[May 6, 2016] Yesterday while waiting in my doctor’s office, I saw a segment on Good Morning America about a 7-year old girl’s note that fooled school officials. The handwritten note said that the girl was to take the bus home early. School teachers and administrators (and there were several involved) were so risk averse that they took the note at face value.
Supposedly written by a parent, it was obvious that the note was actually written by the 7-year-old. Others waiting with me in the office laughed when they saw the segment and a picture of the note commenting that the school must employ idiots. I think that those working there are actually very smart but that they are also so ingrained against the most minimal risk-averse behavior that they overlook the obvious.
Any risk to them means potential danger, embarrassment, and failure, thus it’s to be avoided at all costs. The same argument could be made for the U.S. military today and partly explains overly restrictive Rules of Engagement in combat that puts the troops in harm’s way; many say unnecessarily so. However, timid leadership means no leadership and some call risk-averse leadership simply an oxymoron. Fear is at the core of risk-averse behavior.
U.S. Union General George McClellan’s performance at the bloodiest one-day battle in American history1 is a classic example of what risk-averse decision making can do. Orders to his command were issued too late and he reacted to events rather than directing them. Confederate General Robert E. Lee baited McClellan to attack and the latter did so piecemeal into the killing fields established by Lee.
The battle has been the best chance to utterly defeat Lee and deal a death blow to the Confederate army but McClellan who outnumbered Lee by two to one failed to act decisively. McClellan devoted himself more to not losing than to winning. He also failed to renew the battle the next day … McClellan was risk-averse and the result was that thousands more would die and the U.S. Civil War would last another two and a half years.
Certainly great leaders are prudent, do not act rashly and they are careful in gathering as many facts as possible before committing to any course of action. Yet to be overly cautious when action is required will often get us into more trouble. Senior leaders who are slow to act can cause immeasurable damage.
The father of the 7-year old girl who wrote the note said it best … “I would have preferred someone to give me a phone call … I understand my daughter was wrong in writing the note in the first place but they’re adults [emphasis added].” Yep, they are adults and one would expect a little common sense to be applied and a little less risk-averse behavior.
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