Economics writer Tim Harford wrote an interesting opinion piece in the Financial Times last week, urging readers to “Listen to the bearers of bad news.” Though politicians were the primary examples, the piece’s fundamental message—“any leader needs frank advice, and the biggest obstacle to receiving it is often the leader himself”—applies equally to business. Harford says as much, citing the reality television show Undercover Boss.
A confession here (I use my three small children as my excuse)—I hardly watch grown-up television at all, and had not previously watched Undercover Boss. Coincidentally, a colleague of mine brought it up earlier this week, prompting me to check out the show’s website. Its premise is hilarious: a senior executive assumes the identity of a frontline employee in order to “learn the truth” about what employees really do and think. In his ultimate unveiling as the Undercover Boss, the executive summons these workers to his office, empathizes with their struggles, and promises various improvements and “task forces” to correct a variety of ills.
Now, the show is entertaining, and it definitely makes the CEOs look good. But if I were a Communications executive at one of these companies and saw my CEO really learning something in the process (I’m granting the possibility that “reality” TV is somewhat staged), I think I’d be pretty uncomfortable. If the CEO has to go undercover in order to learn, for example, that company policies aren’t being followed or that frontline staff don’t see a promising career path with the company, what does that say about the company’s communication environment? Could that environment—not just senior executive mindsets and behaviors—be an obstacle to leaders getting the frank advice they need?
I’ve seen communications professionals confront this challenge head-on and generate precious insight about employees for senior executives. (For an example, check out CEC’s short video case study of Best Buy—it’s available to all.) Indeed, when Communications performs at its best, senior executives have a variety of mechanisms to learn what stakeholders are doing and thinking—including live employee dialogue, Communications-prepared analyses (of interviews, focus groups, or buzz for example), and internal or external social media commentary.
So tell me, how do you keep your executive team in touch with the “real” employee experience—without putting them on Undercover Boss?
on 5 March 2010
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To play devil’s advocate, I feel like this is a brilliant PR move. Find a relatively small issue… often a renegade staffer… and use that as a “wake-up call” for these “progressive,” born-again leaders to drive “real reform” across the company… the bad apple is the perfect sacrificial lamb, and all the while, the experience underscores the firm’s robust underbelly of Christ-like front-liners (waitresses, truck drivers, janitors — all managing Yeoman-like professional/family lives). Package neatly in a one-hour pseudo commercial that surely fits into the ‘branded entertainment’/'content marketing’ category. Only question in my mind is, Why wasn’t the CEO of AOL first in line on this one? And next week… Toyota. Fasten your seat-belts! It’s just what the brand needs. A a predictably engineered ride.
on 5 March 2010
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I likely agree with you, Jackie, on the PR benefit of an Undercover Boss appearance – provided it is staged, as opposed to a genuine eye-opener for the CEO. My question is more about what communicators can and should be doing to keep senior executives in touch with how frontline employees are thinking and behaving.