During my career in mining, I have met hundreds of people in a management role. Some were executives, some were managers of divisions, mines or plants, some were superintendents of operations, maintenance, tailings, procurement, electrical, etc., and some were supervisors responsible for crews that “did the work”. Without exception, the people in management that I admired and respected were honest, even when it was politically incorrect. Years later, I still have the highest regard for those individuals because I recognize how much courage it took to stand for what was right and “go to bat” for their people when it mattered most.

This article is not about the importance of being honest in the workplace. It is about the word “brutal” and its hidden impact on the bottom line, the culture and management’s credibility.

Webster’s definition of brutal reads: “extremely ruthless or cruel, crude or unfeeling in manner or speech, harsh and unrelenting, disagreeably precise or penetrating”. Many of you know people like this:

  • Their words often reflect anger, resentment, intimidation, arrogance and/or impatience.
  • They hold others accountable for a level of perfection that far exceeds what is required to do a job.
  • They believe that a brutal management style is THE ONLY WAY to motivate people to meet goals.
  • They were similarly supervised by past bosses who were rewarded for their conduct.
  • They believe that their job title gives them the right to use this management style.

Historically, companies have accepted a variety of management styles within their management teams. If someone questioned the use of a brutal style, the response was often “that’s just the way he or she is – get used to it”. Even H.R. departments said “we have talked to that person and they refuse to change – there’s nothing else we can do”. This is especially true if that person was a friend of someone in management.    

There is rarely a connection made between a brutal management style and the bottom line…or the culture…or management’s credibility. Let’s examine each area where losses occur in more detail:

  • BOTTOM LINE: Solving problems that interfere with production or cost depends on the freedom to communicate without judgment or retribution. These problems are often worth thousands and sometimes millions of dollars. ALL OF THE VALUE attached to these problems hinges on the free exchange of ideas between management and the workforce and between departments. A brutal management style shuts down the free exchange of ideas, stealing profits tied to these problems. 
  • CULTURE: People under a brutal management style come to work every day knowing that they may be ridiculed or criticized unfairly. They are depressed when they arrive on site and can’t wait to leave at the end of the day. They feel abandoned because they believe that the entire management team approves of the way they are treated. People with low morale rarely try to make things better and rarely share an insight about an opportunity to improve production or cost. People in the midst of adopting new work practices are especially affected because they make more mistakes than usual during the transition from old to new practices. Nothing slows change down like overly critical comments during the change process – another connection to the bottom line.
  • MANAGEMENT CREDIBILITY: When management continues to tolerate and/or reward a brutal management style, the entire team is affected. The rest of the team sees the lack of courage to address the issue. The workforce sees the lack of courage and willingness to forfeit additional profits and labels the entire team as weak. A virtual wall forms between the management team and the workforce as mistrust builds, a wall that is impossible to tear down without consistent changes in management behaviors. Successful change CANNOT be achieved if the foundation for change is filled with mistrust, conflict and confusion.

Thought for the month: Brutal management styles cost more than you think and are one of the hidden barriers to change. Setting standards that prevent a brutal style sets the stage for higher profits, happier people and more management credibility.

Author: Kay Sever CMC, CQIA, Sustainable Improvement Consultant and Coach. Kay Sever is a leader in sustainable improvement for mines and plants. She combines over 30 years of mining experience with a common sense approach to improvement that raises awareness about lost opportunity and hidden barriers that prevent improvement success. Her new management training program, The Change Revelation, shows management teams how to remove the barriers that are holding them back.www.thechangerevelation.com.