Why is it that, at the highest levels of corporate America, executives are even more hesitant to deal with poor performance, conflict and the TRUTH? During my 20 years i have seen many senior ranking leaders self destruct and be asked to leave (fired). And usually with fat severance agreements that carry them forward a year or two with all the perks of being an active executive, maybe a nice outplacement package and possibly a pleasant "spin" on reality courtesy of public relations. But when it comes to the execs that have put in their time....and have slowly become irrelevant.....we hesitate to help them leave with grace. Instead we put them in fake jobs, store them in distant corner offices, give them lofty yet meaningless titles and allow them to wander the halls of the C-suite. You might ask: what harm is there in letting them hang out until they rot (or die)? My answer: this is the worst thing you can do. The fake exec often pines for the days of power and glory, meddles in his or her predecessor's businesses, stirs the pot and more often than not is painfully aware that he's no longer a player. Maybe even worse, the CEO loses credibility every time.....he or she feels good that they have given the fading executive a role....but the next tier of executives see right through it. With a beloved pet, we "put them down." With a chronically ill loved one, we hope that Hospice will help let them leave with dignity and without pain. We need a solution for the fading executive -- maybe there is a corporate Hospice skyscraper -- a place we can send them all to pretend that they still have jobs and are relevant? Do you have a better answer? I'd love to hear it....
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