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Leadership By Not Getting In The Way

When I was promoted into middle management, I was assigned to a group that handled l Regulatory work. We had to deal with executives in our corporate headquarters. There were the typical meetings, phone calls, analysis, drafts and re-drafts.

One of the people I supported, Mac, became very proficient, knowledgeable and distinguished himself as source of excellent analysis.

Mac and I had many interactions with one Vice President, Alex, at headquarters. We developed a good working relationship with Alex. There was good chemistry and we all seemed to work together. All of this was during the days of high bureaucracy and when management levels were saluted with military precision. There was a chain of command that had to be followed.

I vividly recall one day when Mac came into my office with a perplexed look on his face. He told me that he was concerned that Alex was calling him directly with requests for information rather than calling me first.

I asked Mac if Alex was satisfied with his analysis. He said yes. I asked Mike if he needed me to complete the detailed analyses he was conducting. Mike said no. I said, " Alex doesn't need to get me involved, just let me know how things are going."

Politically this was a stupid move. I could have increased my political credentials with Alex, even though I wasn't adding much value. I detested office politics and the corporate bureaucracy. There was no reason for me to waste time by dutifully following the chain of command.

I'll never know for sure how this incident influenced my career, but I was promoted a year later.

Fortunately the corporate command and control systems have eased. However, corporate organizations are still political and there is still the temptation to improve your "credentials". But if you are to improve as a leader, sometimes you just have to get out of the way.

Lessons For Leadership

* A leader is not an administrator who loves to run others, but someone who carries water for his people so they can get on with their jobs. 1
Robert Townsend

* True leaders are not selfish. They share successes and their power.

* E-leaders must create a culture that mirrors the Internet open, knowledge-based, collaborative, experimental, and boundaryless. 2.

* Leaders encourage people to learn and grow. They point them in the right direction and then get out of the way.

* Leaders create and sustain a high performance environment and empower people by providing learning opportunities.

* " Bureaucracy

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