Leadership

Related to my last post about management material on the net, I recently came across this article in Lisa Haneberg's blog Management Craft and couldn't help but express my own thoughts on the subject.

The article discusses an anonymous company's vision stetement that it's leaders should be less visible because they focus on preventing problems.

The word 'visible' is used here in a figurative sense. Leaders are invisible if they are never needed, never need to exercise their authority, power or control in an overt way. They prevent problems, rather than solving them. In her article, Ms Haneberg concludes "If I am doing my job as a leader, you will know it - not because I get accolades at meetings or make big and flashy wins. You will know it because the workplace is engaged, on fire, and performing better than you could have imagined."

I agree, but let's not get confused. To their staff, Leaders should be visible. Highly visible. In the literal sense of the word. Of all the people in the management hierarchy that I have ever been a part of, the best were those who walked the floor, bought a round at the bar after work, and greeted people by their first names the second time they met. They are inspirational leaders. They are good communicators and ensure that everyone understands the corporate direction.

Their power may be invisible, but their presense is certainly not.