How to double your team with no extra staff

I heard Liz Wiseman speak recently (she is co-author of Multipliers on leadership styles). She asked participants to think of a boss who had made them feel great and as a result how did we perform for that boss. Then to think about a boss who made us feel smaller.

Liz said leaders who make people feel smarter (multiply) as opposed to leaders who make people feel smaller (diminish) – will get more than double the capability from those people.

She said it is like releasing the power of genius in everyone. Growing without one additional team member.

There is an online test that you can do to find out if you are an “accidental” diminisher – it is worth 10 minutes to complete it.

I clearly remember my manager at Ansett Airlines never making time for me – I almost had to beg for her to see me and review whatever I had been working on.

I would hang around her office door trying to catch her attention…and if she did finally bestow some of her precious time on me I usually left feeling like an idiot because of the way she would say: “Why didn’t you…”

Contrast that with the manager I had at Apple a few years later – who always prioritised our weekly one-on-one meetings – I felt that she was truly interested.

I felt I could ask questions and that we “were in this together”, I worked 10 times harder, I felt challenged and proud when I finished the project … I was definitely contributing my “genius”.

My colleague Matt forwarded me this blog post … where the Nokia CEO basically says: ”We suck.” 

“…This is what I have been trying to understand. I believe at least some of it has been due to our attitude inside Nokia. We poured gasoline on our own burning platform. I believe we have lacked accountability and leadership to align and direct the company through these disruptive times. We had a series of misses. We haven’t been delivering innovation fast enough. We’re not collaborating internally…”

Does this comment make people feel “smarter” or “smaller”?

It is great to be authentic … it is what we want most from our leaders but I am sure there is a way to be authentic without diminishing peoples’ efforts, to inspire them, challenge them and make them feel great about what they do every day.

What do you think? Is this great, authentic leadership?

Naomi Simson is considered one of Australia’s ‘Best Bosses’. She is an employee engagement advocate and practices what she preaches in her own business. RedBalloon has been named as one of only six Hewitt Best Employers in Australia and New Zealand for 2009 and awarded an engagement scorecard of over 90% two years in a row – the average in Australian businesses is 55%. RedBalloon has also been nominated by BRW as being in the top 10 Best Places to Work in Australia behind the likes of Google. One of Australia’s outstanding female entrepreneurs, Naomi regularly entertains as a passionate speaker inspiring people on employer branding, engagement and reward and recognition. Naomi writes a blog and is a published author – and has received many accolades and awards for the business she founded – RedBalloon.com.au.