The Interview Opens with a Parable About Heading a Large Company and Giving Directions

SARA MARSHALL CSR 309 19 JANUARY 2014

Sitting on my parents’ couch over the holiday weekend, I selected the article “A Sitting Duck Can Never Catch a

Turkey”, interview with John W. Rowe. The title was appealing to me, as I begin the final stint of my undergraduate studies; preparing for the culmination of a challenging three and a half years. Ready to catch my turkey and reaffirm the martyrdom of emotional stability for the glory of a blazing college exit, I nearly missed a refreshing perspective of continuous evolvement amongst the clichés of hard work and taking risks. Luckily for me, I was humbled and relieved to focus on the undercurrents of synergistic team performance and the value of truth in the communication process.

The Interview opens with a parable about heading a large company and giving directions. I understood immediately the premise that employees are uncomfortable with ambiguity. However, I was interested to hear Rowe’s explanation about how detailed orders are far more easily given than amorphous concepts. Communicating clearly can be one of the most difficult things in a leadership position. Rowe goes on to illustrate that he has found success with his communication methods by practicing continuous reinforcement day in and day out. At the same time, he acknowledges the responsibility that leaders carry with an anecdote about how an office rumor surfaced from polite elevator talk. At the heart of his introduction, I respected Rowe’s mentality; his job is to deal with the hard stuff. The incondensable issues are his to illustrate as clearly as he can so that the desired results can be achieved. As the interview progressed I related to his choice to consistently take up the heavier mantle as it stemmed from a tradition of hard work that was evident in the way he described his depression-era farming parents’ work mentality. Rowe channeled this energy into a behavior that can only be described as a reflex—to be ever vigilant for the next action to progress. Thoroughly engaged, I read on to see that rather than allow this mentality to alienate him from his colleagues, Rowe reverted to his principle of simplifying the communication process with repetition and embodiment as in the case of the company creed.

As the creed example illustrates, integrity is at the center of Rowe’s perspective. Attaining the highest levels of productivity means living your life the way that you want your team to function, and realizing that communicating direction is more challenging than giving succinct orders. Rowe energizes me with ongoing quest and unflinching attitude towards hard work. As far as creating that perfect team? The interview winds down with a clincher that will keep me thinking, “And you’d like to think that, you know you have this galaxy of stars around you who all fit all the criteria. But you don’t and neither do they”.