Recently, Fiverr CEO & Founder, Micha Kaufman raised a lot of eyebrows with his profanity-laced prediction that if you don’t use AI, it’s your own fault.
While that leadership style doesn’t work for everyone, a recent interview of his showed us something that every leader can do.
Kaufman reserved a room in his building that could hold 50 people. He emailed the whole company to say, “Look, I’m going to spend 3 hours sitting in that room with my laptop just working and if you want to have a conversation, I’m there, just come sit beside me and let’s chat.”
250 people showed up.
Kaufman said, “I wasn’t prepared to give a lecture. The idea was that this would be a conversation and it turned into…a brain dump on my part and then just having a conversation, which is pretty hard to do with 250 people.” You can hear him talk about it here, starting at minute 1:07.
There are times when a speech is not the answer, and I’ve guided my executive clients on this challenge numerous times over the years.
In times of uncertainty, with incomplete information, sometimes people just want to hear what’s on their leader’s mind and have an opportunity to voice their concerns. They want to be heard.
So instead of a speech, prepare a brief opening statement that captures people’s attention. Acknowledge the challenges people are facing. Then, create a safe space for people to share their concerns and even voice ideas that could address the challenges.
You can do this virtually as well as in person. I would not recommend recording it, so that you can ensure it truly is a safe space.
This format is the opposite of the all-knowing leader who always has the right answer – which is becoming increasingly impossible in an era of change and incomplete information.
This format helps you gain valuable insight from the ground.
It also demonstrates transparency, vulnerability, and creates a feeling of trust and connection in the organization.
We are all facing disruption right now. Instead of thinking of the perfect speech, think about the best moment for a frank and open conversation.