Sometimes the best way to lead is to get out of the way.
EXPERT OPINION BY LOUISE K. ALLEN, CHIEF PRODUCT OFFICER, PLANVIEW
Photo: Adobe Stock
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Everyone wants their flowers. Few, however, are willing to admit it. In a culture obsessed with individual achievement, asking for recognition can feel like bragging. But there’s a difference between wanting the credit and knowing what to do with it.
Whether you’re a new hire, tenured manager, or executive leader, you want to get your flowers, and leaders tend to expect them more than most. After all, executives end up in corner offices because they own projects worth recognizing.
By the time most leaders reach the C-suite, they’re confident owning wins and comfortable being recognized for their work.
Fair play. There should be no shame in enjoying the praise that comes with execution and ownership. However, once you’re behind the big desk, the instinct to own tends to hinder more than it helps.
Refreshed leadership advice from CEO Stephanie Mehta
From doer to delegator
The people who rise through corporate ranks are, generally, effective doers. They are the people who understand the processes and get things done right the first time. The ones willing to own a process and its results, and to accept hard feedback if the outcome disappoints.
Then, they’re put in charge and must replace doing with delegating. To trade ownership of processes for ideas and strategies. They’re asked to trust others to do what they’ve spent years perfecting themselves, then put their name next to the outcome.
That can be challenging. It feels irresponsible — antithetical, even, to the charge to lead. Perhaps inefficient and counterproductive. Stepping back might mean embracing an untested approach or accepting a slower pace. The chance of a miss that still lands at your feet and blows back on their team.