Spring is here….finally!!!
The Greatest Hits Side B
Last week I reviewed some of the most read Cowardly Leadership-Up Close and Personal posts. Today let’s look at some more of the “Greatest Hits.”
All Leadership Isn’t Good Leadership– It took me a long time to realize and understand that a lot of people aren’t comfortable in a leadership role, since I always have been. It took a while, but I eventually learned that there are people in positions of leadership- both elected and appointed- that do not want to be there. They have authority, but they are not leaders. In kindergarten, we learned that she is in that position because she deserves to be in that position, otherwise, she wouldn’t be in that position.
Thankfully, most of us have learned since kindergarten.
The Indispensable Employee- Certain things drive me crazy, and this is one of them. When someone in a position of authority declares and announces that someone is indispensable. Really? You have no more confidence in yourself as a leader, in your elected colleagues, in your inner circle, to figure out how you would make something work in a crisis?
The U.S. Government intentionally excludes one cabinet member from every State of the Union address in case the unthinkable happens. The U.S. will function even if the entire chain-of-command is destroyed. The “designated survivor” would allow the government to function and keep things running.
No one is indispensable. Unless you are a cowardly leader and are looking for the easy way out. I hope someday someone announces that I’m indispensable- I’m asking them to double my salary, or else I walk.
The Micromanager– Every real, courageous leader dreads the micromanager. The insecure, dictatorial manager is a cowardly leader. He/she has little confidence in his or her ability to lead people, and therefore manages and determine the smallest and most immaterial of decisions.
I once had a supervisor who directed me to forward every email, letter and memo to him for approval before distribution. And I was a department head of a large government with a multi-million dollar budget. If I can’t write a memo or email without someone needing to review it, then you should fire me and get someone else.
Some people feel comfortable working for a micro-manager since they do not have to worry about making decisions. Micro-managers drive real leaders, those with strategic vision and drive, crazy.
After two years, I left voluntarily. It was either that or go crazy.
Mr. Know-It-All- This post and the the one about omniscience deal with the same subject – the person who receives a brain transplant upon being elected. We have all witnessed the elected official who immediately upon taking office, refuses help and assistance, because he was elected, and therefore, “knows.” He knows who to hire, who not to hire, who not to fire, what the budget should and shouldn’t be, and a myriad of other details.
He was elected. He is now omniscient.
Note:
Cowardly Leadership will be on break the next week- April 4-7. I look forward to speaking to the Maryland Parks and Recreation Conference! We will return with more lessons the following week.
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