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Question Of The Month
How do you cultivate leaders who are values- rather than needs-driven, who act appropriately and who do the right thing?
Answer: For leaders to act appropriately and do the right thing in any situation requires them to see what the appropriate thing to do is and then to behave accordingly. Understanding what the right thing to do in the situation is an ABILITY issue.
When Someone Says ‘I’m Happy As I Am’
The phrase ‘square peg in a round hole’ immediately alerts us to a problem. But what about the square pegs, firmly pressed into their square holes? What do you do as a leader when a team member says, “There is no need for a development plan, I’m happy as I am.”
For anyone in employment there are two inescapable realities. The first reality is that something happens to the employed person on a predetermined date in the month – they get paid. In return for this regular, fixed sum of money, anyone who is an employee reports to someone (or in a matrix organisation, to more than one person) who exercises their authority whenever they ask those who report to them to do something.
If You Believe Your Company Is Like A Family, You Probably Have A Toxic Culture
When we hear the words “we are like a family”, as Legitimate Leadership we typically find an organisation where there is too much care and not enough growth. An organisation where relationships are overly affiliative, standards are low, and management is seen to be weak – and hence is taken advantage of. Cameron Coutts describes the differences between a team at work and family very clearly. He also gives cogent advice on how to develop a high-performing team rather than living with a dysfunctional family.
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Question Of The Month
By Wendy Lambourne, Director, Legitimate Leadership.
Question: How do you cultivate leaders who are values- rather than needs-driven, who act appropriately and who do the right thing?
Answer: For leaders to act appropriately and do the right thing in any situation requires them to see what the appropriate thing to do is and then to behave accordingly. Understanding what the right thing to do in the situation is an ABILITY issue. Actually doing the right thing, however, is a matter of the WILL. Sometimes what the right thing to do is, is blindingly obvious. In many instances, however, this is not the case. There are situations in the work context, and more broadly in life, which are complex and ambiguous. These situations are ones for which making the right call requires both insight and understanding. Exercising good JUDGEMENT in these situations is fortunately a skill which can be learned.
From experience, leaders can develop the skill to see what is appropriate in different situations by applying their minds to typical situations which arise in their organisation. When situations arise they need to engage in vigorous debate with other leaders before agreeing on what the right thing to do is. With enough practice it is possible for leaders in an organisation to calibrate their views and become aligned with each other in terms of the moral decisions facing them. There is no recipe for the right thing to do in every situation. Moral decisions call for judgement – the answer does not descend like tablets of stone from on high …Read the full answer by clicking here.
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Article: When Someone Says ‘I’m Happy As I Am’
By Rachael Cowin, Associate, Legitimate Leadership.
The phrase ‘square peg in a round hole’ immediately alerts us to a problem. But what about the square pegs, firmly pressed into their square holes? What do you do as a leader when a team member says, “There is no need for a development plan, I’m happy as I am.”
Now, it is great to encounter someone who has found a role that they enjoy and at which they are good. Organisations rely on safe, experienced hands; imagine the musical-chair turmoil if everyone wanted a stream of changing roles. However, this doesn’t mean less work for us as a leader. Nobody should be left to stagnate; moreover, opportunities for others shouldn’t be blocked by an unmoving incumbent.
The first thing that I would test is whether the person is really motivated towards their role and tasks or is instead avoiding alternatives for other reasons. Have they had a bad experience taking on more before? In which case trust needs to be rebuilt. Is it a lack of confidence that should be addressed, do they require encouragement, sometimes firm, to step outside their comfort zone?
READ THE FULL ARTICLE BY CLICKING HERE
A
rticle: Power By Permission
By Wendy Lambourne, Director, Legitimate Leadership.
For anyone in employment there are two inescapable realities. The first reality is that something happens to the employed person on a predetermined date in the month – they get paid. In return for this regular, fixed sum of money, anyone who is an employee reports to someone (or in a matrix organisation, to more than one person) who exercises their authority whenever they ask those who report to them to do something.
To be employed, in other words, means to submit oneself to someone else’s instruction. As long as the instruction is legal, moral and reasonable, the employed person is obligated to follow it, if they want to continue to be paid.
All managers have authority from day one. The authority they have is vested in or comes with the position they hold. The higher up the hierarchy they sit, the more authority they have.
Having authority however is different from having power.
READ THE FULL ARTICLE BY CLICKING HERE
Article: If You Believe Your Company Is Like A Family, You Probably Have A Toxic Culture
By Cameron Coutts, Organisational Psychologist And Podcast Host.
COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE, BY WENDY LAMBOURNE, LEGITIMATE LEADERSHIP: When we hear the words “we are like a family”, as Legitimate Leadership we typically find an organisation where there is too much care and not enough growth. An organisation where relationships are overly affiliative, standards are low, and management is seen to be weak – and hence is taken advantage of. Cameron Coutts describes the differences between a team at work and family very clearly. He also gives cogent advice on how to develop a high-performing team rather than living with a dysfunctional family.
THE ARTICLE: If you believe that your company “is like a family” … then you probably have a toxic culture. When you treat your co-workers like family, you can:
- Become overly tolerant of poor performance, excuses and emotional outbursts – just like your typical entitled teenager.
- Avoid hard conversations to keep the harmony but become passive-aggressive and start complaining about your team – just like the probably-going-to-get-divorced couple
- Have very centralised and authoritarian leadership – just like the “because I said so” parent.
- Be very unclear about what’s expected of you – just like the “ask your mom” dad.
I know you have good intentions when you say “we’re a family”. You want your people to have tight bonds. To have each other’s backs.
But this perspective often breeds the problems many families face that aren’t appropriate, healthy or productive in the workplace.
Thing is, there are very few families out there that don’t have some degree of dysfunction. We’re often told to just accept this dysfunction “because we’re a family”.
This is just not appropriate thinking for the workplace.
READ THE FULL ARTICLE BY CLICKING HERE
