Author Q&A
Q: How did you develop the metaphor of lion taming for working with leaders and bosses?
A: A friend was promoted to a new job as chief of staff to a powerful figure in Washington, D.C., and it popped into my mind, "She's a lion tamer!" I started using the analogy of lion taming with everyone from CEOs and managers, to sales people and the folks in the mailroom and realized it really resonated. Then, I contacted the Circus World Museum in Baraboo, Wisconsin, and started interviewing real lion tamers. I learned some rules of lion taming that are as true in the workplace as they are in the center ring:
- Lions are never tame. You need strategies to deal with that.
- Never go into the cage without knowing what kind of day the lion is having.
- Lions don't learn from other lions.
Q: Are the techniques in your book only for right-hand execs, or are they useful to anyone in the office?
A: Lion taming is everyone's real job when it comes to dealing with the people who wield power and influence in the workplace. There are lions and lion tamers at every level of the workplace. It is just that as you climb the corporate ladder, there are so many people issues that are "lion" issues, like hierarchy, dominance, territory, social standing, and survival. The secret to being successful is that you have to remember that there's always a bigger lion. Ask yourself, "what does my boss need to do his or her job? And who do they have to help succeed above them?" Your job is to help them on both counts.
Q: There are more than 75 secrets from actual lion tamers in the book. What are some of the best secrets?
A: The secrets are quotes from lion tamers that are highlighted in each chapter. My personal favorites are some of the very first, because if you don't learn them quickly, you can't survive as a lion tamer in the office. They include the following:
- You've got to get inside the lion's skull.
- Lion tamers approach the lions with the aim of having the lion approach them.
- Lion tamers present the lion, not the other way around.
Q: What sets apart good lions and bad lions in the workplace?
A: Besides working for more than 20 years with "lions" in many professions, I interviewed dozens of people to find out what distinguished the good lions from the bad -- and what to do about it. Good lions are challenging and exciting to work with because they can leverage more from their position -- or pedestal than most. They bring out the best in you: energy, focus and thinking on your feet. Bad lions are bosses who explode in anger, bully, think they have the only ego in the room, underestimate coworkers, overestimate themselves and generally are people you would never want to have over to your house for dinner!
Q: Why do some bosses seem to view the world and work issues differently than other people, as though they are a different species?
A: Leaders, bosses, and other tough customers are a different species. They act differently mainly because they operate by instinct. I call it their Instinctive Identity, and it has four parts:
- Multidimensional thinking – one idea triggers a world of related ideas, names, possibilities and consequences. Don't be one dimensional or linear in talking with them. Tell them every facet they need to know without be confusing.
- Adaptive learning – they need to know about change in order to learn from it, but if they are prepared, they can adapt to new situations as if it was a natural part of their world already.
- Focus on doing – they learn by doing, by sinking their teeth into something, and when they sometimes move quickly to get involved in something they are often doing so as the most direct route to learning. They are bored by people who explain process to them. They want results.
- Up front behavior – they use this to tell everyone that they are a lion, and they need to show their instinctive strength and speed before others will follow them. Help them be prepared and show their best qualities up front.
Q: How do you get through to a boss who never seems to listen, even when you're standing in their office?
A: Where is the boss who is a good listener? Lion tamers have a secret and it's at the core of their art of closing the gap between attention getting and attention using - all on cue. The secret is the pedestal. They know the lion's primal drive for dominance and a sense of security that no one is going to knock them off their pedestal. Like a lion and its tamer, both employee and boss need to be standing or sitting in the right place, at the right height and distance apart. Read your boss' behavior and don't threaten their security on their pedestal. For instance, ask first "is now a good time to meet?"
Q: Why is it so essential to establish rapport and trust to be a successful office lion tamer?
A: There are four pillars for working effectively with lions in the workplace:
- Rapport = the lion is listening
- Trust = the lion does not think you are going to hurt them
- Respect = the lion recognizes that you have something that they need
- Confidence = the lion is going to let you help them
Q: Why is it a bad idea to put your head in the lion's mouth, and how can you avoid it?
A: Putting your head in the lion's mouth happens when you upstage your lion — your boss, client, or customer. Ultimately, it reflects weakness on you. Other forms of sticking your head in the lion's mouth include bruising his or her ego, challenging them gratuitously and publicly, competing with them, micromanaging them, taking credit for something (even if you deserve it), revealing secrets or confidences to others, and wasting their time.
Q: How do you say "no" to your boss without getting your head bitten off?
A: Mean it. Be authentic. Have equanimity. Don't scream. And, even if you are just giving them a thumb's down, stand back!
Q: You say that ultimately lion taming is really about lion teaming. What does this mean, and what is the best way to build a lion team at work?
A: It's ironic. The lion needs help. Successful tamers recognize their lion's position and strength and support their objectives. Together they achieve something they couldn't accomplish apart. And it's critical to remember it is the lion's team - not yours. It is what you do together that counts, whether it is sharing information, intelligence, contacts …
Q: If you could leave us with one piece of advice, what would that be?
A: Value your instincts. Your survival and success depend upon it.
 
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