Undercover Boss

I normally do not watch much television. That being stated, there is a new television series that has caught my eye. It is a very interesting show that has intrigued me since the first episode. Each week, a CEO of a major company, goes undercover and "works" in various company locations performing various jobs without the employees knowing that he/she is the company boss. The individual tackles the everyday, thankless jobs that keep the company going. By doing this, the CEO is able to determine, first hand, the things that are going well, the problem areas that need attention, and at the same time, has the opportunity to become acquainted with the working staff.

In each episode, as the "boss" has gone undercover, he has been able to gain valuable information that he has taken back to the leadership team for review. From the analysis of this information, company policies have been modified, eliminated, and perfected to create a better working environment for the employees.

What has really stood out to me is the trust that has developed between the employees and the leader. When it is revealed to the employees that this person posing as a "working colleague" is really the "boss," they are amazed that he has taken the time to learn more about the grass roots of the company. At the conclusion of each episode, the "boss" summons some of the employees that he worked with to the corporate headquarters to inform them of his true identity. During this meeting, he tells them how much he appreciates what they do and how their efforts make a difference for the company. Each episode has afforded the CEO the opportunity to give something back to some of the employees based on their needs and dreams.

These "gifts" have included the opportunity to further a person's education, money to assit an employee's family situation, a trust fund to assist with an ill employee's child, an opportunity to be on a leadership task force, the opportunity to accept advancements within the company that are conducive to the employee's talents, etc. Each employee, when informed by the "boss" about the gift, becomes quite emotional and appears to feel very humbled and gracious toward the CEO. A trusting relationship has developed.

In my book, Putting the 'I' back in Team, I stress that an individual's vision for the future can be carried out if he or she has a strong sense of self-efficacy (one's "brightness" level--how good one feels about himself). Fostering self-efficacy by helping people have confidence in themselves is one of a leader's most important roles. To foster this positive feeling, leaders must first create an environment where individuals can place their trust in them. Leaders should live his or her life by doing things for others that develop a sense of friendship and confident hope.

This new show, Undercover Boss, has given several examples of giving people new hope and faith in their company leadership, but more importantly, more hope and faith in themselves. I ask myself, what am I doing to develop this confident hope in others? What small stuff am I doing that makes a BIG difference in the lives of others? How about you? Have you ever gone undercover to make a difference? Has anyone done this for you? Have you recently seized an opportunity to develop confidence in someone else? I would love to hear your results!