Redefining Co-creation or Hierarchical Management

Nobody ruins anything that they lead, right? 

Imagine yourself in two different situations. First, you have no other way but to attend a boring weekly Zoom meeting with your manager. With all your tiredness in the head, you dive into her questions about the OKRs and instructions, quite interesting, only for her.  

Now in the second situation, it's different. You are all tired, but the meeting starts and ends with some feeling of goodness and willingness to work, with questions regarding the well-being of others, inquiries for help, etcetera. Together, everybody contributes their ideas, viewpoints, and concerns. 

In most cases, people will be drawn into the second scenario. This article too discusses that brighter side of leadership, where leaders, as the name suggests, lead the team, with the team members' active involvement in everything. 

Abandoning the hierarchical attitude to leadership

It's high time that we should cast aside position-based leadership in organizations. Using the unique skills and abilities that the other teammates hold, involving them in decision-making and goal setting will add more grandeur to overall results. 

Analyzing one of the positive results of the pandemic, the change of perspectives allowed  45% of global executives to consider the difference of developing an organizational culture that incorporates growth, adaptability, and flexibility. Still, 35% believe that the organizations should have a great culture with upskilling, reskilling, and mobility. 

Influence vs. control: the concept of circles

In his book, "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" (1989), Stephen Covey introduced two concepts of the circle, the circle of concern and the circle of influence. The former with factors that cannot be directly or indirectly influenced, and the latter with factors that can be influenced, directly or indirectly. The individuals are more stressed in the first and productive and active in the second. 

When Stephen Covey's son, Sean Covey, in his book, "7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens" (1998), introduced the concept of control and no control, he meant the factors we can change, our choices, responses, and attitude, and characteristics we cannot change, our parents, past mistakes, skin color; respectively. 

These concepts should not be combined, as there lies a significant difference between control and influence in leadership. Leaders should understand that they are not provided with a team to be controlled by them; rather, they are influenced. A good leader should involve everyone in the leadership process. 

If you think of a monopoly over the others, it will inhibit the teammates from entirely using their potential, which will limit the team. Instead, adding the ideas of more people will be great.  

How to leave the traditional leadership attitude?

The focus should be on the skills apart from communication, active listening, problem-solving, critical thinking, and teamwork, to skills such as humility and empathy. 

And in the case of the team, every team member should consider what the skills they need to work effectively are. Everyone should think of these and set them together so that every member tries to acquire or develop those skills more sincerely. 

One of the most important things to keep in mind is that a leader need not be the sole bearer of everything and not know the answer to every problem. Quality of vulnerability is a prerequisite for leadership. Seeking answers together with the team will build a great team. Leaders and teammates should understand that they influence each other and influence the whole work too.  

Be true to your words and actions

As the phrase goes, your words and actions should go hand in hand. Suggesting new ideas to teammates and not taking what they offer is not a healthy habit. 

Always remember that all these good qualities cannot be attained in the blink of time. Keep running! Continuous effort is what is needed to build a great team. 

Be on the right path, always!

Relying more on technology to keep in touch and know more about the teammates will not help. They are a requirement, but face-to-face and transparent communication are the best. 

Howspace also provides an ideal blend of synchronous and asynchronous learning and collaboration, giving greater insight to decide when, where, and how to work together. 

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