A leader’s job is not to do the work for others, it is to help others figure out how to do it themselves, to get things done, and to succeed beyond what they thought possible.”
- Simon Sinek
Are you and your managers leading, or are you micromanaging every facet of your staff’s work?
In today’s workplace where success depends more than ever on personal interactions and creative problem-solving, this type of “command and control” style of management often fails to generate optimal output and results.
In addition, managers who employ only a command-and-control mentality kill morale, stifle creativity and innovation, increase turnover, and diminish customer loyalty.
Think about a truly awful customer service experience – perhaps the cable company comes to mind. What did that representative do? Were they reading verbatim from a script, or were they working to understand your problem and find a win-win solution with you? What type of manager do you think each one had?
As technology continues to simplify technical tasks such as data gathering and analytics, the ability to cultivate, motivate, and manage successful teams is more important than ever.
Think about the best manager you’ve worked for, and list their top three qualities. How many of these qualities were technical in nature, and how many are “soft” skills?
It is possible to break out of the strict command-and-control model and move toward a dynamic culture. To make this shift, managers should adopt a more flexible, multi-faceted management style – especially one that incorporates coaching elements.
Key to this dynamic management culture is emotional intelligence (EI). The good news is that EI can be learned! Building self-awareness, enhancing your managerial presence and listening skills, and other benefits of greater EI will make you a more effective leader which, in turn, will drive better performance from your team.
Want to improve your EI and leadership skills? Coaching will help you get there, and Ascent now proudly offers Rice University Doerr Institute Certified Professional Coaching.
For more information, reach out for a free consultation, or enjoy the links below:
About the Author:
Matt Beckmann is the Founder & Managing Director of Ascent Consultants. In addition to experience as a former Chief of Staff to the Missouri Auditor and as a Corporate Vice President and General Counsel, he has advanced training and certifications in law, business, coaching, athletics, and leadership. His blog content, inspired by his deep passion for unlocking his reader's best potential, consistently equips business owners and individuals with the knowledge and resources to overcome obstacles that may be hindering growth.
Ascent Consultants provides business and strategy consulting, executive and leadership coaching, and leadership assessments. By converting client growth goals into an actionable "game plan," we help companies and individuals unlock their full potential.
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