Who is your corporate jester?
Almost none of us is immune to the dynamics that come with power. How often has history proved that powerful people become bad listeners, arrogant, and behave in a superior fashion over time? Just look at the classic corporate examples that we all know from Enron (USA) to Ahold (Europe). And we all know some examples from our own lives. Perhaps it’s even happening in our company or in our own leadership team at this moment?
I mean, it’s so much easier to see the mistakes in others than to look in the mirror and see our own flaws.
Democracy is a beautiful thing. One of the big benefits for me is that the system attempts to protect against the power to corrupt. In politics, you can often be in charge only for a maximum of eight years. But not in corporate life. Many leaders are in power for much longer than eight years. Or just think about family-owned businesses that are in power for generations!
So, if you are in power, how do you orchestrate to continue to hear what you need to hear? Who addresses the elephants in your room? The usual pattern is that the people speaking up to the boss gradually disappear over time. No-one really knows what happened exactly, but we can all feel it in our gut! People aren’t stupid. They watch these things happen. The remaining people learn that it’s better to comply and shut up if they want to keep their money and their status. You see this happen again and again. In politics and in companies.
Leaders get isolated and end up with having only yes-men around them. Sooner or later, it all comes down with a big crash. Perhaps not today or tomorrow, but it will come down someday.
In the 16th and 17th century we had a beautiful solution to provide a counterbalance to this returning problem: the jester. The jester had the privilege to mock and to make fun of the people in power. Such as the British royalty and Royal Courts. Using jokes as their toolbox they told them the truth. They said the things that needed to be said. But, and this is crucial, without being punished. This tradition goes back even much further. Variations of the jester were already in place with the Aztecs and the Chinese. In ancient Rome, they already had the Italian version of a jester: the balatrone.
There is a family owned Dutch IT company that employs a Corporate Jester. He is paid upfront by the company and can say whatever he wants to say. Stronger: this is exactly what they want him to do! In our private life we go to the theatre and listen to comedians who jokingly tell us inconvenient truths. But that’s all safe and far away. So, my question for you is:
- Where is your mirror?
- For how long are you in power?
- How do you orchestrate your counterbalance?
- Who tells you the things that need to be said in your boardroom?
- Who is telling you the truth, aside from your husband, wife or your children?
Therefore, I’d like to re-introduce the corporate jester!
Let me know your thoughts.
Hope this inspires.
Paul Donkers
Paul P.J. Donkers is a sought-after global business coach and management consultant. More about his work and projects can be found via www.tencompany.org and via www.ikigaicoachinginstitute.com
Paul and his partners work since decades with leaders to assist them create more value. If you want to have a confidential conversation, just reach out to us via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
