Optimized Leadership: When Knowing Gets in the Way
You’re an accomplished leader. You have experience and know the right way to lead. You’ve heard about the latest leadership approaches in blogs, TED talks, and LinkedIn posts and thought, “Nope. I’m good.” You’ve become an optimized leader.
That’s too bad.
I’ve worked with leaders at varying levels—senior level, mid level, newly minted managers—with a range of opinions on the value of leadership development, from intrigue to “I’m not trying that.” So let’s state this first: there is value in the cumulative leadership knowledge gained from experience. Yet what is equally true is that there is no simple, one-size-fits-all approach to leadership. If there was, we wouldn’t have so many cruddy, toxic managers.
The risk for some leaders is the false security that “experience” brings to daily leadership execution. This experience-will-carry-me approach leads to growth resistance—a resistance that may not be intentional or conscious. But it’s there. The solution for leaders hampered by a resistant mindset? A little curiosity. Leadership growth happens when we move past resistance toward curiosity. And I bet even though you consider yourself a curious, growth-oriented leader (you wouldn’t have read this far if you weren’t), you may recognize some of these common resistances, offered here with a more curious response:
Resistance: I’m an experienced leader. I should know this already.
Curiosity: Am I really as smart as I think I am? No one knows everything. I want to get better and I know there are things I don’t know.
Resistance: That’s not the way I do it.
Curiosity: I’m not sure about this but what small piece can I take from this?
Resistance: I’m a new manager and this leadership approach is not relevant for my situation.
Curiosity: While I can’t apply this now, what can I take away for the future?
Resistance: My team would not respond well to this.
Curiosity: I wonder how my team might respond to this new approach? I’ll ask them.
Resistance: This leadership concept is just plain dumb.
Curiosity: What am I missing? What could make it work in a particular circumstance?
Resistance: I know my leadership style works because no one has told me otherwise.
Curiosity: I wonder if I am getting the feedback I need.
Resistance: I know my leadership style works because I consistently deliver results.
Curiosity: Am I successful because of my leadership style or despite it?
Leadership success is a moving target. Environments shift, teams change, industries evolve. What type of leadership toolbox would you rather have: optimized and rigid or responsive, flexible, and impactful? I’m just curious.
Notes:
Find more insights on the Forty-Two Consulting “Thinking Out Loud” blog
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