Warning, Reality Check Ahead - Time to Sink this Leader Ship!
Volume 3: Telling it Like it Is - Time to Sink this Leader Ship!
This is Emotional Adventures in the Office, where we are committed to addressing real struggles that people face at work. Our approach varies. Sometimes we will ask questions, other times we will make bold statements. We're always looking for new topics to delve into, so if you have any suggestions, please let us know.
Warning, Reality Check Ahead - Time to Sink this Leader Ship!!
Friends, put on your life jacket because I am going to dive into the murky waters of BS leadership: a problem of pandemic proportions that is currently driving many of my coaching clients to feel pain and lack of purpose.
The problems:
Inspirational executives with visions that amount to nothing because there is a lack of ownership, accountability and execution. These leaders love meetings and buzzwords- a lot- sadly, the meetings are as empty as the promises. They are new ideas, thrown around that change with the wind. They leave the team dizzy and without direction.
The team who is trying to cope- while waiting for the next revolutionary "shower thought" about their current project - Deliver on an objective? Nope they can't. They are too busy with false starts and rework every time the vision takes a new turn based on the latest "thinking from the top".
Fear is real. Not moving is not an option because of the passive aggressive "I'm disappointed narrative that we still aren't there". Tasks eventually drift into oblivion and the team gets used to only doing enough for the executive to react to because they are so tired of rework. They are Sisyphus, rolling a boulder up a hill as it rolls back down for all of eternity-or however long they stay.
Accountability and ownership are game of hot potato- with a grenade. Plans for change control are like unicorns and effectiveness is a pipe-dream.
Before you get defensive leaders, do a gut check and remember inconsistency is not a strategy. If you are open to learning from your people and act with integrity everyone can get out of this drowning pool of endless frustration. You hired great people, get out of their way - do not be a barrier to their execution.
Understanding BS Leadership does not excuse it. We must act with empathy toward our leaders and check our attitudes about all of this. It could be that your leader got chewed for taking risks. It might be that they are on the hot seat for a prior issue- Maybe they are trickling down their own leader's behavior- It's still no excuse for paralyzing a team, but understanding it is a starting point.
We must demand better. Build trust, offer solutions and have difficult conversations. If your boss' indecision holds you back, maybe it is time to protect your career instead of your job.
Innovation is not the enemy of progress. We need leaders who balance creativity with execution, who foster a culture of accountability and ownership. Let's put an end to the BS now for the sake of our sanity, careers and the success of our organization.
To all the sufferers: seek allies and never forget you have the power to influence change. Don't settle for BS leadership. Demand more, be the change - be the fog in the light of indecision.
And while you all think you know what BS stands for- let me be clear: Baseless Statements, Bogus Stories, Bad Science, Biased Sources, Blank Statements, Bizarre Speculations, Banal Sayings, Blundering Suggestions, and Bumbling Strategies.