Are you the VP of Sales that mandates a walk through of the entire pitch deck script? Do you take over the call and dominate the conversation when you are on appointments with your reps?
Are you the Creative Director that stands over the Designers shoulder while they are making art offering “direction”? Point. Click. More. Less.
That isn’t development. That is a command and control leadership style that is antiquated and proving to be increasingly less effective.
Let go.
Autonomy is a highly coveted, culture characteristic of high performing employees. We all have the fundamental desire to direct our own lives and our own work.
Additionally, traditional control mechanisms stifle creativity, innovation and the opportunity for employees to elevate the work product beyond what may have been originally thought possible. This runs counter to what is going to be required (breakthrough thinking) to compete and succeed in the new world at work – in the “People Economy”.
According to the new Modern Survey Research 70% of employees are now either disengaged or under engaged at their job – a record high number!
This begs the leadership self assessment: Am I contributing to that number? Do my employees feel trapped or stuck?
Hire the right people. Prepare them. Put them in a position to be successful. Set expectations.
Serve to guide, coach, support and counsel when needed.
Get the hell out of the way.
Programming Note: Based on our last three years of research and practice we’ll be introducing new Future of Work/Future of Leadership programming for 2012. Details to follow soon on Collaborative Leadership.
