Every leader has been lead, and I think I might spend a lot more time reflecting on those experiences than most.
I try to model my role after the traits I most appreciated, and learn from those I didn’t love as much.
Something that has really stuck with me is, in my opinion, one of the most fundamental divides between leaders.
And I think it really boils down to the desire for control.
I’ve worked with CEOs that empower the organization to thrive with trust in the people they’ve chosen.
I’ve also worked with CEOs that paralyze the organization with a tight leash around decisions, bottlenecking action, and an iron fist on mistakes reinforcing the inevitable paralysis.
With those experiences in mind, here’s where my philosophy on it stands:
I believe a good leader sets the vision, works with the team to set goals, and trusts in the team they’ve hired to accomplish them.
This means that I don’t believe in hand holding or excessive decision making on my part.
If I say something like, “It’s time to get this project going,” I don’t think anyone should have to wait for me to initiate or instruct on step one.
As such, I think I’m best utilized as an adviser – not an every single decision maker.
But I also recognize that everyone is different. Not just in leadership preferences, but also in experiences with past leaders.
When someone starts working with someone like me for the first time, I recognize that autonomy can feel different – or even jarring – until you get used to it.
So I’m curious of your thoughts on this.
If you say “I think it’s time to get this project going,” is your reaction to offer step one, or let your team figure out the best place to start?