BOOKS by Esther Poulsen SECOND BANANA Insights for entrepreneurs Editor’s note: Esther Poulsen’s newly published book, SECOND BANANA: success and satisfaction behind the scenes, is a candid and clever analysis of power and influence. Written to share the wisdom Esther gleaned from 35 years of business success, the premise is simple—one need not be upfront to wield influence and achieve professional satisfaction. Thoughtfully guiding readers in their efforts to find work-life balance, this is a not-to-miss read. The following excerpt is from SECOND BANANA© Esther A. Poulsen. Team Effort I once had a great manager who gave me a cogent piece of advice when she hired me. She told me everyone’s success is dependent upon their team members. She said, “You could be the most brilliant developer, the best programmer, the smartest person in the room. But if you don’t know how to play in the sandbox, you don’t belong on this team. That’s because this team is supportive and collaborative.” As a result, we were extremely high performing. We did have a room full of geniuses; I worked with people who had doctorates in computer science. And they liked having me on the team because I knew how to work with people. I listened. I learned. I did what I needed to do without ever acting like a prima donna. We did have a person who was a prima donna and he got pushed out. There’s no question he was brilliant. But that wasn’t going to make the team effective. My way or the highway is never any good for the overall health of a team. To me, it’s a simple issue. When you have people who are smart, secure, and mutually interested in seeing that everybody does well for the good of the group and the good of the organization, you’re unbeatable. You’re not working at cross purposes. There are people who feel they don’t owe graciousness at work; they believe they’re just there to be brilliant. I disagree because this attitude erodes ultimate performance. My manager back then gave me good advice. It isn’t just about brilliance; it’s about using that brilliance and working collaboratively with others. Leadership You might be the top banana in your organization or on a project, but you’re still second banana on some level. It’s important to keep the perspective that you always answer to someone. In a similar vein, respect the people who work for you. If you don’t respect them, you don’t have the right people. You want to listen when they talk, especially when you disagree. You hired each person for a reason, so seek to understand why there’s disagreement. Ask yourself, “What do they bring to the table that I don’t have?” After listening, you’ll have all the information needed to make the right decision. And you’ll own it with a complete arsenal to effectively back that decision. It’s smart to listen to differing perspectives, to the experience of those who work for you. Understand what they have to say before you go forward on a divergent path. If you discover early on that the ship isn’t being steered properly, you can make corrections in time to matter. Lessons learned A decade ago, I worked on a project that required an extremely fast delivery. I had just started my company and was eager to make my mark. I said I would get it done. It was rushed and a terrible mistake was made. The result was a mistaken email offering nearly four thousand dollars to each recipient. Thankfully we caught it early so only a handful of people demanded the offer, and I paid the cost back to the client. This is what can happen when charging forward, saying you’re going to do something, rushing through, and not following proper process. Negative and costly consequences can result. I remember every single time I pushed to deliver something quickly and rushed through things. And I remember every time it did not go well. I don’t want to have that happen again. You cannot be afraid to talk to people who are more senior. You should never be afraid to stand your ground on the key things that are important. There’s value in saying no at the right time and immediately following it up with a pathway of getting to yes. When you’re a talented second banana, your 68 enterprising Women
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