Ownership vs. Leadership: Leading for success?
3. Micro-management and Leadership
Many leaders of small business take a micro-management approach with their employees.
Symptoms of this include “bed checks” or constant phone calls into the office while traveling; over direction of every aspect of expense such as airline bookings and meal choices; and constant reviews of proposal pricing rather than reviews of client work.
If company values are in place and general guidelines for work ethic, expenses, and client work philosophies then employees should, by default, have decision-making capabilities. Instead of conveying a lack of trust in their judgment, you will begin to coach them in how to make better business decisions.
One of the most famous leadership lists comes from Farooq Kathwari, Chairman and CEO of Ethan Allan since 1988.
In his Ethan Allen Leadership Principles listed on the company website there is one in particular that illustrates the need for coaching employees:
5. Self-Confidence – Have the self-confidence to empower others to do their best.[5>
Muriel “Mickey” Siebert, who died late last year, is known as the first woman of finance and the first woman to have a seat on the NY Stock Exchange.
She then became the founder, Chairwoman and CEO of Muriel Siebert and Co., Inc. In her letter to leaders[6> she says, “I sleep well at night knowing that I have been competitive but honest, tenacious but scrupulous, and tough but fair” and “Giving back is more than an obligation, it’s a privilege.”
What is your privilege of leadership? Let me know what other things you would add to the list of leadership vs. ownership. I welcome hearing your thoughts.
Footnotes:
[1> http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1309680-lance-armstrong-let-pride-and-hubris-not-doping-ruin-his-legacy
[2> Letters from Leaders, compiled by Henry O. Dormann, page 58
[3> The Wolf of Wall Street, directed by Martin Scorsese, Writers: Terrance Winter (screenplay) and Jordan Belfort (book), December 25, 2013
[4> Pope Francis, The Peoples Pope, by Howard Chua-Eoan and Elizabeth Dias, Time Magazine, December 11, 2013, http://poy.time.com/2013/12/11/person-of-the-year-pope-francis-the-peoples-pope/#ixzz2rAGY2Z6j
[5> Letters from Leaders, compiled by Henry O. Dormann, p. 159
[6> Letters from Leaders, compiled by Henry O. Dormann, p. 50.
