Don’t Be That Guy
A recent article published by Forbes dug into the most common bottlenecks in a company stated, "According to Gallup's State of the Global Workplace, only 15% of employees are engaged in the workplace, meaning 85% of them are not. To make it even more interesting, the bottom 5%, the most disengaged layer of a company, is middle management. Companies spend a fortune on employee engagement programs, yet the numbers have barely improved in the last 20 years." Management consultant, educator, and author Peter Drucker said, "At most organizations, the bottleneck is at the top of the bottle." When an organization is led by a bottleneck leader, progress stalls, growth is limited, and people are frustrated. Engagement inevitably decreases, and the odds of achieving an organization's mission becomes reduced.
The definition of bottleneck is a point of congestion in a system that occurs when workloads arrive at a given point more quickly than that point can handle them. A bottleneck leader becomes that described point of congestion in an organization halting efficient progress.
What are some characteristics of a bottleneck leader:
· Indecision
· Overanalyzing
· Overbusyness
· Micromanaging
· Disorganization
· Bureaucratic
Signs that you might be becoming that guy:
· Almost every decision, frequently operational issues, must be double-checked with your office.
· Weekly meetings lack solutions and best practice recommendations.
· The organization lacks agility in resolving problems.
· Distraction and procrastination occur due to too many tasks, unclear goals, fear of change, or fear of failure.
· The organization fails to achieve numeric and financial goals.
It's good to remember why bottleneck leadership is not practical. Here are a few reasons:
· Progress stalls
· Growth is limited
· Efficiency is reduced
· Backlogs occur
· Frustration builds
· Stress increases
· Team morale decreases
· Loss of revenue occurs
· Productive time is wasted
If you find yourself being that guy, how can you change? Start by asking yourself this question: if I do not do (blank), the future of my organization will be threatened. Therefore, anything that doesn't fit in that blank should be automated, delegated, or eliminated. Identify what you can automate, delegate, simplify, or eliminate. Here is a great model to work through that we adapted from Phil Laboon, founder of LeadStacker:
Eliminate
Is it necessary to do this task?
Does it assist me in achieving my organizational goals?
If this is the case, go to Simplify.
If the answer is no, eliminate it.
Simplify
Does it have to be that complicated?
If this is the case, still see if you can simplify it.
If the answer is no, proceed to Automate.
Automate
Is it possible to automate this process?
If the answer is affirmative, then go ahead and automate.
If the answer is no, go on to Delegate.
Delegate
Is it possible to hand this task off? If you don't do this task, is your organization's future threatened?
Is it possible to subcontract this task?
If the answer is yes, assign responsibilities.
If the answer is no, figure out what you must do to delegate the task.
Outstanding leadership means investing in developing your team's capabilities. First, create a safe space for them to take initiative by building their confidence so they can find solutions for themselves. Simultaneously, shift your focus from control to empowering dynamics. Here are some steps to take to make that transition:
· Focus on results
· Focus on vision and values
· Focus on coaching
· Create a culture of open and honest feedback
· Motivate self-improvement
· Forgive mistakes
· Show appreciation for their contribution
Don't get discouraged if you've been that guy. Be open with your team, own your shortcoming, and change. Your team will respect you for it, and your organization will grow.
