Are we developing leaders or managers?
June 3, 2008 by Miki Saxon
Post from Leadership Turn Image credit: sekimura
By Wes Ball, author of The Alpha Factor – a revolutionary new look at what really creates market dominance and self-sustaining success. Read all of Wes’ posts here.
Most employees of larger corporations would agree that the majority of the persons they see being moved upward are not leaders.
In many cases, they aren’t even very good managers. They just happen to be willing to stay around and put up with more #*&@ than other people around them.
Is that too harsh? I speak not just from all the research I did into “Alpha” companies for my book, The Alpha Factor, but also from personal experience working for one Fortune 100 and one Fortune 500 company. In most cases, the best (who stick around) eventually do filter to the top, but I have often questioned the process larger companies follow that allows restrictive, managerial personalities to rise so high in the ranks where they can negatively affect so many other people by their focus upon managing more than leading, nurturing, or inspiring.
The result is most often that all the entrepreneurial personalities drift out into the marketplace, when most of them would much rather have been able to practice their innovative thinking within the structure and using the resources of a larger organization.
Ouch?
Your comments—priceless
I fully agree. This usually starts with a faulty mentor protegee program or in some cases, the lack of one. Corporations usually just pair up a seasoned successful executive with a young one. The problem is that there are too many senior executives who use this for their personal advantage – making the young up and comer just a workhorse for their own benefit. I call these executives “vultures”. Unfortunately, its a phenomenon I see too often. Executive leadership and the HR organization should step in and ensue a nurturing environment for those who want to get to the top and this will result in an organization that is sustainable.
Umesh:
You are exactly right. It is sad that the training of future executives is all too often put into the hands of senior staff who were themselves never trained properly.
There are so many reasons for this, but it always comes back to the basic truth that, if you want good future managers, you have to purposefully create them. If you don’t, the persons with potential will find their way to organizations that will give them the freedom to excel and grow.
I would love to hear any thoughts you have on ways to create a culture of healthy mentoring into a large organization.
Wes
You have really hit the nail on the head with this post. Too many people are promoted because they just stick around long enough. Seniority over ability is promoted and you end up with an organization unwilling to change or improve itself. It’s easy on paper. Often, managers are promoted because they can get all the staff to shut up by intimidation, threats, and otherwise. Those that listen to their concerns are viewed as unable to manage the group.
I know too many managers to name and few enough leaders to count on one hand. Big businesses would be more successful and productive if true leadership was rewarded.
one of the consistent themes that came out of my research for The Alpha Factor was the devastating effect that short-term management has on all aspects of a company. By managing for short-term results, we create problems throughout the organization.
I will explore this more in future posts. Thanks for your comments.