When I met Tom, he was in a career death spiral. His credibility was so low that his employees and peers practically rolled their eyes when he made a statement or said he would handle something. He dug himself into this hole through a series of missteps. Tom's career was "Made in China."
As you know, many companies have been outsourcing work to China due to low production costs, ample workforce, and a favorable U.S. import climate. Apparently, many of these companies have insufficient oversight of their overseas operations. They have entrusted their hard-earned reputations to others who are not delivering on the promises of their companies' brands. It's painful to see the brands that have been tarnished - Mattel (including Fischer Price and Barbie), Elmo, SpongeBob, ALPO dog food, Wal-Mart, Toys "R" Us, and Target.
We have counted on these companies to be true to their word - now we're left hanging. Individually, we have neither the time nor the resources to investigate every purchase we make. If a toy contains lead, and it's not written on the label - we are stuck.
Like companies, your brand reflects your credibility. It can determine your level of success, fulfillment, and financial achievement. What happens when your employees, peers, and/or customers no longer believe that your word is your bond? They turn away.
Tom made a series of mistakes similar to Mattel et. al. - he "delegated" some high visibility / high impact projects to his managers, and didn't manage the process. His "delegation" was really abdication. He chose abdication in response to previous feedback he had received about how his micro-managing was stunting his organization's growth and disempowering his people. His abdication approach to delegation caused him to miss deadlines, submit inaccurate information, and almost lose a key client. As a result of this and other related issues, his once blooming career stalled.
Neither micro-management nor abdication fosters a climate of teamwork, empowerment, and stellar results. Both are ineffective leadership strategies. Instead of abdication, his shift from micro-management should have been to effective delegation.
Initially delegation takes more time, particularly if your employees are unaccustomed to that level of empowerment. You have to coach them in thinking through their choices to help strengthen their decision making capabilities. You must assess their skill level in regards to accomplishing the assigned task, and adjust your delegation style to meet their level of need.
Tom's good news is that his career is back on track. We accomplished this by developing a strategic plan for rebuilding his career. The plan encompassed strategies to repair broken relationships and rebuild his reputation, and emphasized effective delegation.
Bonita's Leadership Letter
