What happens people define “leadership” as something attached to a title, or a salary, or a corner office? Both managers and employees suffer
consequences! Explore what happens when leaders and staff buy in to top 3 limiting “myths of leadership.” And learn how you can ask provocative questions that unleash everyone’s greatest potential in your organization. Have you noticed that across business world people are recognizing that we are fast outgrowing thinking and language of hierarchy, but we're also struggling to create a new, more collaborative future? The challenge for all is to figure out how to operate in this emerging paradigm—the one that our own efforts are helping to shape.
As I work with top leaders in organizations and then, independently, staff they lead, I’m frequently struck by gulf that occurs between two in early stages of change. Typically what leaders are trying to offer employees is very different than what’s being received by them. While a significant number of leaders begin with optimism about their efforts to engage everyone’s greatest wisdom, staff members can be slow to recognize and trust intent of initiatives undertaken to empower them. Many employees simply don’t believe that their insights and decisions will really be valued so they continue to hold back. Some may be unwilling or feel unprepared to share in responsibility for what group creates. In their hesitancy they actually work against changes and make it more difficult to include them in creative and decision-making roles.
When members of either group become frustrated during creation of a new working order it’s easy to resort to what they know best—the behaviors of boss-subordinate relationship. Those with formal authority may again feel compelled to take up too much space (by using commanding words and actions), and followers too little space (by silencing their voices or talking only in whispers amongst themselves). When this occurs, leaders once more feel all weight of responsibility on their shoulders, as well as exhaustion that comes with constant staff resistance—a resistance they can no longer understand.
What accounts for tension and different perceptions that exist between two groups who must rely upon each other to maximize success?
Unfortunately, many myths and “old truths” about leadership linger and keep us caught in snare of hierarchy. At every level of an organization these beliefs undermine a company’s potential greatness and cause unnecessary stress and dissatisfaction. These myths must be ferreted out and talked about in order for businesses to successfully, and more effortlessly, create a collaborative and effective culture.
** 3 MYTHS OF LEADERSHIP **
1. LEADERS MUST HAVE FORMAL AUTHORITY. What happens when people throughout organization believe leaders must have formal authority? People see leadership as a position, rather than as an action or behavior accessible to everyone. It invites those with formal authority to value their own opinions over others, and it keeps people who don’t have it from stepping to plate and sharing in responsibility for success of organization. It divides powerful from powerless, and creates tendency for people in these two camps to lob blame back and forth across fence that separates them. Each group holds other responsible for dynamics between them, and for bringing about needed change.
2. LEADERS MUST HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS. Do leaders need to have all answers? People tend to answer this question with a resounding “no,” but in everyday business myth creeps subtly in to do its damage. Many leaders secretly harbor feelings of inadequacy and incompetence as they try to speak with unconvincing expertise and authority on every aspect of their complex business. At same time, front line workers fault their leaders for lacking their own particular brand of genius and, consequently, ridicule or work against their efforts. Employees may almost arrogantly wait for a leader’s plan to fail, and take no responsibility for failures when they do occur.
