I teach and coach many leaders today on the concept of employee engagement. The one question that often comes is “how do I get my employees to follow my leadership?” There is no question that has been asked in leadership more often than how to get employees to either do what you tell them, or follow your leadership. A good barometer of a leader’s impact has always been whether they have any followers. The question itself actually reveals a huge myth in leadership. I will attempt to explain how this myth actually creates less engagement in the workforce and more overworked leaders.
What does it mean to lead?
First, let’s clear up the confusion about the act of leading. Leading is actually creating a vision that people understand, agree to and gather around to accomplish. It is also the ability to model the way that the goal or vision is to be accomplished. Nowhere in the definition are the words “telling, bossing, commanding, or forcing” people to do what you say. Leading is a process of showing a group of people what the end result looks like then go there with them…together.
Aren’t good employees supposed to be good followers?
The second part of identifying the truth of leading is understanding that while there are thousands of training options for leaders, there is little to no training for followers. Try to find a book in your local bookstore titled “How to be a follower.” People follow other people who share an inspired vision of not only where the leader wants to be but where the follower also would want to be! There is a misconception that a good employee is one that does what they are told, gets the work done and doesn’t question the amazing words of their leader. Truth is, no great leader wants employees that just do what they are told. Seriously! Good employees sharpen a good leader. They ask questions for clarification, question the vision, desire to know the depths of the goals, and need to see their place in the end result of the work. Remember that your employees are the ones carrying out the work of the vision…the leader guides the group toward the end goal.
But as the leader the results are up to me…right?
Wrong! The leader is accountable for the vision and the aggregation of momentum toward the end result…but the employees are the hands and feet of the work…the ones that actually do the work that gets you there. A clear vision results in clear outcomes. How we get there is determined by the tools, vehicles and resources that one has in their care…their employees. If you need to move a ton of bricks but only have a two door sedan to do it, you wouldn’t pile bricks on top and crush the car and blame failure on the car! We utilize the resource we have to determine how to move the bricks. The results of getting the bricks moved to another location are the same, but the process is determined by the vehicle we use to move them. The most important resource in getting results is the employees that will do the work that needs to be done to accomplish the vision. It is not up to you to make things happen, it is up to you to work with your team to accomplish the vision…together.
But I am supposed to know everything…I am the leader!
No, you are not supposed to know everything. You are supposed to create the vision. Once the vision is clear, your team become the vehicle by which we determine what it is we need to know. Our employees possess many skills necessary to all of the work we are called to, and each one of them is a person! Yes, a person. Great leaders don’t need to know everything. They need to know where to get the answers to the questions, where to get access to the right resources, and who to do call on to accomplish the tasks that need to be done. Here is a brain buster…your employees probably know more than you do about how to get something done. Fantastic! Let’s let them use their knowledge to accomplish your vision.
My employees won’t take the initiative…that is what they say I’m paid for!
This is by far the most critical myth of all. It is really a concept that we as leaders have helped to promote amongst our employees. Of course your employee will look at you like you are crazy for asking them to take charge if you always remind them that you are the boss. Truth be told, most employees are not motivated by position and money as a first priority. Studies show that most employees are motivated by the need to matter, fit in, make a difference, feel like they contribute and that their work is valuable to the organization. Employees want their work to count for something. If it doesn’t they leave and find meaningful work elsewhere. Employees that feel a sense of value, importance and know they matter to the organization contribute to the vision and solve the most important problems the organization faces.
Teach them to lead…not follow
Employees that are given empowerment, a small piece of the leadership to accomplish the vision, respond by doing great work. Too often we try to get employees to comply with the rules and policies of the organization, but rarely give them the ability to help lead the organization to success. When we teach our followers to lead, the vision gets worked out. It doesn’t take a new policy or rule to motivate an employee to get something done. Sometimes the employee just needs to be given the freedom to creatively solve the problem right at the front lines of their work. They often know better than we do about what works and what doesn’t, and have the resources to accomplish the task. And we recognize their contributions to the work and honor them for it! A team is a group of people that are working in synergy toward the accomplishment of a goal. Our employees are not machines that do what we tell them to. They are valuable resources of lifelong knowledge and skill. They should be freed to create and innovate, to find new ways to accomplish our vision, and empowered to make the necessary decisions to cross the finish line.
Stop trying to make your employees into followers and teach them how to lead. Great leaders model the way, not bark orders. Great leaders create the vision and empower their employees to accomplish that vision!
Tom Darling