The Manager_Issue41_flippingbook

THE LEADER

THE EXPERT

RHYS SMITH Lead like a humble gardener

I n senior leadership roles, it’s seductive to think of ourselves as chess masters in a grand game of strategy. We sit up high in our organisations, with a clear view of what’s happening and what needs to be done. We look for patterns, respond to the competition andmove our pieces to seek an advantage. We alone have the authority to observe, decide and act. The real world, of course, is very different. Creating and leading high-performing teams is highly complex and we see the same tension played out, time and time again, the balance between Understandably, leaders are reluctant to relinquish control; you can devolve decision-making but never responsibility. However, we see consistently that the most successful teams are those in whichmembers operate with smart autonomy. To achieve this, leaders need to stop thinking of themselves as chess grandmasters and start providing control and allowing autonomy.

“GIVING PEOPLE A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP AND FREEDOM CAN BE ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS TO DRIVE PERFORMANCE.”

requires vigilance and the foresight to set up systems that mitigate risk and provide opportunities for course correction. Allow people closest to the detail to make decisions, as giving people a sense of ownership and freedom can drive performance. mutual trust and a shared belief in how to achieve success. If your team has these qualities, be modest in the assessment of your ability to influence every outcome, and then watch your team thrive. M 11 Letting go of control is not without risk and it requires a high level of

thinking and acting like humble gardeners. A gardener doesn’t actually grow anything; they foster an environment in which the plants can grow. They plant and harvest but, more than anything, they nurture. They water, feed, remove weeds, and spend long hours examining fragile stalks. In a team, each individual owns their performance, but the leader needs to foster an environment in which they can learn and improve. Sometimes this involves being hands on, but mostly it’s about being eyes on, hands off. This

Rhys is a Principal in the London offices of McChrystal Group: a global advisory services and leadership development firm composed of a diverse mix of professionals from the military, academic,business, and intelligence sectors.