Tuesday 29 November 2011

Leadership Howler 1 - Ego gets in the way of common sense


Richard is the Managing Director of a large organisation who complained bitterly to me about the lack of entrepreneurial spirit among his team members (this is a true story by the way although I've changed his name for obvious reasons).

He felt that the lack of creativity was causing the organisation to lose it's edge and he was frustrated that it was always up to him to come up with new ideas ... so if he could do it, why couldn't they do it? Perhaps he really was a genius operating on a different wave length from his team (he didn't specifically say this, but it was clear to me that he thought it!)

When I met some of his team members, the situation became clearer:

1) They were in complete awe of him. 

2) He hogged the limelight.

From team meetings to annual company conferences, to key clients, it was always Richard who dominated the show. He was seen as the face and linchpin of the organisation, which meant that there was little room for his team members to step-up and develop.

The sense of awe might have been good for his ego, but it limited team development by establishing a culture where people didn't bother thinking outside the box because there was always Richard to do it.
His ego presented a second issue in that it left a gaping hole in the capabilities of the business, because if Richard is suddenly off work with long term ill-health, who'll step up to the role in a smooth and effective fashion?

It's up to Richard to recognise the role of his ego in his leadership style and take control of it (something which is tough but necessary for leaders to do). He needs to gradually step back from some of the high-profile duties so others have the chance to step forward and perform and when they do step forward, he will have to affirm them so they are encouraged to keep stepping forward.

Tip 1:

Don't let your ego get in the way of common sense.

Tip 2:

Your greatest leadership achievement will take place when the people in your team become more capable than you.

Thanks for reading

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