Our brains desire certainty. Yet we live in a highly uncertain world. One of the most common human responses to this preference for certainty is to create structures of control to reduce uncertainty. Unfortunately, these structures of control can be counter-productive when they inhibit creativity, or discourage others from taking risks that have attractive payoffs. By letting go of over-controlling behaviors, leaders can unleash powerful innovation and energy within their teams. Here are three principles to help you lead more effectively whether you’re on the rise or already at the top.
Don’t forget what got you to your position of leadership.
There is a paradox of leadership, described beautifully by Dacher Keltner in his book The Power Paradox, that the skills that enable individuals to rise in positions of leadership are often undermined by the circumstances of power itself. As you climb the ladder, attention to the concerns and interests of others supports your advancement. However, once you reach a position of power, everything changes. You become the center of attention, and it’s easy to lose your focus on everyone else. This is the paradox in action, when your level of emotional intelligence can be easily diminished. Before you know it, collaboration becomes top-down direction, and your desire to control all that is around you has grown significantly. The opportunity to overcome this is remembering what got you here.
Micromanagement isn’t helpful.
Creativity and innovation flourish with freedom. When you micromanage your team, their creativity will atrophy. Putting a simple, but clear structure around the work of your team and each of their responsibilities will allow you to influence the process strategically while allowing your team the freedom to decide the appropriate tactics to complete their assignments.
First, set clear goals for what you want delivered, and make sure that there is agreement with your team as to what the goals are. One way to make the agreement clear is to put agreed upon goals in writing, and be diligent about communicating them verbally as well. Second, describe the boundaries within which your team members can function. This can include topics such as the timetable of a project, its budget, or the tools that team members may use (or may not use) to complete their task. Finally, offer balanced oversight that allows you to be comfortable knowing that everything is on track while allowing your team to feel trusted in the approach they are taking.
Letting go of your illusion of control will benefit more than just your team’s creativity.
If we have learned anything from the spread of COVID-19 around the world, we should at least have learned that we are not in control. We will each be more productive, and more creative, when we recognize that there are limits to our control, limits that are likely much tighter than we would like them to be. Chaos and change are going to come. Controlling your reaction to what comes is all that you can control. So, let go of your natural desire for control. You’ll likely find that your team will flourish, and your influence will expand.
Photo Credit: NASA.