Good morning.
It’s the first day of September and we’re headed into Labor Day weekend, the unofficial last weekend of summer. There’s certainly a lot to reflect upon in the workplace as we enter the remaining months of the year.
One topic I’d like to turn back to is leadership style. Last Friday, I asked CFO Daily readers the question: Should leaders be concerned about whether or not they’re liked?
I received quite a few interesting responses via email, and on social media:
—Raju Narisetti, leader of Global Publishing at McKinsey & Company, shared my question on his LinkedIn page, but also offered some advice: “The one recommendation I do have is to read one of my favorite books, The Courage To Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga, a decade-old classic that is profoundly liberating in giving us the courage to change.”
—Joy Mbanugo, CFO at ServiceRocket, also shared her thoughts in a LinkedIn post: “Great leaders, irrespective of an organization’s size or nature, have one thing in common: They value their team,” according to Mbanugo. However, it’s “not about playing to the gallery or dispensing pleasing rhetoric,” she explains. “Instead, it's weaving together the collective aspirations with the strategic path ahead.”
Mbanugo continues, “Now, what does that imply for you? Suppose you've just stepped into your much-anticipated role as a first-time executive. The financial jargon, the spreadsheets, the ROI, and the market trends are important. But are they your center of focus? How about taking a different road—an untrodden path, perhaps? Instead of exclusively anchoring to numbers and charts, try anchoring to your team.” She adds, “I am lucky to work for a CEO and company who live this talk every day.”
Meanwhile, some readers emailed self-reflective responses to the question:
—“I have had empathy toward team members as well as other functions. However, many times, I have seen that this does not work completely. Some people literally take advantage of you being good to them and others. Even in some organizations, HR also sees such people as ‘not so strong leaders.’ Still, I believe that I am able to get most things done using my basic characteristics, and I know that I fall into the category of a likable leader. I’m more comfortable with this leadership style.” —P.T., a CFO
—“I'm in a senior leadership role at a midsize PR agency and think about this topic often. For me, it's less about being liked and more about being respected. I'm sure my teams grumble behind my back (they're only human!). But it's more important to me that they respect and understand my choices.”—M.C.
—“It's been two and a half years since my last CFO position. When I think of my time there, the only thing that matters is the impact I had. Did I empower my team members and improve their well-being by fighting for them? (Which I am convinced I did). So, then I think I was likable to them. I think it simply comes down to—who are you really working for? Are you a servant leader? Or, are you pushing profits, or deliveries, or quarterly numbers?"—Gideon Kigotho
The next CFO Daily will be in your inbox on Tuesday, Sept. 5.
Enjoy the long weekend!
Sheryl Estrada
sheryl.estrada@fortune.com
