that good.
Ignore 'em too.
So, what's an aspiring leader to do?
Decide what your course will be, and what you profoundly believe in.
Then follow both.
Yeah, your course and beliefs may not work. There are no guarantees. But, at least you'll be following your path, unemcombered by the forks in the road trying to skewer you with their sharpened, poison-tipped tines along the way.
