You tried Power Thinking yet it's undeniable that it couldn't really be done. You think you're nuts. Who's the psycho, you or him?
On my previous & current experiences, I realized that self-denial is good (sometimes) for leaders. Here's what I found out.
Being a leader is hard. Accountability and responsibility is high. But being a member of a group is even HARDER. A leader's task is mainly delegation & monitoring of the project, ensuring it is within the established timeline and all members are working right in order to hit the target.
Inevitably, there are times when a certain task is thrown to your team with a given short timeline. There's no choice but to accept the challenge as this is being mandated from a respected boss. As a leader, what would you do?
Okay, so you set up a meeting with your team to break down activities, delegate to members and set a specific for completion. Now as you proposed the timeline, your team was suddenly silent, staring blankly at the wall.
You waited for any comments and one brave man said, "Sir we can't make it to the deadline." You were amused! "Excuse me, is that a direct refusal without even getting started?", you exclaimed. Now a heated argument is started.
Your subordinate explained based on his experience the complexity and tediousness of the job: that it couldn't be done right away and if it's possible, the quality of the output may not be favorable.
You learned from a leadership book about being emphatic to what other person is implying. So you scrutinized the issue and came to a point to put yourself in his shoe. Now you understand the problem.
The timeline is REALLY tight that the project may not be accomplished on time. But the problem is you have already agreed and promised to deliver on time!
So what would you do? Even your boss reminded you to submit the project on time so that he can report it to Top Management!
Why self-denial is good for leaders sometimes? It is because instead of getting carried away with your team's concerns, you must project yourself like a dictator - powerful, energetic, professional, Mr.No-Problem-That's-Okay guy, firm, aggressive and optimistic.
Encouraging your team, giving rewards and acknowledging their accomplishments are some few ways to inspire them so that you won't be beaten by your boss.
Though deep inside you think that you are stupid - acting like everything's fine when it's not, the odds may be greater that the project has a higher chance of success rather than sympathizing with the group, second the complain motion or not doing anything at all.
Encouraging your team, giving rewards and acknowledging their accomplishments are some few ways to inspire them so that you won't be beaten by your boss.
Though deep inside you think that you are stupid - acting like everything's fine when it's not, the odds may be greater that the project has a higher chance of success rather than sympathizing with the group, second the complain motion or not doing anything at all.
But to top it all, it is not easy. I, too once tried this tactic but it didn't work for me. Why? Because I have difficulty of acting and saying what it's not in my heart and mind.
To be yourself is hard, but to not being yourself is the hardest. Yes it's easy to lie, but despite of that, still criminals get convicted even through the most reasonable lie they declared. Thus, self-denial is a skill a leader must know. This is not good. But when no one else knows about this other than you, hands down to you!
To be yourself is hard, but to not being yourself is the hardest. Yes it's easy to lie, but despite of that, still criminals get convicted even through the most reasonable lie they declared. Thus, self-denial is a skill a leader must know. This is not good. But when no one else knows about this other than you, hands down to you!
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