There is a story told of the final days at Denver’s downtown Stapleton Airport in 1995 as all operations shifted to the new Denver International. As you might imagine, the airlines encountered a few problems during the transition. As the result of a mix-up, a United flight was scheduled to depart from Denver International while its passengers were sitting in the lounge at Stapleton. To make matters worse, there was only one gate agent there to deal with the scores of angry passengers. But she rose to the occasion and assured them that if they would form an orderly line, she would eventually make alternate arrangements for everyone. Her calm voice restored order. Almost.
There was one unruly man who pushed his way to the front of the line, flopped his ticket on the counter, and demanded priority service. “I’m sorry, sir,” the agent said, “but would you please take your place in line?” “Young lady,” he bellowed, “do you know who I am?” The agent paused for a moment, then picked up the microphone. “Ladies and gentlemen,” she said, “I need some assistance. We have a gentleman here in the gate area who does not know who he is.”
If you’ve done any amount of travel in your life, no doubt you’ve encountered a similar situation. Maybe you’ve even been that disgruntled passenger.
In the privileged position as a business owner or senior leader, many of us may forget who we are. We may be accustomed to being able to move to the front of the line or to getting special treatment, at least within our own company. We may take it for granted and fail to consider the responsibility that comes with such a position.
While not everyone aspires to achieve what author Jim Collins refers to as Level 5 Leadership in his book Good to Great, having a clearer understanding of both the privileges and the responsibilities that come with a leadership position will help us build more profitable businesses and enjoy our work more as we do.
Taking responsibility doesn’t need to be complicated. It usually involves every-day activities or personal characteristics, along with understanding who we are without our title or beyond the walls of our company.
It’s a fact that people prefer being around others who think beyond themselves. This includes family, friends, coworkers, and customers. But because of our title or position, they can be reluctant to let us know when they feel we’re not concerned about their needs. This can be exhausting for them and eventually lead to cynicism.
Several years ago, I was chosen to be the president of an international trade association and assumed the position at their annual convention. As a friend and I were approaching the trade show floor the security guard at the door asked to see our identification badges. Naturally, I didn’t have mine with me as I had not taken that responsibility seriously enough. My friend said to the guard, “Do you know who he is?” To which she replied, “I don’t care who he is. He’s not getting onto the show floor without his badge!”
I congratulated the guard on her commitment to her job. And I thanked her for the invaluable lesson.
