The title of my write-up would ordinarily have been ‘Navigating Employee Productivity Through Leadership Credentials,’ but I decided to paraphrase it and use the two functional words: “anti-productivity” and the “leader or boss.”
Recently, Professor Patrick Utomi, a Nigerian political economy expert and lecturer at the Pan African University, described the average leader in our country as narcissistic; the leader who is obsessed with self-image and ego. Emblems of this category of leadership are imported luxury vehicles and ostentatious lifestyle instead of positive and impactful values. He uses his position or status as a highway to power and money, not for value-delivering processes and beneficial performance. His focus is instant gratification and self-importance; not the health, safety and happiness of others. His self-aggrandising activities clearly, hobble progress and productivity.
In business organisations, the leader with a mindset of fame diminishes productivity. Under his leadership, employees are not challenged to grow and progressively move productivity boundaries. Definitely, restricting collaborative growth is detrimental to success of the organisation. This has a cyclical effect of stifling productivity and killing employees’ careers.
Employees fear him because of stability of their tenures. He detests fresh and out-of-the-box ideas. He suppresses thinking and capability. He breeds resentment. He insults as well as disrespects colleagues. Team members are scared to speak up because of this leader’s harsh attitude. Colleagues are stunted in growth and deliberately choose the path of least resistance. This leader’s way is the only correct one and he does not allow other inputs. No collegiality. The workforce is not nudged to grow and stretch. He does not realise that intelligence is fluid and continuous learning will progressively move boundaries of creativity and innovation.
His style is antithetical to the culture of excellence that prioritises growth in order to successfully push productivity. You do not motivate by fear; it kills enthusiasm. Employees must continue to learn, grow and push boundaries. The leader should however, not tolerate sloppiness or laziness. The workforce must be encouraged to always show care and diligence.
Before we move on, let me mention few things about the leader that is described as charismatic. He is the “authority figure” that is reputed to show prowess in guiding dramatic change with his charm and social polish. Strong personality and charm are only tangentially related to how well the job gets done.
What is critical to achieving productivity is the way decisions are made and not (emphasis on not) following decisions made by one person. The leader cannot stimulate productivity through “oppressive leader-follower mentality.” He must skillfully use his creative problem-solving ability to connect with employees. He must access beneficial talents or the broad skill-set to make decisions. Every employee’s talent and strength must be maximally tapped for operational effectiveness. Let me stress that employees are not productivity robots.
The leader must use his own talent to bring out the best talents in others. He accomplishes goals by connecting with team members and appropriating individual strengths and skills to forge consistent value-delivering relationship. He is the talent magnet. The leader who achieves the right fit for full expression of skills. He builds a solid team by avoiding exclusionary policies. He grows the solid team as a multiplier and successfully achieves the “flow.” The “flow” is the psychological state we attain when we are at our utmost best and the intense passion for excellent results flows unhindered.
Let me conclude with the “push-pull of leadership” and the difference between the genius or diminisher and productivity multiplier-leader.
As mentioned earlier, the genius who claims to be the smartest person in the workplace drains intelligence, energy and capability. This leader is an idea killer, an energy sapper and diminisher of talent and commitment.
The multiplier-leader uses his intelligence to amplify capabilities. In the organisation where he is in charge, ideas flow and problems get solved. He inspires employees to stretch themselves and surpass expectations. He makes everyone smarter. He achieves greater productivity with fewer resources and cultivates ideas and energy to deliver resoundingly positive and profitable effects.
There are five differences between multipliers and diminishers, according to Liz Wiseman and Greg Mckeown, authors of the book “Multipliers.”
Firstly, diminishers are only interested in their own empires instead of organisational success. The multiplier-leader holds regular value-delivering interactions. He is not obsessed with his own knowledge and agenda. He impacts the entire organisation and cultivates knowledge, skills and intelligence.
Secondly, the diminisher leader stifles colleagues, while the multiplier-leader draws out colleagues’ very best and boldest thinking.
Thirdly, the diminisher is a know-it-all, while the multiplier stretches assignments and pushes associates to go beyond what they thought they know how to do best.
Fourthly, the diminisher literally makes all the decisions, while the multiplier helps make smart decisions.
The fifth difference is that while the diminisher micromanages, the multiplier empowers associates to be in charge. He encourages ownership, trust and team accountability. He also intelligently and collaboratively utilises opportunities and constantly revs-up productivity.
Today’s leaders must be seen sparking collaborative and creative thinking as well as strategic innovations to greatly shore-up productivity. Do not lead through fear either as a motivator or an enabler of high performance. It does not work. When employees stay silent due to feeling insecure or undervalued, the result is a disaster to the organisation.
Knowledge-sharing, collaborative decision-making and teamwork are signposts of interpersonal ease and value-adding leadership. The leader should value others and seek inputs with humility and openness. Do not get angry if deliverables fall below your expectations. Successful work processes are driven by engaged and valued employees.
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