Leaders are more powerful than they think

Humility is fine—but managers shouldn't sell themselves short.
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I've noticed something interesting about the people whose names appear at the top of reporting structures in open organizations:

They tend to underestimate their influence.

Exhibit A: I was sitting across from the director of my department, asking for his thoughts on a new quarterly recognition program I was hoping we'd implement as a way of enhancing associate engagement. "And the prize could be lunch with you!" I exclaimed.

My director met me with silence and a skeptical look before stating bluntly, "That is not a prize."

Exhibit B: Our CEO, Jim Whitehurst, received a similar question during a company-wide Ask Me Anything event. "Is it possible to have a contest to win a day with Jim?" someone asked.

Jim's response: "I need some clarification. Is having to spend a day with me for the winner or the loser?"

This isn't some kind of misdirected humility. Rather, self-deprecating humor is a hallmark of emotional intelligence. The key for leaders in open organizations is to recognize that even while they are only one part of a larger community, they are still an important part. They play several essential roles—navigator, motivator, and champion among them. And an open leader's influence can still change a team's dynamic, either for better or for worse. So, while downplaying it might be strategically or interpersonally valuable in certain circumstances, forgetting about it really isn't.

Selling ourselves short

At Opensource.com, we've written a lot about meritocracies—about how the best ideas win, no matter where they come from, and how everyone on a team plays an essential role in the group's mutual success (or failure). In a well-functioning meritocracy, the role of the "boss" transforms from "the person who tells people what to do" to "the person who sets the context and empowers people to do their best work." Open leaders today know they can no longer rule from above; in order to be effective, leaders have to be on the ground, working with us, earning our trust.

When you begin to understand and experience this mode of working, some traditional boundaries disappear. For example, the fear of expressing an opinion to your boss vanishes: Either she'll like your idea, or she'll point out the flaws, but there's no consequence for taking the risk of making a suggestion. A partnership begins to form and discussions become more conversational in tone.

And then something even more interesting happens.

As an associate, you begin to see that the manager is in her position because she's good at her job and has some visionary ideas. You learn a lot just from bouncing ideas off her and listening to her gut reactions. Once you've built a foundation of mutual trust and settled into working together, your boss' words carry a lot more weight because you respect her. Perceived influence increases.

Open leaders need to recognize that part of the role they play on their teams is using the influence we bestow on them to inspire us.

But the dynamic is different for the person in the traditional position of power—the executive, the director, the senior manager. She might have more experience, but as an open leader she knows everyone plays an essential role on the team and that she can't do her job alone. She starts to wonder why her words should carry more weight than anyone else's. Perceived influence decreases.

What happens when these conflicting dynamics meet somewhere in the middle?

Open leaders need to recognize that part of the role they play on their teams is using the influence we bestow on them to inspire us. A special kind of magic happens when everyone on a team—including the leader—has trust, shares a common purpose, and feels empowered to do their best work.

So let me offer Exhibit C: Jim agreed to speak at one of our departmental all-hands meetings. Every person on our team felt special when we learned our president and CEO would take time out of his schedule to speak with our small department of 150 people (little more than 1% of the company). We felt seen, like the contributions we made to our little pocket of the company were important enough to be recognized at the top, and we came away energized and reengaged in our work. (I'm not sure what Jim came away with, but we did give him a t-shirt!)

Like Jim, open leaders are influential not just because they're at the top of the reporting structure, but because we believe in the mission, values, and purpose they embody. If they recognize the role everyone plays in the success of the organization—especially their own—they can wield their influence to motivate their teams and set the proper context for success.

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Allison is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer turned communications lead at Red Hat who is known for her enthusiastic speaking style and passion for helping other leaders inspire their teams.

5 Comments

In my years as medical director of a rehabilitation unit, I have to say that, without consciously conceptualizing it, I tried to foster an open environment, where everyone's input was important, all the way down to the people who cleaned the rooms -- these people see things that no one else does. You have to be open to being approached at any time with questions or concerns, and beyond that, you have to go out and create informal interactions. It's enlightening to find out what you can learn from seemingly innocuous, casual conversations.
We had our formalized meetings, our reports to administration, but you have to have an eye and an ear out to the everyday goings on, not to meddle or interject comments, but just to know what REALLY is going on, how things REALLY get done. If you walk into some work area and everyone clams up, you're doing something wrong.

Thanks for sharing that, Greg! Having those informal conversations and building those relationships with people up and down the traditional chain of command is so very important.

In reply to by Greg P

Great perspective, Allison - thank you for sharing, and for the reminders!

A lot is said in just those two reactions to "lunch with the CEO" idea.

One person I know said "Humility is not thinking less about oneself, it is thinking about oneself less."

The first reaction was about himself while the second was about the other (winner or loser?)

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