INSIGHTS (on leadership/self-leadership)
My publisher recently informed me that my 2021 book, Leading from the Middle, has been so successful that they’re publishing a paperback version (pre-order here) while still keeping the hardcover version available (no small feat in today’s battered publishing industry). In honor of that, I share this. In the book, I indicate that the best middle managers (i.e those who must lead up, down, and across their organization to do their job effectively) are “Others-Oriented” leaders. This orientation boils down to four considerations; what you give, give up, what’s a given, and what you get. Here’s a visual that sums up each, called The Others-Oriented Compass.
IMPERFECTIONS (a mistake many make)
Set aside what the research shows, I can tell you from decades of experience that leaders too often make the mistake of not doing a “self-check” for the kind of atmosphere they’re creating, to critically discern if it’s a motivating, self-starting one or not. Here are five questions I recently discovered that are very similar to questions I’d periodically ask myself from time to time as a leader. Answering them honestly will help you determine if you’re sending the right message to your people; i.e. if you’re fostering a motivated culture that encourages taking initiative.
1. Do my people feel comfortable voicing concerns and asking for clarification?
2. Do they try to solve their own problems or wait for someone senior to tell them what to do?
3. Do I praise and reward initiative/innovation as much as meticulous adherence to protocol?
4. Have I provided engaging opportunities for learning and development?
5. Does my work community project a sense of enthusiasm or drudgery?
IMPLEMENTATION (one research-backed strategy, tip, or tool)
We’ve all encountered co-workers who are overly competitive. But what happens when you manage one? It’s happened to me many times over my leadership career, and I can share a powerful conversation starter I’d use to address over-competitiveness. I’d ask the misguided individual:
Do you want to beat anybody, or be somebody?
I’d use it as a way-in for discussing the fact that focusing (to an unhealthy level) on being better than your co-workers, will backfire. It will cause resentment, break down trust, discourage teamwork. It will make you stand out, for all the wrong reasons. Instead, focusing on collaborating with others so you can collectively beat anybody (any competitor of your company), can help you make a name for yourself. It can help you be somebody in your company.
As an athlete, focusing on being able to beat anybody can be a good thing; how you become somebody. As a corporate athlete? Not so much.
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