Compliments of tolomea via Flickr
The Hoover Dam is constructed by an elaborate series of towers, pipes, and tunnels. All of these are intended to corral massive amounts of water into the service of man. As a result, what would have been a deluge is reduced (comparatively) to a mere trickle.
Obstruction occurs at work when you’re blockaded, instead of encouraged to be your best. Through a corporate system of lochs and levees, bosses attempt to stricture your actions.
Not only do they stymie your efforts, they diminish your spirit. The tragedy is that (what could have been) creativity unleashed is now furtive attempts to circumvent control. Instead of putting a stop to things, why not look for ways to remove roadblocks? House’s classic management theory suggests that leaders should do just that – modify their approaches to result in maximum motivation. If your time is spent taking away, affirming your position, and generally exhausting other people, perhaps you need a new approach.
Replace your intricate maze of control with an informal means of approval – one that would grant autonomy to those served, and which would paint them in the best possible light. How about asking friendly questions, as opposed to assuming the worst? What happened to a team of equals, and not a covey of rivals?
Sanction is an inappropriate response to misunderstanding and miscommunication. If you’re in charge, take time to sift through the issue before issuing an edict.
Streams unfettered run in sundry directions, yielding surprising results. Loosening the reigns is a strategy to discover the unexpected.
Recent Comments