Growing Up Leaders

 

I just read Simon Gibson's Closing the future skills gap: The problem that just won't go away and thought I would write this response blog post. Actually, I started writing this AS I was reading his article. So compliment to him, I could not keep my fingers still.

I immediately thought that I have to document how my unofficial, off the books leadership plan worked. I've written quite a few pieces on my leadership philosophy but this one is more of a how-to, specifically for those situations when one does NOT have permission to grow up leaders.  That means, how do you foster the next generation of leaders when you are not supposed to be?

First a mini org chart. 

My boss - Preferred leadership styles? Micromanagement & confirmation bias.

Me - To say "colors outside the lines" is putting it mildly.

My team - Innocent bystanders just doing their best, everyday. 

So, I didn't have any official permission to foster, grow, or encourage leadership on my team. Actually, most of my 14 bosses above me hated the idea. But I did it anyway. 

As soon as I became a boss myself (ahem, a Manager), I started Team Leads. Team Leads had 2 job duties:

1. They ran weekly team meetings; pulled together the agenda, ran the meeting, and were responsible for the notes. This was the most "visible" part of the job. I would watch to see how a Lead would do this.

It is actually hard to do it because I (as Manager) dominate most of the agenda items -- naturally I have the most to say (that's the shit rolls downhill thing) plus my opinion was wanted on issues rising up (i.e. Yes, I'll pursue that. or No, forget it, that won't go anywhere.) So essentially, they had to "manage" me verbally on the fly in front of everyone. Would they do it?

Also, they had to figure out that writing notes while directing the meeting was usually NOT tenable. I would gently nudge them and say that they were responsible for the notes and that didn't mean that they had to take the notes. They could delegate (share power). I'd see if they'd do that. Will you take your fingers off the crown right after its been given to you?? Some would not. Interesting. Those were painful meetings as we had to wait for things to be written down before we could move to the next item.

Real skill = Prioritize.

Real skill = Deftly maneuver with a boss and team members simultaneously.

Real skill = Put off projects or shuffle items to off-call discussions.

Real skill = Delegate. Let go of power.

 

2. They were "their brother's keeper"-- that is, I would turn to them to do job duties that I could NOT do as Manager when I needed someone to reach out to a team member to be a friend.  See my other article here (The Trip and Fall). In summary, there are times when a Manager or boss knows that a team member needs something, but if a boss delivered it, it would be inappropriate/stepping over a line.  So a team member or a power equal can deliver it.  The Team Lead would be tasked with this important but infrequent job.

Real skill = Watch your teammates. Step in even when it makes you uncomfortable.

Real skill = Say the uncomfortable but caring thing.

Real skill = understand that a little bit of espionage is a good thing.

Team Leads had their jobs for 3 months. It rotated around the team. Everyone had 1 shot at being Team Lead. If you sucked at it, I found excuses for you to never be Team Lead again.

Real skill = Realize that life is not fair.

Real skill = Pick your leadership philosophy & live it.

Good Team Leads found themselves being Team Leads over and over until opportunities for more leadership (aka real job openings) arrived. When that happened, they had a list of job duties they could fair and square claim that they had done as "leadership."

I liked this system.