Stand UP

Sometimes the hardest thing to do and the right thing to do are the same.

In 1969, Curtis Flood was best known as the all-star, Gold Glove-winning center fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals.

That year, he took on Major League Baseball and the last remnant of the feudal system in America.
Flood stood up for his right to seek employment with any baseball team that he so chose.

Until this landmark case, a player was bound to the team he was under contract to by a reserve clause. This clause made a player the property of a team to the day he retired, or that team decided to trade him. He had no say in where or for whom he would work. Eventually, through the efforts of Curt Flood standing up for all baseball players, the collective bargaining agreement came to be, and the game changed forever.

How Curt Flood changed baseball

The backlash he received from baseball owners and management and even fellow players was harsh. Curt Flood stood up not just for himself; he stood up for all players at that time and all players who would ever play the game.

In the corporate world, standing up for what you know is right can be dangerous. A misstep, which in some cases may be a prelude to career suicide. No, this isn’t high drama. Every day, decision-makers can and will alter many lives and careers. In some cases, these scenarios often are not geared toward what is right. Nor are they based on minimizing others’ potential discomfort. Sometimes it’s just business, and sometimes it is with personal and malicious intent. I sh*t you not.

As leaders, we may never have to take a stance of such magnitude. But if this moment presents itself, what will you do? Can you stand up for yourself, so others will know that you will stand up for them?

— This Mind Tools post details some good points on standing up for your teams.

There will be times in your career when you, in your role as the best leader, will and should take one in the chops. Take one for the team, so to speak. Don’t sweat it. If you know intuitively you have made a stance that is for the greater good, you’ll reap more significant gains than any promotion. What you value in the way of your integrity and dignity becomes stronger. Those you lead will grow in the belief that you will equip them with the tools to become better leaders themselves.

Now for a moment of clarity. I would suggest that this stance is assumed when a cause or person or policy is being disrespected — specifically when those demonstrating bias and callousness are perpetuating an unfair action towards others. If you cannot be confident that these are the primary factors regarding this action, beware. Martyrdom shall be thy bane, and nailing yourself to a cross isn’t going to bring about the results you intended.

DeDe Henley, a Forbes contributor, talks to the leadership strategy of supporting your teams in times of adversity.

Your teams should believe that you will be the voice and the presence that gives them a feeling of well-being and focus. You will need to be a guiding and protective hand that defends against irrational actions that may occur. Someone(s) want a piece of their asses, if not their jobs without justification. Moreover, they should know you can and will be a voice of reason when they legitimately screw up, which does and will happen to most human beings. And anyone is capable of stepping in a pile of their own or someone else’s making.

Not every misadventure is deserving of a bloodletting. I worked for some great leaders who understood the magnitude of the situation, yet also knew you didn’t deserve the guillotine. Instead made that moment an opportunity to teach and support. You should determine how discipline should be administered if necessary, and you should decide what sort of counseling is to be done.

In some cases, that will be with HR’s assistance. But understand this, HR is there to assist, not mandate. You can coach a mistake from a challenge to a growth and learning opportunity that magnifies your leadership purpose.

The reality here is that a leader who understands that not every mistake defines a person is a leader who shows empathy. That empathy can be best translated when you can support those individuals and teams in the process of a comeback. Moreover, you display confidence in their ability to stand up in adversity and acknowledge their ability to succeed.