20
Are You Clever or Wise?
The auditorium is packed.
The company's top 200 executives have flown in from all over the world for their annual senior management retreat. That morning I have given a speech. I am invited to stay for another hour to hear the CEO's talk.
Standing at the podium, the CEO, Roger, concludes his overview of the company's strategic plan. “We have about 20 minutes left. I'd be happy to take questions and have some discussion.” After a pause, a few hands go up.
“Roger, can you go back to that slide on last year's profit and loss statement?” one of the seated executives asks. “Did the expenses shown reflect any of the cost-cutting that took place at the end of the year?”
Another question follows: “Can you say more about the field reorganization that we implemented last spring? I'm not sure people fully understand it. I think there are still some lingering concerns about the way it was done.”
Roger is having to review old decisions. He's being asked to parse the fine details of his financials. There's more: “Roger, can you go back over the decision to outsource our benefits management?”
The backward-looking, nitpicking questions go on for another 15 minutes. Roger keeps checking the clock on the wall. I can see his frustration steadily rise. I raise my hand. I don't know Roger very well—we've met only a few times. But I'd like to build a relationship with him.
“Yes? Do you have a question?”
I do. And it's an important one. I want to know what is really on Roger's ...
