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I often suggest to CEOs this seemingly simple but valuable piece of business advice: “Get out of the way.” I am not implying that they aren’t successful or that they are somehow a physical obstacle within their organization. What I mean is, that in order to become a better leader, one must develop more equity in their business and create an organization that looks forward from why it exists today to why it wants to exist in the future. In short, great leaders and great businesses need to be disruptive. Disruptive organizations see what others often can’t see – emerging patterns and evolving tendencies.
What does all of this have to do with getting out of the way? Most every business owner believes they need to train their people; but great leaders know that they need to develop their people. What is the difference? Training your people means to teach them to do the same things that are traditionally done within your company, to think the same way that the company currently thinks and to lock step with the established processes and procedures. Developing your people not only gives them the basic tools to perform the job, but also allows them the opportunity to be innovative, opportunistic and to think outside the box — and moves them towards a level of self-management.
A great leader realizes that people are their organization’s greatest asset and, as such, it is imperative that leaders create a company culture that allows their people to be part of an organization that rewards risk taking, innovative thinking and challenging the status quo. To do that, you as the leader need to be willing to step aside – get out of the way – and let your people soar. They will surely make mistakes along the way, but that is okay, for that is how one learns.
Leadership and company culture go hand-in-hand. Ideally, your people will realize that you trust them to the do the right thing; and that, as an organization of innovative people, together you seek to collaborate, co-create and evolve an organizational culture that ultimately creates a forward-thinking, disruptive company. It is hard work, but it is incredibly fun and rewarding.
Are you willing to get out of the way? If so, what will you do to start developing your people?
By Blair Koch
