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What we do that builds our credibility is that we operate without the need for supervision, meaning when we figure things out for ourselves, when we get things all the way across the finish line, when we figure out what needs to be done, when we anticipate problems and have a plan, when we decide something needs to be done before we’re asked to do it. And as I stepped back and I was looking at this list of all of these, kind of, self-managing, independent kinds of behaviors, what became obvious is that managers don’t really like managing people. You know, like even managers don’t like managers.
Managers don’t want to tell you what to do. Even though we have these notions of these like know-it-all, dictatorial, micromanaging kind of managers, for the most part, managers don’t want it. They don’t enjoy it. They want people who can figure it out, who take the lead on something before they’re asked to lead. They want people who figure out what needs to get done and they just make it happen. People who are self-managing. Managers don’t need more dependence. They need extensions, people that they can point in the right direction and then turn them loose. People who can think on the fly, who can adapt and change as the world around us is changing.
But this is actually a perfect opportunity because most people don’t want to be managed. They want good leadership. Thinking and working like an impact player, it’s not just a way to do impactful work, more valuable work, it is your ticket out of being micromanaged. Because when you are figuring out the job that needs to be done, when you’re stepping up and leading, you don’t need a manager to be all over you. But when you become self-managing, you also get to be self-directing. All you need is someone who can help you see what’s important, who can give you guidance and feedback to make sure you’re on track, and who can build a talented team. And even when a leader understands their team, we understand ourselves best and we know how we can create our greatest value. It’s why the impact players become true difference makers rather than simply position holders in organizations.