I'm often amazed at how awkward many leaders seem to be. They look uncomfortable when they interact with people, they say stupid things that will inevitably later be used against them or at least heavily criticized, and they exhibit qualities like disorganization and a lack of attention to details that essentially make them unfit for their position. One person that comes to mind is this McCain fella. Watching him interact with that Obama fella during the debates, motioning towards him with head gestures, and then finally awkwardly shaking his hand while forcing a painfully fake smile, made me instantly not like the guy. After eons of public service in politics, how is this guy still so weird and incapable, while his opponent is so relaxed and natural?
At work, there are quite a few people who hold leadership positions, and I can't help but wonder how they managed to achieve such success while being so awkward. These are the people who represent our organization to outsiders and are the names and faces associated with what we do. So when you see that guy who wears a tie with a short-sleeved button-down shirt and never shows his teeth when he smiles, producing a weird, uncomfortable-looking chubby man-face, think of my organization. My immediate boss is another story. He's sociable and fun, but he's the most disorganized human being to ever walk the earth. He could easily go for the whole mad scientist thing ... except that he's in charge of people. He manages money and projects. The fact that someone deemed him responsible enough to be in charge of anything other than dressing himself and finding his way to work is beyond me. #psychology |