When it comes to command-and-control style leadership (henceforth referred to as CACS leadership), one could say that the big problem is there’s too much “I” and not enough “we.“ There are scenarios and institutions in which the CACS leader is appropriate, for example in the military, but most of us do not work in situations that require this. Most of us do not face life and death in our jobs, so I propose that the leadership style of choice used by the military is not the best for civilian life.
This article is about five “I’s” in particular that kill momentum, kill creativity, kill innovation, kill inspiration, kill motivation, kill fulfillment, kill productivity, and kill a slew of positive results at work.
The five "killer I's" are:
1. Inflexible
2. Intimidating
4. Intolerant
5. Insistent
If you have ever worked for someone who is a CACS leader, I'm sure you have experienced at least 1 or more of these. Of course, you could experience these with other styles of leadership, but I propose it is CACS leadership that is at the highest risk for demonstrating all five of these killer behaviors.
In this five article series, I address what each of these behaviors looks like, what they "kill," and what you can do about them, both if you are the cause, or if you are at the effect of them.
1 - Inflexible - The CACS leader is at the highest risk of being inflexible and can be best described with the expression "my way or the highway." While this old adage is often expressed about the CACS leader by observers or those at the effect of this behavior, rarely have I seen it addressed directly with the CACS leader. I worked for a leader once who spoke about wanting more creativity and innovation as a part of his organization. In this case, as with others, I will describe, this killer "I" behavior of being inflexible the majority of the time kills creativity. When the CACS leader's ideas routinely supersede those of others, creativity and innovation die quickly like viable sprouts in a garden trampled on by careless boots. When ideas are not heard and validated by reflection and thoughtful consideration, those offering the feedback can walk away from these unproductive interactions thinking "what's the point of sharing my ideas if they are going to get shot down."
For the CACS Leader
If you are the CACS leader who tramples on others idea sprouts, here's the remedy.
Rediscover your curiosity. Begin to consider that there may be something you could be missing by not hearing others out. Learn to ask questions about other's ideas and what makes them tick.
Practice asking for other's ideas and giving them the opportunity to see them through, even if they fail. Failure is not death. Failure is an opportunity to learn what doesn't work and to try again. Along the path to success, failures can produce engagement, determination, resolve, and innovation.
Stay curious to find out what they learned. Although usually uncomfortable and inconvenient, we know that trial and error can be our greatest teacher. You live in a miraculous technological world that is the product of many courageous people's success born from a long line of disappointing failures. What might you and those you lead learn or discover next?
Pace yourself. Start with the small stuff and then work up to bigger problems. You'll gain the courage to takes some risk and trust those around you. Everyone will learn and grow.
For the Employee
If you are the one whose ideas are trampled on by the CACS leader, you'll need to
Get more creative and assertive. One way to do this is to use the "puppy technique." It's akin to when someone giving away puppies tells you that you can bring it back if you don't like it after the weekend. You need just enough space to try out the new thing and if it doesn't work, you can always go back.
Determine the best times to pitch your ideas. Don't get baited into sharing ideas at the "wrong time." I had a manager once who would ask for ideas after the decision was already made. Don't allow your creative juices to be wasted like that.
Clarify upfront whether or not the problem still exists and if a decision has been made. If you are pitching an idea unsolicited, then start with the anticipated result or impact of your idea.
Click here to go on to part 2 in the series on CACS leadership.