I started referring to one management concept. I refer to it often, also to remind myself when I am talking with people I’m working with. The concept is called an invisible gun. I don’t know where I read it on the Internet. The closest I could get to the source is Adam Weisbart and Adam explains it well.
Still pointing the gun at him, I explained: “See, the trouble is, every manager has an invisible gun, whether he knows it or not. Some bosses carry big shotguns, while other, more self-aware managers carry small pistols. Regardless of the size, they all have them. Because of this gun, ‘suggestions’ often become ‘directives’ in the minds of employees. It’s not a boss’s fault necessarily, nor is it the fault of the employee; after all, we’ve been trained to listen to our bosses, and we have a financial incentive to do what the boss wants. We’d hate to get shot. No one wants to get a bad review, or worse, lose his job.”
If you have ever watched The Office TV show, the whole show, 9 seasons and 201 episodes, is a testament to this analogy. There you see how people take great distances to avoid getting shot, even though their boss is a weirdo.
I also had been in many situations, both as a manager and a direct report, where this analogy was 100% true. When I was on the barrel side of the gun (when talking with my manager), I chose my words wisely, as if saying anything wrong could cause problems. When I was on the other side (when talking with my direct reports), it wasn’t clear why the person was hesitant to explain their thoughts openly and freely. I wondered why I was not able to decipher the person I’m talking to and why they encrypt the conversation. I thought it was that person’s problem. But it wasn’t.
The power dynamics of the relationship are imbalanced. The manager has the decision power over the direct report’s income and their future in the company. They can make a person’s life miserable or remarkable. The direct report doesn’t have this power.
Anyone knowing this power imbalance will feel uncomfortable when they talk to their manager. Regardless of their relationship, authority will always be there to tip the balance to one side.
As a manager, I would love to carry no gun, but it’s impossible as the whole idea of ‘working with a boss’ is embedded into our society and, as Adam says, ‘we have a financial incentive to do what the boss wants.’ However, I keep reminding myself of this concept, so I at least work on making the gun I’m carrying smaller and smaller, so people may sometimes forget it’s there.
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