Recent events (insulting John McCain's war record, giving out Lindsey Graham's cell phone number) would reinforce that Donald Trump is a clown. Not in the "ha-ha-ha" category; instead, solidly in the "Hey - look at me" category. The media loves this type of clown because there is always an outrageous headline; hence he is getting solid polling numbers. There are a few things to remember when contemplating Donald Trump - which I recommend doing as little as possible - but here goes anyway.
The man is not stupid. Baiting? Yes. Manipulative? Yes. PT Barnum of our age? Definitely.
The challenge is that Trump's antics have little to no added value for the rest of us. He tosses out verbal grenades not to advance civilized discussion - but to get headlines. He is the Real Housewife of the still-early 2016 Presidential Race. He will stir up drama just to get camera time. Effective? In terms of getting headlines - you bet. Constructive? No.
This is to point out that there are many Donald Trump clones (or clowns) in our workplaces. These are individuals who are smart, but instead of positively impacting the workplace, they use drama and verbal grenades to draw attention to themselves and in so doing, take everyone else's attention from the real issues at hand. These people are (short-term) very effective at this - and no doubt about it - they are disruptive.
So - what to do?
In this case, if you are leader of a team with a Donald-clone - you are your own media. Don't take the bait. . . the tactics of rabble rousing and attention getting are only successful if they are received, broadcast and escalated. Don't give them undue attention; don't reward antics with a spotlight.
Your time as a leader is precious - there is never enough of it. Spend that time with team members who are serious about advancing the mission and tactical agenda. Invest in the people who play for the entire team, not just themselves. Slowly and surely, the drama and attention-getting devices will disappear.
Huffington Post got it right the other day when they claimed they were no longer going to write about The Donald under the header of politics, but instead would report his antics under entertainment. Take their cue; don't take the bait of the self-promoter, but instead spend your energy with members of the team who are truly serious about moving the mission forward.
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My book: "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available for PCs, tablets and e-readers from Amazon Kindle.
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