Leaders are... Stewards (part 2).
Last month we defined stewardship as the efficient use of temporary resources to create an enduring impact in the lives of others. This month, let’s consider how this concept relates to managing versus leading.
Stewards empower. Those in leadership positions (manager or division/organizational leader) that hover and constrict because of control issues soon develop a stable of co-dependent mules. Mules don’t think, they only do. They carry stuff. And that’s not a scalable model. “It takes a village,” has endured for good reason. Remember, empires aren’t built by one person, but by a team who are also willing to give themselves to something they believe is bigger than themselves. They are the heroes.
We can manage by controlling others, albeit shortsightedly, but we can’t lead that way. It’s impossible to walk directly ahead while looking at the shoelaces of those behind us. Leading implies looking ahead, moving toward a common vision for the benefit of something greater than ourselves. We turn back to help others- to mentor, coach, encourage, open doors and occasionally discipline. But we don’t turn back to tell others how to tie their laces through micromanagement. No one learns in that environment. If we have to tell someone how to do their jobs, we did not hire or train properly. And that’s only the fault of the leader because a culture wasn’t established to ensure adequate hiring processes. Leaders take responsibility for all decisions in their organization. Cowards pass blame.
Leaders establish direction, align and inspire people.
Managers organize, plan, budget, staff, and problem solve.
Leaders supply the vision, another provides the communication, and others execute. Managers are the organizational glue between vision and execution. Managers break down the vision into smaller pieces so that the respective teams can ask questions, flesh-out details and ultimately execute. Like shampooing, communication from leadership to the ranks and back is a constant rinse and repeat cycle. Measuring that time between cycles is wise. A rhythm should develop. Otherwise, the worst is presumed and the team soon marches out of step. After too long, the organization gets off course. We cannot over communicate, but we can under communicate and become the bottleneck. Lack of clear communication produces mission friction, in turn slowing the goal timeline, raising costs and reducing revenue. As leaders, we must ensure our teams understand their role, their budgets, and how to win. And they must be given the latitude to execute those goals through collaboration and creativity.
Empowerment is not autonomy.
Without governance, a team veers off the proverbial mission and vision rails. Empowerment includes consistent follow-up with a freedom to make decisions within visionary and budgetary guidelines. Empowerment allows non-lethal mistakes. To reiterate, good leaders empower to the extent that the consequences for poor decision-making does not outweigh the lesson learned. In other words, we don’t put the proverbial ship in the hands of someone who can accidentally run it into an iceberg, endangering jobs and the organization itself. Effective leaders manage the tension between team development and mission progress. To be clear, it’s the leader who is responsible for success or failure.
The U.S. military has a saying, “you can delegate authority, but you cannot delegate responsibility.”
Respect builds when the team knows that the leader has sacrificed equally or greater than they have. Trust builds when the team knows the leader would never ask them to do anything they wouldn’t do themselves. Loyalty builds when words and actions align. For that team, nothing is out of reach. Too many leaders expect or demand respect without earning it, and many suffer needlessly. Admiration builds by sharing honestly with people, and demonstrating faith in them even after they make a mistake. Good leaders extend grace rather than expect it from subordinates. Fear produces mules who do exactly what they’re told...and absolutely no more than they’re told.
Here are some takeaway questions for the week:
Would your people say they’ve been treated gently, like a butterfly in our hands? Or would they say they’ve been kept in their cocoons, afraid to fly?
Do you dole out tasks to your team, keeping them in proverbial cocoons, or do you allow them to participate in the larger vision by asking questions and then after clarity, allow them to spread their wings and fly?
Do you want to build an organization by those who ask questions, think critically, and thereby improve the vision, or do you want employees who are afraid, keeping their mouth shut and doing no more than they’re told? When was the last time leadership engaged in a forum to ask those questions? What’s stopping you from doing that with your team?
How can you apply, “less do, and more through” to your team or organization?
Interested in developing a stewardship perspective that brings life and sustainability to you and your team? We would love to help!
John Shiffert
John is a Delivery Partner with Redwoods Leadership Group and is excited to help teams gain clarity and mitigate mission friction through governance and stewardship.