Bottom-up leadership: It’s NOT difficult!
Hiten Keshave CA(SA) MBA
Founder @ Unconventional CA | Specializing in Entrepreneur Development | Author
Are you one of those leaders who always thinks you right? Well if you are, it’s time for you to invest in bottom-up leadership! Smell the roses and fresh air, see the bigger picture and be open-minded to acknowledge other individuals experience and perspective.
The days of “forcing” actionable items is no longer effective with the position of hierarchy. The very companies who have a vertical approach in their leadership prodigy, MAY BE successful, BUT will NOT BE industry leaders. But that's for another discussion welcome in the comments box below.
So, do you want to just be a successful company, or do you want to be an industry leader?...
How bottom-up leadership works
In today's world, every employee at every level needs to be thinking strategically, looking for new opportunities – both for the business, as well as for their own career growth. Through autonomy and shared empowerment, each team and employee is empowered to operate independently and with the freedom to make decisions in the best interest of optimizing business results. This creates a window of opportunity to create ideas that spread faster across the organization, not discounting learning agility!
Here’s a simple example – an employee who persuades executives to adopt a new product/service/system. In this instance, all titles are respected equally and an environment that has allowed for employees (at any level) to have a say, inspiring autonomy within a team. But remember, this only works if there is a common vision and strategy!
So, the question I ask you to ask yourself: How often have you allowed your employees to influence your thinking or acting differently?
So Now What?
Leaders need to be the visionaries and direction of the company. By organizations acknowledging and encouraging bottom-up leadership, employees will become more engaged, with potential for greater innovation. In this way, employees are no longer mere passengers on the bus, but help drive that bus!
An innovative entrepreneur by heart, a motivational speaker and mentor, Hiten voluntarily shares his vision, knowledge and experience to help inspire and encourage up and professionals. To connect with Hiten, follow him on LinkedIn at https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/hitenkeshave/
Improvement Specialist
4 年I think it's very difficult for managers who have entrenched themselves into what they believe is a leadership role. These managers thrive on their status and the number of their subordinates. It's termed an apocryphal leader. A business has conveyed a sense of importance on this person who erroneously believes that that is an election of his power. It is difficult for that manager to relinquish that power until he understands the value derived from collaboration and ideation. And those ideas often come from those "below him"
Financial Crime Risk Management Specialist
5 年Great leadership is not about control but empowering people having an open environment for people to speak up and be given an opportunity to implement their ideas and solutions.
Team Lead -Record to Report
5 年Hiten Keshave CA(SA) MBA?It is necessary to take the views of employees. However, managers should decide whether they will consider them in decision making or not. Moreover, every employee can not be asked for the advise and only employees who has sound knowledge should be considered.
Founder, Author, Teacher, Counselor, and Service provider at Victoria's Love4love Ministry
5 年Which is greater, the one at the table or the one who serves? The world will say the one at the table. "The one who serves" said Jesus. Serving as a leader is learning to serve others when they need to be served and learning how others can serve you when you need to be served. There is no one greater when we all learn to serve one another in our families, communities, work places, and government, but sadly most love the worldly way and not the ways of Jesus.? I pray more will hear and follow Him and His ways to leadership.
Director FP&A
5 年Hiten, Great topic and I feel this is the best way to engage every employee to work towards the goal . However as you clearly mentioned there needs to a great vision . This approach become more relevant at this time due to revolutionary changes in IOT /Digital /New gen technologies, leaders should listen , consider and get advice from young experts in this area , ... sometimes one of that idea from that “fresher “ can change the life of the organisation..