Politics or Prudence?: Mastering the Art of Influencing Up

When we moved to Thailand, I joined a team of resources from nearly 40 countries to build a brand new manufacturing plant for P&G. A couple of months later, three of us—expats from the US—were invited to attend a meeting in Japan with our counterparts from other countries in the region.

This was to be my first trip to Japan and having heard so much about the cutting-edge work they were doing in manufacturing, I was very excited to make the visit.

Suffice it to say, I enthusiastically attended the multi-day event, which included plant tours, presentations, and social events. It was a fabulous experience to learn from others and see so many innovative approaches being used at our host's plant firsthand.

The event concluded with a closing session in which our hosts nicely wrapped up the visit and invited participants, about 15 people or so, to provide suggestions to improve future events.

We all shared several very positive pieces of feedback because it had been an enjoyable and educational visit. However, our host insisted on knowing what could have been done better. After asking several more times and not receiving any answers, I and my colleagues decided that perhaps we should volunteer a few suggestions so the host wouldn’t walk away empty-handed. So, we mentioned a couple of minor opportunities for improvement. The host thanked us for our input, and that was that.

Upon this very positive end to a productive visit, we all returned to our respective countries excited and prepared to apply the lessons learned to our workplaces.

However, a few days after the visit, my plant manager called the three of us who had attended the event into his office and we could immediately sense his agitation. He didn’t waste time on small talk and got right down to the point. He asked us incredulously, "What did you guys do at the event in Japan?"

Obviously, we had no idea what he was talking about, because we had never been given any indication that we had done anything out of the ordinary. Sensing our bewilderment in the random responses we were throwing out, he enlightened us about exactly what we had done “wrong.”

It turned out that he had received a phone call where he was told that we had been disrespectful to our hosts and publicly embarrassed their leaders in front of the other guests! Having had more intercultural experience in the region, our plant manager went on to explain how things had gone awry.

He explained that the public request for feedback and even the repeated insistence on uncovering improvement opportunities were all, in fact, ceremonial requests that weren’t meant to be taken literally. The goal of this business “ritual” was to publicize positive comments and reinforcement as a way for us to express gratitude to our benefactors. As for the requests for constructive criticism, they were meant to be volunteered only if absolutely necessary, and suggestions for improvement were always only to be shared in a private setting so that leadership could save face.

Of course, this was all pretty shocking to us, as all we had done was respond to repeated requests for opportunities for improvement. The conversations we had throughout the entire event had been cordial and even the ideas for improvement we had shared were very minor and they had been met with a seemingly appreciative attitude.

Whatever the case, I learned my lesson that day! Although that particular situation might have been specific to the Japanese culture of the event and those who hosted it, it is always prudent to make sure that constructive feedback delivered publicly is truly welcomed and appreciated before offering it. Outside of specific cultural considerations, it is simply a fact that most of us don’t take criticism very well, even if we would like to believe that we do. This is why it is always prudent to consider the character and motivations of the person requesting the criticism before offering it.

I have personally always encouraged constructive feedback from my team members in a public setting because I want to make sure that my ego doesn’t become an obstacle to my ability to be a transformative leader. I have even asked a few people over the years who have given me private feedback to deliver it to me again in our meetings, just so I could prove to others who might be hesitant to provide input that it is safe to do so.

It's important to remember, though, that this may not be appropriate in every situation, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Whatever the case, unless you are absolutely sure the person will take it well, it is probably preferable to give one’s initial feedback in a private setting. This is helpful in two ways, first acting as a ceremonial act of deference, and secondly making them more likely to consider and act on the feedback without social pressure to dissuade them.

The choice to avoid providing constructive feedback in public settings—especially when it is specifically requested—may be interpreted as having to play politics, and to an extent, that may be true. However, in most cases, doing so is justified as a prudent course of action for anyone who truly wants to make a difference.

Although withholding input may not feel right, doing so will give one the opportunity to “live to fight another day” or provide input at another time. It is ultimately up to the individual to decide how much and how often they are willing to hold their tongue as dictated by their current culture. If curtailing their personal expression ends up being too much of a burden, many people understandably end up leaving to find a culture that is more open to input. My experience is that, in most cases, unless the root cause of the inability to find the balance between honesty and prudence is found and addressed, the same issues tend to come up in the next workplace.

In any case, it is always best to make sure the feedback is going to land on fertile ground by delivering it in a setting conducive to it being received favorably. If and when feedback is requested of us, it is our responsibility to choose how to deliver it even though we are not necessarily responsible for how it is received.

This is a nuanced skill that takes time and experience to hone, but it is one that we eventually have to master if we truly want to make a difference in the world.

If there are topics you find to be of special value to you, or if you’d just like to get in touch and chat about what’s going on with you, simply reply to this newsletter or send me an email at amir@theghannadgroup.com. If you’re experiencing challenges that you would like my perspective on, or you’d like to explore how we can partner with you to support you in your transformative journey, please click here to schedule a call with me. I’d love to hear from you.

Further Reading

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