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Misguided Kindness
October 26, 2012
Here is a test to find whether your mission on earth is finished: If you are alive, it isn't.
-Richard Bach
-Richard Bach
This was one of the paradoxes described in, "The Paradoxes of Leadership," in the Exchange Essential online article collection, "Leadership Challenges."
"Many of us seem to have this need to take care of everyone. We want everyone to be happy, satisfied, productive, supported, connected. It takes a lot of time and energy to Mother Hen the world, but we do it because we need to.
"So when the tables turn and staff want to take care of us, it can feel pretty good. It's certainly great to know that others are noticing when we are overburdened, that they see the magnitude of our responsibilities, that they are sensitive to the fact that a piece of information or news might put us over the top.
"Though done with the best of intentions ... this protective behavior will ultimately prove harmful. There will be information missing, holes in the big picture — and this will hinder the effectiveness of your decision-making. If you don't know that two staff members are not getting along, that a parent is upset about a staff comment, that the key to the storage unit is missing, that you are running out of peanut butter, things will fall apart when these specifics would inform your decision making.
"Staff needs to understand that you, as director, need to know everything. Their motivations for protection can be acknowledged and appreciated, while the act of protection can be firmly, continually rejected. Perhaps staff can learn to deliver the bad news with a gentle touch or a chocolate chip cookie (or would we come to fear cookies?)."
Exchange Resources on Leading People
Exchange has a wide variety of resources on leadership. Here are some examples...- Targeted Leadership
- Art of Leadership book and CD
- Learning to Lead
- Circle of Influence
- Voices DVD: Supporting Teacher Performance
- Leadership Challenges
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Comments (1)
Displaying 1 CommentSwitzerland
Oh no! I totally disagree with this. A good Director knows when to delegate, and knows how to prioritise so that s/he deals with the things ( leadership decisions decisions) that noone else can do, but leaves others to get on with their jobs as well. As long as clear poliices are in place, there will be clear pathways for receiving the information that is needed. The roll on effects of this is that staff feel empowered and more teamwork develops. THis leads to more collaboration, greater innovation and greater staff energy levels. ..... which means more energy left over to provide support for the Director or manager as well.
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