The Danger of Disrespect in Leadership

Another lesson from the late great John Caldon, former Deputy MD of Macquarie Group.

In the mid 1980’s, Rothwells was a merchant bank decidedly on the rise. Laurie Connell, Rothwell’s then Chair, actively courted John and offered him the CEO role.

John summarised the meeting this way: “I was picked up at the airport in a limo and given the red carpet treatment. Laurie was very compelling and the offer was very generous. But I declined.”

“The problem, Adam, is that Laurie treated me with great respect at the meeting but he was dismissive of his senior colleague. I knew that once I accepted the offer, that would be me. The guy that’s good to you but rude to others is not a good person.”

A few years later, Rothwells went into liquidation.