Many management schools teach sensational bangs, radical cures, drastic behavioural change and rigorous control mechanisms. Is it really the bombshells that bring a company not running smoothly or functioning as it should back on track? In my practice, management training means “low impact”. Small, subtle, almost invisible circumstances have much more impact than the brutal force of an ever-so-.modern doctrine. And what is more: their “soft influence” does not invite resistance.
Last weekend, a friend of mine who has a company of his own in Vienna told me a story that illustrates exactly what I mean. In the storage area of his wholesale house, everything runs smoothly and in harmony during the entire year. Thanks to his natural talent as a leader, this is not the only department of his internationally active company where everything is just fine. However, one week ago, he says, some people in the storage area had an argument and he was called in order to mediate. The cause is irrelevant and was marginal. After he had talked with all the parties concerned, he had literally “poured oil on troubled water”.
“You know what,” said my friend over a cup of afternoon coffee on our terrace, “shortly after this incident, it dawned on me why these small irregularities occur every year around the same time!” We had been talking management philosophy. “Each year at the end of July, the administrative work I have to do keeps me from strolling through all my departments once or twice a day.” You see, he practices “energetic leadership” by a small conversation here, a smile there, a question elsewhere. In short: low impact. There is nothing really profound he is doing while strolling through the departments, yet by being present and showing himself, he creates vibrancy and opens himself up for smoothing out possible misbalances. “The small disagreement was a subconscious reaction of the team to me not showing my appreciation, as I usually do every day on my stroll through the departments!” This is a very profound insight. What I teach to companies of all sizes is practiced by my friend the director “just by nature”.
If we understand that an enterprise, but also a family, a club or any other group of people are energetic systems, we act in a more effective way and mostly at the same time also more subtle.
We are all very familiar with the following scenario: the daily marathon of meetings. Being the boss, you have to see to it that the show goes on and the team is motivated, regardless of it always being the same stuff. But if you consider your own attitude towards the meeting, you cannot be surprised about the entire thing turning into a sluggish compulsory exercise, rather than an effortless freestyle event. If you load up your own energy with a vision and clear concepts for results, you will not have to say much in a meeting. Your charisma and “enthusiasm” will transport the message, it will be addictive. Just like a musical instrument is tuned up before a concert, so you will strike the right note because you know the concert will be a success. That is what low impact means. It means you do not have to go to huge expenses. Or have you ever seen a pianist who maltreats his grand piano with a hammer: “Why don’t you understand what I want from you?”
Just like a musician with the so-called perfect pitch has it a little easier, so the leader who has absolute sensitivity is at an advantage. It is something you can learn (even will little impact).
Li
(Translated by EG)
Loading ...