Is there a gap between your senior leadership and the next level of management? If so, we think there might be a reason.

Do you remember the P word? Yes I am talking about that period of time in our lives when our work and personal lives were irreversibly changed forever. 

I’m sure, prior to the pandemic, you and your HR team were helping the organisation to empower their people?  Yes, me too!  I was influencing, coaching, collaborating with the leadership team and using my ‘seat at the table’ to improve the employee experience.

If you were part of the Exec Leadership Team; it is likely you were busy working on empowering your leadership team, providing clarity, holding them to account and enabling them to deliver results. 

Then almost overnight, the global pandemic created a different need for organisations across the world; and the need for a command and control leadership approach. You had to receive, assimilate and brief new information and direct your team on a daily basis to ensure your people were safe and your customers were well informed and supported. 

At the time that was perfect. Commanding leadership is paramount, in a turnaround or emergency, to ensure survival.

Daniel Goleman

Most would like to argue the pandemic is over, but we don’t think so…

Even though we have navigated our way through the hybrid working debate, the great resignation, quiet quitting and the return to the office; the effects of the pandemic remain…

Old habits have been reignited. Habits that are hard to unlearn. 

We are hearing from C-suite colleagues that there is a push and pull between the C-suite and the leadership team. The former looking for colleagues to take ownership and accountability and the latter looking for more clarity about expectations and the freedom to do it their way. 

Let’s face it. For managers a ‘command and control’ culture; is quick, they can get the answer from you and they don’t have to think, put themselves out there or take responsibility.  

The trouble is, this isn’t good for business, scaling or your organisational culture. 

Does this resonate with you?  Are you experiencing this in your business?  I’d love to hear your experience and, if you would like to chat about solutions, I would love that too…