Prolific business management consultant, author, and leadership guru Peter Drucker once said that “We spend a lot of time teaching our leaders what to do. We don’t spend enough time teaching them what to stop.” What a poignant thought for the times in which we live!
One simple question is this: What can be done to position our leaders to have better oversight?
Last fall, Inc. Magazine featured a timely piece about how leaders should stop doing certain practices in order to achieve better results with their charges. It is phenomenal that leaders can emerge from training programs, seminars, and personal coaching with a laundry list of “must do” activities. But, too often leaders do not have a similar list of behaviors to modify.
If even a fraction of the leaders today took a few minutes to reflect and make adjustments, then there might be more significant gains within organizations. Teams would be mobilized and employees would be more encouraged. If there were there more opportunities within leadership training programs, benchmarks for evaluation procedures, and mandates for those on promotional tracks, then there might authentic organizational growth.
The ten strategies highlighted in Inc. Magazine are guidelines for leaders to follow, implement, and stop doing today. Here is a spin on five of these with the existing versus necessary behavioral changes.
1. Stop micromanaging…try empowering subordinates
2. Go beyond visibility…truly engage employees
3. Acknowledge your shortcomings…consider entrusting rising protégés
4. Accept average competence…honor exemplary performance
5. Make traditional technology advances…invest in professional development
Dawn McCoy, author of Leadership Building Blocks: An Insider’s Guide to Success
