I've been paying more attention to Twitter lately, investigating how I can use the tool to add value to our clients and candidates. I invite you to follow me at HeadhunterBob.
I received a tweet yesterday from a fellow member of the Washington Universtity Alumni Association. That tweet was "What does it take to be a great leader?" and referenced a recent interview in the New York Times. That article is an interview with Shantanu Narayen, President and Chief Executive of Adobe Systems. The article was written by Adam Bryant for his "Corner Office" column.
I was hooked when I read Mr. Narayen's response to the first question, "What's the most important leadership lesson you've learned?"
The other aspect of being a good manager has always been getting gratification from what others do, because the higher you get in management, frankly, the less you do yourself."
I think this article is a wonderful comment on managers letting their people work. Give them the opportunity and support, and let 'em go! I'm continually hearing from candidates that their employer, or manager just wants to micro-manage, or in some other way hold them back. Employees aren't given the freedom, opportunity or support to show what they can really contribute. It's frustrating for employees, leading to frustrated employers, who then feel a need to manage more. It's that vicious, never ending circle of frustration that compels employees to want to find a better place to work.
I encourage you to take a moment to read the entire article. It has simple, yet profound insights for company owners, executives and employees alike. You can find the online version of the Times article here.