When we give control we create leaders.
You may start to notice a lot of “tell me what to do” when you listen to the conversations around you. Oftentimes, it does not sound exactly like “tell me what to do” but that’s in essence what it is. For example, reporting a problem to the boss without a proposed solution (or a path toward getting a solution) is a veiled “tell me what to do.”
With a little bit of awareness you can figure out where people are help them level up. As you move up, shifting control and psychological ownership to people, their minds will engage, and typically involvement and passion will follow.
It’s hard work. On any day the pressures of your job will bias you toward working at the bottom of the ladder. But the next time someone comes to you and you hear “tell me what to do”, take the time to ask them what they think you should do. Then be quiet and listen.
With time, these incremental changes will have a profound impact not only on your organization’s effectiveness, but on the lives of the people.
The Ladder of Leadership cards will walk your group through conversations they have with their employees every day. Together you will introduce language to encourage employees to think and scale the ladder of leadership. Each participant will use a set of Ladder of Leadership cards. Groups will role play managers and workers at differing levels of empowerment.
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