The Executive Coach's Blog
This executive coach's blog, looks at the testimony given by BP chief Tony Hayward to the US Congress.
Executive Coaching - Tony Hayward & BP...
It's BP's Tony Hayward testifying in front of the US Congress. His company have been responsible for the America's worst ever environmental disaster.
Tony has clearly been heavily coached ahead of his testimony. He answers in a deadpan manner, devoid of emotion or feeling.
"I was not part of the decision making process on this well". "I had no prior knowledge." This is his default statement to almost every question.
The panel members become increasingly frustrated with Tony Hayward. But he has been coached and plays a straight bat to every question. He faces the verbal bouncers and beamers with a resigned air.
Yet what if he had shown some empathy. Said something like, 'Yes we had a laser approach to operational safety. But the organisational values were clearly ignored by this crew on this well. Its happened on my watch. The buck stops with me'.
Tony Hayward could have gone out with his dignity intact, having spoken from the heart. Empathising with his inquisitors. Made the crews mistakes, his mistakes.
But, this was a CEO who couldn't simply couldn't connect. No surprise his core operational values safety regime, wasn't implemented on the Deepwater Horizon rig.
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