I’m a big fan of Tom Cruise movies. In my opinion, you can’t have too many “Mission Impossible” movies, and I’m more than ready for the next one! I’m also excited to report that, since a recording went viral of Tom Cruise yelling at “MI7” employees about not following COVID protocols, I can finally write an HR-related blog post about him.
If you haven’t heard the clips, you should. According to those who reported on it, Cruise saw two crew members not following COVID protocols, which prompted him to address the crew. And he did so very strongly, yelling, using profanity, and threatening termination if it happened again.
Besides the cool movie star element of this situation, remember that a film set is a workplace. This isn’t simply an employee addressing another employee about a concerning work situation. This is a leader addressing his employees for not following directions. After all, in addition to being the star of the film, he’s a producer as well. He is responsible not only for his own personal health and safety but that of every person on the set. He is also very aware that having to shut down filming could impact not just the movie but people’s very livelihoods. So, he has a lot riding on the success of the filming process.
If you’ve experienced difficulties in getting your employees to follow COVID protocols, you can now say you have something in common with Tom Cruise! Hopefully, that’s some consolation. There are also some leadership lessons we can learn.
Health and Safety Matters
We’ve become more acutely aware of the importance of health and safety in the workplace during this pandemic. As you well know, if one employee tests positive, there can be a huge domino effect of others needing to quarantine, more positive cases, and potentially an office closure. In addition to the impact on your business, lives could be at stake. If an employee gets COVID because you didn’t take health and safety seriously, you could be impacting their life and the lives of those around them.
Hopefully, you already have COVID protocols (if you don’t, you need them immediately). Make sure they’re taken seriously, and enforce them. It may feel harsh at the time, but there do need to be consequences if you have an employee who repeatedly doesn’t follow protocols. Those actions endanger others and can’t be tolerated.
Even outside of the pandemic, though, health and safety matters. Your employees shouldn’t be coming to work sick. Let your employees know they’re expected to stay home if they’re sick. If you don’t offer paid sick leave, consider doing so in the future.
Tone and Wording Can Distract
In the reports and interviews I saw, the response was generally positive about Cruise’s actions. Others agreed with how seriously he was taking COVID protocols and understood the weight of the responsibility he felt for the movie and the employees. The question turned to the appropriateness of his tone and use of profanity.
As a leader, you may have the best message and the best intent in the world, but that can easily be overshadowed if your tone and wording are questionable. Employees can be particularly aware of tone and wording when they’re being corrected. It’s fine to show frustration – that can even help employees to realize the level of importance – but avoid yelling. Be mindful of your wording, remain respectful, and avoid profanity. Don’t allow room for those distractions. Make sure the focus remains on your message.
Set the Example
By all accounts, Cruise has modeled following the protocols in place. Otherwise, there’s no way he could have gotten away with what he said. You know there would have been a bunch of people going public with all the ways he hadn’t practiced what he was preaching.
Your words and actions matter. Your employees are looking to you to demonstrate what’s important and what the expectations are. When it comes to COVID, if you aren’t taking protocols seriously, you’re endangering the lives of others. If you are taking them seriously, keep at it! You’re doing the right thing.
As you can imagine, this extends to any and all topics. When you set expectations, your employees will pay attention to whether you also abide by them. Setting the example doesn’t guarantee others will follow, but it’s much more likely. You’ll certainly gain more respect. Plus, you’re in a much better position to address any issues.
Explain the Impact
If any employees on the “MI7” set didn’t realize the potential impact of not following COVID protocols, they certainly do now! They have been told why these protocols are so important and what can happen if they’re not followed.
You may think that everyone understands the impact of something, but it may not be as clear as you think. You understand it from your vantage point, but your employees may not have all the information you do. Take the time to explain the reason items are important. Connect the dots. If missing a project completion date would cost the company money, tell your employees that. Explaining the reason and potential impact ahead of time helps get everyone on the same page. This can help you avoid as many performance issues. If they do happen, it certainly makes them easier to address.
Your Private Words Can Become Public
Like it or not, your employees might record something you say at work. This can happen even if you have a policy against it. As you know, recordings can become public very quickly in our days of social media. Be mindful of your words. Employees don’t tend to record those positive conversations where you’re praising their work ethic. It’s those not-so-positive conversations about performance, disciplinary actions, harassment, discrimination, and investigations that are much more likely to be recorded. Don’t say anything you wouldn’t want to become public.
As a leader, you’ll need to have tough conversations at times. You’ll need to enforce policies and address deviances. You’ll need to take action to ensure the health and safety of others. These leadership lessons will help prepare you to successfully navigate these conversations. As a bonus, you can always say you’re trying to become more like Tom Cruise!
Photo credit: By Fedorovekb / Canva
