This video perfectly summarises one of the most important principles for all leaders…
Define the OUTCOME, not the PROCESS
It’s all about ABC
🤝Accountability – colleagues need to take ownership of the results and know they make a meaningful contribution (or not!) Where this goes wrong, people relinquish ownership of the outcome and instead, only focus on compliance with the process you have outlined.
🧠Brain Power – one area where great leaders excel is developing better thinkers. We need to be pushing colleagues to really grapple with problems – individually and collectively – so that they know all the variables and bring well-considered solutions. That way, they are able to adapt when circumstances change and take that learning forwards for the next project/problem.
🎨Creativity – we should always be encouraging our teams to right hemisphere big picture creativity instead of left hemisphere micro compliance. If we don’t, we will lose their creativity and personal gifts being applied optimally and diminish their development. They will never go on to bring the things you know they have deep down and all the uniqueness you hired them for.
Signs you are falling into the trap:
🗣️during reviews, you will hear things like “well I did exactly you told me/what we agreed”
👎Staff feedback will elucidate seemingly paradoxical results, such as low autonomy/creativity, very high stretch/workload and low growth/development scores
🗡️people you thought were your best and brightest become less engaged and seem to lose their edge
Don’t fall into the trap of assuming this is about strong and weak staff. Some of the most introverted, deferential people will bring you their own thoughts and ideas if you (the leader) ask the right questions…this is on you!
Of course, there are a few scenarios where you would be wise to train or direct (apprentices and ‘high skill + low will’ colleagues, respectively) but our goal should be to push people to become responsible for the outcomes as quickly as possible.
What are the ‘big buts?’
-I don’t have time for this approach
-the project is too important to let them get it wrong
-they won’t do it how I know it should be done
…to name just a few!
These can all be dissected at your leisure by contemplating the following question:
Do I want to be a leader who equips and empowers or controls and dictates?
The best leaders are humble enough to know their teams will not perform best by doing things their way all the time.
They can bring the best out in others by coaching colleagues to use their unique gifts optimally.
