Conversations in Management
Two
hundred nineteen years after publishing the sixth and final
volume of The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman
Empire, Edward Gibbon’s landmark work is still in print and
still being discussed. Gibbon was the first to write histories
that not only dealt with details (from primary sources to the
extent possible) but that sought to explain the reason events
unfolded as they did. In fact, he considered himself as much a
philosopher as an historian. This unique perspective, coupled
with an elegant literary style and wry sense of irony is the
basis of his enduring reputation. Of course, Gibbon had his fair
share of quirks and had an impetuous nature on a number of
subjects. In relatively short order he went from being an
Anglican to a Roman Catholic back to an Anglican and then on to
being a skeptic. He tended not to bathe—to the consternation of
his friends. He came to champion the virtues of vigor,
moderation, valor and social responsibility as practiced by the
Romans, but succumbed himself to a life of luxurious ease. This
lifestyle had an unfortunate effect on his weight and when he
once dropped to his knees to express admiration for a young
woman’s beauty, was unable to get up again! Gibbon’s fondness
for luxury, however, is more than simply ironic—it reflects a
startling lack of discipline from a man who revered the quality
when it was displayed by the early Romans. Throughout the
Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Gibbon identifies
luxury as a corrupting influence that dissipates all the noble
attributes of both man and civilization. At one point he even
describes it as odious. How strange then, that he should
indulge his taste for good living to the point of morbid
obesity.
It’s
probably less strange when we realize that Gibbon suffered from
a malady that we now call poor impulse control. He
displayed it throughout his life in activities ranging from
frequent religious conversions, to disparate career choices, to
in-between meal snacks. Fortunately for Gibbon, he was rich
enough and smart enough to get away with it—the rest of us
aren’t usually as lucky. We’re either victims or victimizers
of it on a near daily basis. We experience it in acts of road
rage, sarcastic put downs, contemptuous gestures and, yes, even
in the overindulgence of those tasty morsels that our girth
might suggest are imprudent to consume. Impulse control isn’t
very complicated. It’s simply a matter of resisting the urge to
do or say something that might prove to be hurtful, harmful or
irresponsible. You can gain impulse control by recognizing those
things that trigger your emotional responses and by making a
conscious decision not be hijacked by your feelings. By staying
in control, you can usually find a better way of dealing with
the things that might set you off or lead you astray. In the
end, people who can control their impulses invariably get better
results and as a collateral benefit, manage to avoid a serious
amount of aggravation. That’s something leaders should keep in
mind when facing workplace problems. Poor impulse control is
guaranteed to take any difficult situation and make it
exponentially worse. Whether it’s an irate customer or an upset
employee, an effective leader never responds to emotional
behavior in kind. While a razor sharp comeback might make
you feel momentarily better, you’ll only end up feeling foolish
when you answer the complaint your remark most certainly will
produce.
Impulse control is a healthy corrective to a culture that
venerates instant gratification and relishes the unrestricted
telling it like it is—no matter what the cost. It’s an
essential part of character and a key element in building strong
teams and organizations. It’s a sweet victory indeed!
—Ebert
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