Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Change How You Follow

The Harvard Business Review regularly sends out emails on research and articles in the management field.

This following email was titled Change How You Follow and caught my eye. The advice struck me as universal in application in any situation where you are involved with a hierarchical structure whether in business or community organizations.

It reflects the basic truth that the only person you can change is yourself and it is a choice for each of us on how we deal with conflict. We can become victims and complain constantly, or we can be creative in how to transform situations to work for us.

If you feel frustrated or uninspired by your leader, you're in good company. Many people are unhappy with the leadership styles of those above them. Rather than trying to oust or change your leader, it may be time to look inward. Accept what you can't change — your leader's style. Focus on what you can control — how you follow. If you have a manager who likes to have his hand in everything, don't resist the micro-managing. Instead, invite him to get involved. He's likely to include himself anyway, and bringing him in increases the likelihood he will support your work. If your leader is more hands off and fails to motivate you, find inspiration from the work itself or from others in the organization. Then, reflect back to your leader what you find most inspiring. You may be able to show him what you need by getting it elsewhere first.

The article is by Li Xin Bais, a Senior Strategy Consultant for IBM in China. The full article and ensuing discussion can be found at this link

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