Reading time: 4 – 6 minutes
In my senior year of college, way back when I was 20 years old, I had a business experience that I can point to as being one of the defining moments of my leadership development.
This defining moment came from taking a specific course, a 400 level strategic management course. Most business schools have an equivalent course, one students take towards the end of their degree program that has the student look at big picture decision making. You know, the kind of decision making that executive leaders need to make every day.
The interesting thing looking back on this now is that I can’t for the life of me remember the instructor, the book or even most of the material. But I do remember this: It was during this course that my organizational thinking changed from viewing the world as one of “us” to understanding the view of “them”.
It was during this course that I started to see the world through the lens of “them”. Even in my early career when I was still at the bottom of the organizational food chain, I was able to understand decisions that were handed down from on high because I was able to see the big picture; the same view seen by “them”.
I think that this single ability, my ability to view the world as “they” see it has not only served me well through out my career but has distinguished me as a leader in each of the organizations that I’ve been a part of.
“Us” and “Them”
There is no doubt that an “us” and “them” mentality existing in many organizations. The “us” who make up the lower levels of the organization can’t understand why “they” in the higher levels of the organization make the decisions that they do.
Meanwhile, the “them” in the higher levels of the organization can’t understand why the “us” at the lover levels of the organization always seem so unmotivated or are always complaining.
To me, some of this is no different than the typical generational gap that has plagued parents and teenagers forever. Teens think that their parents just don’t understand what it’s like to be a teenager today. Even though we “grown ups” were once teenagers ourselves. And of course, now that we’re all grown up we can’t understand why our teenagers act the way they do. We certainly didn’t act that way at their age.
The same thing happens in organizations, those in the lower levels of the organization forget that those at the top were once at the bottom and have dealt with the work and the issues. However, the folks at the top tend to be dealing with issues that are broader than those in the lower levels are used seeing. And there is the key to the whole dynamic.
It’s About Perspective
This whole “us” and “them” issue is really one of perspective. The main differences between “us” and “them” is how they see the world. “Us” tend to look at the organizational world through the narrow view of the current job they are doing. When decisions are made on high, those decisions are seen by “us”, not through the impact on organization, but through the impact on how I do my job.
“Them”, because of where they’re situated in the organizational hierarchy, tend to look at the organizational world through the much wider lens of the entire organization. When decisions are made, they look at how the decision impacts the entire organization AND individual areas. Sometimes needing to keep a delicate balance between the two and not always succeeding.
Leaders Need to View the World Like “Them”
I’ve watched folks who have been moving through their careers for as long as I have but keep getting stalled out because of this “us” and “them” view of the world. They continue to view the organizational world as one of “us”, never fully seeing the big organizational picture and it always stymies their progress. They may be the best at what they do, but the “us” view keeps them from being offered positions of leading others.
Looking back on it now, I’m grateful for the strategic management course that caused my thinking to change allowing me to be able to understand the view that “they” see. It has allowed me be in a better position to help move the organizations I’ve been a part of move further forward.
Leader’s Reflection: The “us” and “them” dynamic in organizations is one of perspective. Those in the lower levels of organizations tend to see the organization through the view of their current job. Leaders need to view the organization through the wider lens of the entire organization.
Hi Tom,
I really liked this. It helped me to clarify that the work I do is really helping leaders to see people as, well, people; and sometimes as individuals. And to consider the impact of their decisions on “them”. No matter where they are in the organizational heirarchy.
Great post. Do you think organizations like unions help cultivate an us versus them mentality?
Hi Tom,
Do you think the lack of transparency helps to create the “us” and “them” in organizations? Although the leaders of an organization cannot share everything, being transparent about company goals and priorities and the rationale for decision making might help to bridge some of the “us” versus “them” in organizations.