Ghosts don’t make leaders

With 19 years of marketing experience in professional services and 12 years in exec recruitment with Stopgap, I know that BD is tough if you see it as banging on someone’s door to sell them your services. I look at it as keeping in touch with those people you’ve had working relationships with, people you’ve helped or been helped by in the past. Connection is critical for humans to flourish so we are usually pleased to hear from those who fall into these categories.

Some, however, are only pleased to hear from you when you have something for them. As old and wise as (I think) I’ve become, it still hurts a little bit when I’ve had a really constructive conversation with someone from my working past and they ghost me. I do take it a little bit personally – and it never reflects well on them.

Too much ghosting goes on in business, it’s not professional and certainly not becoming of a true leader. Every manual, workshop, conference, lecture on management and leadership presses home the message that communication is all.

Pondering this issue, I was reminded of the brilliant TV sitcom from the Horrible Histories team, Ghosts: as much as Julian Fawcett MP and The Captain, played respectively by the wonderful Simon Farnaby and Ben Willbond, and even scout master Pat (Jim Howick) try to assert their authority, they are ignored and left with their trousers down (literally in the case of the MP). They’re ghosts so how can they possibly lead? A simple premise. Act like a ghost, ghost others and you’re not a leader.

If ghosting is your default when you no longer have need of a working relationship, then think about enhancing your self-awareness. You will never achieve your potential by treating people badly.

The wonderful cast of Ghosts with Julian Fawcett MP failing once more to make his point. He’s a ghost, he can’t lead.