A recent article in CIO looked at some of the key traits that successful IT leaders need to possess. One of these was a sense of humor, and while this was meant in the particular context to apply just to IT, the sentiment extends to all professionals.
Having a good sense of humor doesn't just mean making jokes: It also includes being able to handle being the target of ridicule, sometimes in a very public setting.
There's arguably no more public forum for caricature than the American mainstay comedy show Saturday Night Live, and the Wall Street Journal recently wrote about General Motors' reaction to a bit that mocked the performance of new CEO Mary Barra.
Barra is currently in the midst of a scandal regarding faulty vehicles produced by her company and the resulting recalls that have happened since. She has been noted in the press, particularly the Guardian, for "dodging" questions about faulty ignition switches and generally pleading ignorance.
This was the behavior that got her roundly mocked by the cast of SNL, who staged a version of Barra's appearance before Congress.
While The Wall Street Journal had no word as to how Barra herself took the sketch, it did feature comments from a GM spokesperson, Greg Martin, who said the company as a whole was taking it gracefully.
"Many of us are SNL fans and believe in keeping a healthy sense of humor," Martin said. "Setting that aside, we're serious about safety and about resolving the ignition matter."
That balance of the light and the serious is important and difficult to maintain, but successful executive recruitment services can help locate someone who has achieved this successfully.
Finding people is easy, but finding the RIGHT people is not. YES Partners helps companies FIND the right people – for all company functions, across many industries and globally.
