3 lessons for leaders from the toxic culture of The Tonight Show
/Jimmy Fallon finally gets it: culture matters.
On September 7, 2023, Rolling Stone issued this report about The Tonight Show, headed by Fallon:
Chaos, Comedy, and ‘Crying Rooms’: Inside Jimmy Fallon’s ‘Tonight Show’
The report referred to experiences like...
💥 Show staff joked about killing themselves because of how they are treated
💥 They cry in the guest dressing rooms so often, they refer to the rooms as "crying rooms"
💥 High turnover of showrunners (the production executive) because of Fallon's erratic behavior
On the show, in other media, and on SNL, Fallon is an affable guy. He has a positive public reputation and was surprised by the results of the report.
The day the report was published, Fallon and Chris Miller, current showrunner, had a call with all employees. Fallon apologized to staff for the show's unhealthy environment.
Fallon and Miller indicate they want an inclusive, fun environment. It sounds like they get it and will seek to improve.
Here's what stood out to me in the Rolling Stone article:
Rolling Stone contacted more than 80 The Tonight Show employees, past and present, for the study of The Tonight Show. Not one spoke on the record or said anything positive about working on The Tonight Show.
Not a single one.
Out of 80.
None of the nine showrunners since 2014 would comment on the record either. Not one of them said anything positive about Fallon.
So what does this have to do with business leaders?
Business leaders and owners, here are a few things to learn from this:
◼️ Fix problems early. Fallon’s and the show's have been going on for 14 years. It would have been more efficient to fix these issues before it took a humiliating report full of dirty laundry.
◼️ Set high standards for all and live them. It is confusing when the boss gets away with treating people differently than you would allow others. Or, when the best biz dev person gets to treat people poorly because they bring in revenue. The mental gymnastics required of staff to accommodate for the incongruent standards leads to distrust, bur out, and turnover.
◼️ Assess your culture now. Here is a quick way to learn what your employees think: a word cloud. Invite your employees to share the seven words they would use to describe your company. The words will give a glimpse into what is happening and whether it aligns with what you think and want.
Stay on top of your company's culture before high turnover, poor behavior, or rumors prompt an external investigation. How would it serve your company to be in Rolling Stone like Fallon's show?
Don't assume everything is fine unless you hear about it.
Culture matters, and it will damage your company and reputation if you take it for granted. The good news, however, is that it also contributes to company success.
If you need help, let us know. We can help you nourish your culture so it builds your revenue, retention, and reputation.
