Most of us remember the Hans Christian Andersen tale of The Emperor’s New Clothes. It’s the story of some slick con-men who prey on peoples’ fear of being discovered to be unfit for their position or just plain stupid. It’s a vivid description of the ridiculous extremes to which some people will go in order to maintain their image or cover up what they think are their inadequacies.  What a relief it is when a child, not yet encumbered with adult posturing, actually speaks the truth and cries out that the Emperor has no clothes. I imagine that the sigh of relief from the crowd must have been not just audible but also palpable.  The Emperor, however, even when he becomes aware of the truth, continues the parade in the old “carry-on” tradition, continuing to appear foolish until the end of the parade route.

When a story such as this one is found in numerous cultures and is told and retold from generation to generation, it is safe to assume that it contains some kernels of truth about human nature.  For our purposes, the question is “What insights does this tale bring to those who are leaders?”  What leadership actions can be taken to avoid the pitfalls described in this exaggerated tale?

• Establish relationships and situations that promote the sharing of perspectives, the search for “truth” and the generation of innovative ideas.  (Remember that “buying into” the weavers’ assertion that anyone who could not see the Emperor’s new clothes was either unfit for their position or stupid, severely limited the way people could deal with reality.)
• Build your self-confidence and the self-confidence of your direct reports through professional and career development efforts.  (In the story, the lack of self-confidence permeated the whole society.  No one, except the child, had enough self-confidence to speak the truth as he/she saw it.)
• If things are not working out as planned and recent information sheds new light on a previous decision, display the courage to correct direction and move forward.  (Think about the story.  Did the Emperor act courageously or foolishly by continuing on the parade route once he was made aware of the truth?  Is staying the course, for its own sake, an effective leadership decision or does it merely compound the problem and keep you and your team further away from what you want to accomplish?)

Isn’t it interesting how a simple tale can bring about some serious leadership thinking?  Are there other insights that you have gained from this tale?  If so, be sure to share them with us.  After all, if the child in the story hadn’t shared his perspective, the story would have a less than satisfactory ending.

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