Many of us may have experienced in our work life the stark contrast between bosses who diminish us and those who enable and grow us. The former, unfortunately, may have left us feeling stagnant, while the latter, with their energizing leadership, have propelled us forward both personally and professionally.
The irony with the bosses diminishing you is that they are not bad people. They are well-meaning and intelligent individually but lack the mindset and skill set to enable and grow others.
Rather than looking at what the diminishing leaders do, what do the good leaders do that makes them effective?
- They See people more than what they are. They see the potential that others miss.
- They are supportive and have high expectations from those around them.
- They Challenge people.
- They make people around them smarter.
- They set the right context for others to perform.
- They Let go of control to put others in charge.
- They support and coach others to bring out the best in them.
If you are a leader, ask yourself how you fare on these points.