A633.6.5.RB - Circle of Leadership

Considering all of readings in this module and the learning exercises regarding upward and downward leadership; reflect on the diagram (figure 9.5; p.152) "the vicious circle for leaders". Does this happen in your organization? What are the effects on the organization? Create a new circle that would promote strong follower-ship and even leadership at the lower levels of the organization.

Obolensky discusses in Chapter 9 how the circle of productivity decline occurs for leaders who tend to be too involved in the work of their staff. Generally, leaders have a vision and the ability to get people around them to buy into the vision and achieve a result. The dysfunction is that the follower asks for help from a leader; and instead of making subordinates feel empowered and be ready to be responsible no matter the outcome. the leader gets concerned and gets more involved with the follower; and due to the hand holding provided, the follower loses confidence in their ability to perform.

This does not necessarily mean that the leader is micromanaging, but the leader needs to instill confidence in staff by training them well, helping them along immediately after training with allowing them trial and error in their own suppositions, and then trusting them enough to make their own decisions. Sometimes I do this with my supervisees that I headed this summer; because they are two levels closer to our customer base, I fear that if I do not follow up with them on their concerns, they will not handle things well, and it could have an impact on our students. I trust my direct supervisees a bit more because I know they have been promoted because they've mastered the other position. I just need to teach them a bit more, watch, correct, and send them on their way. This need to almost "cut the cord" with some level of worker can be found in almost every organization.

This happens so much in my department above me as well, and I am as bad as everyone else for playing into it. The Director of Housing knows all, and everyone goes to him for approval for everything! I tend to go to him, particularly this summer, because the responsibilities I have during this time are new to me, though I have been there for a year. Also, my past supervisor left, so during the summer the Director was my direct supervisor (yet another two levels below supervision), and I know my new supervisor has yet to get into the full swing of things (and they will need to ask the Director for the answers to my questions), so why not just go to the source?

My Director has also been at the University for nearly 10 years, so he not only knows more than anyone else about what I'm doing, he knows more about doing the process here (compared to someone who's done it, but elsewhere). I rely on his experience to help me see the pitfalls and strengths in any ideas on how to improve our summer processes, which involve working with another department and more than fifty outside agents. In addition to knowing what I'm doing, I need to guide 5-6 new workers to do something they have either never done, or re-train workers stuck in their ways for different (yet temporary) expectations. It's so easy to blame yourself when an issue occurs and they panic on how to solve it - if I don't become involved, I'll look uncaring and lazy, is what I think to myself - If I can help, I should show them the way out. 

However, this means that when I am gone, they panic. I get calls at all hours about their questions and concerns. When I went on vacation for a week, for instance, I came back to things quite disheveled; when the Director is out, there's always so many questions for him when he returns as well (though we are better off as professionals [ever so slightly]). I need to learn to identify the problem, elaborate on it, and encourage my staff to fix it without me. I think I have come a long way since the beginning of the summer, but it has also been a humbling experience. It is easier to train those who know the ropes with just a few more leadership skills than to have to start from the ground up!