All my working life, I have found that I railed against the office “Stalin”, the dictator-micromanager boss. General misery aside, my belief that this management style leads to more problems than solutions has only been a theory… until now. In this Inc. article, several top CEOs were interviewed, and their opinions on management style were both insightful and revealing.
Highlights:
Management is a service, not control.
The difference between average bosses and extraordinary bosses is empowerment versus control. The average boss wants employees to do as they are told. The extraordinary boss pushes decision-making down to the members of her team, allowing some autonomy in the “getting it done” part of a project.
Motivation comes from vision, not fear.
This directly links back to the last topic. When the team is clear on the goal, they can make decisions that may be risky without fear of reprisal. Nothing can paralyze a business unit quite like fear or intimidation. Taking measured risks helps a team to grow and problem solve with greater agility, and gain valuable experience toward facing the next problem.
Change equals growth, not pain.
Let’s be clear, change for the sake of change is a waste of time. We all know the person who, every time a problem arises, wants to turn the company upside-down. However, ordinary bosses will argue against change as complicated and a problem whenever it is suggested. Extraordinary bosses look at change as an opportunity, not as a threat. Growth doesn’t happen without change.
The old style of management through control doesn’t square with most business environments today. Trust, flexibility, autonomy, and creativity are where it’s at. Thank goodness that things can change for the better.
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