The second problem of top-down leadership

Part 2: What is the problem with top-down leadership and what is a viable alternative to this?

This article seeks to analyse the different pitfalls of leading from top-down.

In the previous entry we spoke about how top-down leadership causes time to be wasted on micromanaging which could have been used for business and service development.

In this particular entry we discover how top-down leadership creates :

• Fearful staff who lack initiative and are?reactive v.s proactive.

When we lead by top-down, we leave people no choice but to follow 'orders'.

Here's what it says, 'I want you to do what I say and how I tell you to because that is the best way to do it'.

And guess what happens:

• Staff only do things because you tell them to, nothing more
• The best ideas that help your business get shelved without any consideration
• When things go south, people are more likely to cover their own selves rather than help the team

James R Detert's article in the Harvard Business Review reports, "So people often instinctively played it safe by keeping quiet. Their frequent conclusion seemed to be, “When in doubt, keep your mouth shut.”

Why would leaders want to sabotage their own businesses by limiting the quality of ideas that staff can give? Here's what listening to differing viewpoints (even if you don't agree with them) can bring the company:

• Raise the need for Research and Development that hasn't been explored
• Allow space for iteration of ideas to produce hybrid ideas (top-down/inside-out)
• Promoting a culture of risk-taking which allows exploration into big returns

So what can leaders, senior leadership and managers do to create proactive instead of reactive staff?

1) Conduct a management open microphone session.

Open mic sessions in comedy clubs and poetry slams are about divergent stories and ideas coming to life. This allows the main speaker to set the basic premise and theme. Subsequently, you allow the audience, i.e your staff/management, to join the conversation.

Now, wait! Refuse the need to justify or validate your decisions whenever staff raises dissenting viewpoints. Note them down on the board for all to see. Too often leaders use these sessions to 'defend themselves'.

When staff raise dissenting views and scrutinizes your decisions, write them on a board for all to see. There is no need to validate or 'defend' your position. Your task is to allow space for a sense of awareness of what they truly feel about issues.

2) Start a mini-project or task force to validate new ideas

Once you have allowed new ideas to be aired, what do you do? Yes, you might not agree with them. Yes, company's budget is tight and HR has initiated a manpower freeze. Does that mean you're stuck? Well not necessarily. Embark on the spirit of experimentation and agile project management by initiating a small group of interested people to test out the idea.

Did your staff request for shuttle-bus services to be provided to allow them greater convenience to get to work? Sure, set-up a committee to do up a proposal and ask them how they would make it work. Let the team think for themselves how, with the management's constraints, you can make the idea come to fruition.

Don't shoot down new ideas. Set up a mini-project for staff to propose how they would get the ideas done. When leaders do this, it says, 'I respect you as a person with bold and great ideas. I will allow you the space to present them so we can work towards this ideal together'.

3) Create a system for staff proactivity

When staff enters the office, how can you remind them to be more proactive? Do they see a quote to inspire them? Do they see a chart with the roadmap ahead as they walk in? Do you send out regular emails on the progress report? Systems-making simply trumps endless meetings with no action after them. Create systems in your physical space at the office or through digitalised reminders to get this right.

Systems do include Standard Operating Procedures but remember this, keep listening to feedback after setting the SOPs. In the many clients that I train, management has a long list of SOPs and staff feel suffocated whenever there is too much rigidity. Continue to validate your SOPs so that you create systems that are not set in stone but rather which evolve with emerging challenges.

Create systems for staff to believe in the power of proactivity. Start with their environment. Put up roadmaps for the year end at the office entrance, put up an inspiring quote or send a regular email to remind people of the progress. Systems ensure that staff are consistent towards achieveing the goals

Remember, the next time you're tempted to lead from 'authority' a.k.a 'I know better than you so keep quiet and just do this'.

Open up the possibility for 1) open mic sessions, 2) mini-projects and 3) systems for staff proactivity

AUTHOR BIO

Abu Sofian is a leadership consultant, corporate trainer and keynote speaker who helps businesses sustainably develop staff to lead, speak and serve from the inside-out.

His work has reached audiences & professionals in Vietnam, South Africa, Senegal, Singapore, UK and the US thus far.

His past clients include CEOs, Directors, Founders and professionals from 7-figure companies, leading-marketing & events agencies, auditors from the ‘big 4’ consulting firms in South Africa and sales professionals in the top hospitality brands, among others.

He teaches professionals his signature programmes, ‘Goldmine In You’ leadership method and ‘Speaking for Impact: How To Speak So People Listen’ to get your point across effectively.

For the past 10 years, he has organised events, movie screenings, art residencies & concerts in a UNESCO World Heritage Site, served heads-of-states and embassies and also helped organise mental health conferences with international scholars & professionals.

Check out more articles on his website:?www.abusofian.com