What Are the People in the Room Not Telling Me? The Crucial Leadership Blindspot
Adesola Harold Orimalade
Dad | Treasurer | COO | Author | Transformational Leader | Future of Finance | Poverty & Homelessness Awareness Advocate | Business Innovation | Intersection of Business + Humanity | Advisor | Speaker | Board Member
Preamble
In the realm of leadership, it's not uncommon to find ourselves surrounded (whether by design or not) by individuals who are usually very eager to share their insights, perspectives, knowledge, and opinions. Yet have you ever stopped to ponder?
“What are the people in the room not telling me?”
This question unravels a critical leadership blind spot that can greatly impact the success and sustainability of any organization.
The Echo Chamber Effect:
In the fast-paced corporate world we often find ourselves, decision-makers often find themselves engrossed in boardrooms, meetings, conversations, and discussions with a select group of key stakeholders. While this targeted engagement serves a purpose, it can inadvertently create an "echo chamber" effect – a phenomenon where ideas and opinions are continuously echoed and reinforced within a limited circle. This bubble can lead to a distorted perception of reality, stifling innovation, and growth.
The Silent Observers:
Behind the scenes, there exists a world of untapped knowledge and perspectives – the silent observers who remain unheard in the corridors of power. These are the employees on the front lines, the ones interacting directly with customers, and the quiet thinkers who seldom find their voices amplified. Failing to acknowledge and engage with these valuable individuals can result in missed opportunities, blind spots, and a failure to adapt to changing dynamics.
Unlocking a Wealth of Insights:
The key to unlocking a wealth of insights lies in actively seeking out and listening to those who reside outside the boardroom. Every employee, regardless of their role, possesses a unique lens through which they perceive the organization's challenges and opportunities. By tapping into this diverse pool of perspectives, leaders can gain a more holistic understanding of the organization's pulse and make well-informed decisions. In 2019, Democratic Congresswoman Katie Porter grilled the CEO of a major U.S. bank on pay structure within his organisation and rather than give you a detailed description on what transpired, I would signpost you to the said video clip on YouTube. I was left wondering how can any serious leader be in tune with the challenges of his/her team members if he/she has no idea how much they pay the lowest earners in the organisation? ?
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Embracing Diversity and Inclusion:
Inclusion isn't merely about ticking boxes or meeting quotas; it's about fostering an environment where every voice is valued and heard. By actively creating avenues for open dialogue, leaders can encourage employees to express their thoughts, ideas, and concerns without fear of reprisal. This inclusivity cultivates a culture of trust, respect, and collaboration, enabling leaders to make more informed choices that resonate with the entire organization. Many leaders even till today have no real idea how well their organisation is performing when it comes to diversity and inclusion. They see the nice graphs and charts and the reports are all looking upwards but is that the true picture.
Empowering Middle Management:
The middle management tier acts as a bridge between top leadership and frontline employees. Yet, these middle managers often navigate a delicate balancing act – relaying information from above while also channelling feedback from below. Empowering these managers to be candid conduits of information can ensure that the voice of the entire organization is accurately represented at the decision-making table.
So, what does all these mean for you?
Leadership is challenging, it involves making lots of decisions. It requires engaging with and listening to many voices and so on and so forth. In the pursuit of effective leadership, it's imperative to pause and ask oneself:
“… What are the people in the room not telling me?”
By acknowledging the existence of this leadership blind spot and actively seeking out the perspectives of those not present, leaders can break free from the echo chamber, harness diverse insights, and drive their organizations toward success in an ever-evolving landscape.
Remember, the most valuable ideas and solutions often come from unexpected sources – and by embracing this truth, leaders can propel their organizations to new heights.
Philanthropist. I generated one billion in sales for other people. I now spend my days exposing corporate and political corruption and filthy media propaganda.
1 年Most "leaders" are not interested in what people not paid to speak have to say. They don't want to deal with the reality of the way low level people are treated. They only want to hear good news, positive cheerleading, and praise. Raising light on broken processes that they don't understand, ignore, or have ignorantly approved isn't going to get you a raise or promotion. Corporate life is about conformance to the expectations of the boss. Show up, work hard, smile, say yes, clap whenever possible, get the revenue up, the costs down and go home. Do this for forty-five years and you get to stay home, think about how unhealthy corporate life was and die.
Attorney At Law at CIVIL COURT CASES
1 年That's great
Interesting. Then you should work with INFJs coz when a person speaks, we see and hear what they are not saying from what they are saying ?? uncanny, weird, but that’s the way our minds are wired..the part about silent observers is also quite true…. When undertaking organisational reviews & profitability improvements, a lot of ideas and values often come from the workers on the floor which management tends to dismiss as ‘just workers’… except they are observers of systems and their possibilities and or failures (especially in manufacturing)