“Tied to a desk…”

 

Shared by Kristina Smedley

“Tied to a desk…”

“Hey, where’s Kristina right now?!” one of my old managers would ask the group. If I wasn’t tied to my desk, then it was cause for question.

Or, “You came in 10 minutes late today; you better make that time up during lunch or after work. Per company policy, you must track your time down to the tenth of an hour.”

Never mind the hours I spent answering customer phone calls outside work hours or responding to urgent emails.

These management mindsets date back to the pre-industrial revolution era.

Mindsets that might serve running a farm or an assembly line, but will never enable the knowledge worker or the connection society.

To be fair, these Managers likely don’t know any better.

We have been trained through years of schooling to be in class and seated when the bell rings.
To start the test when the teacher says so.
To turn it in when the bell rings again.
Ask to go to the bathroom.
Bring a note if you’re absent.

Maybe we can argue that children need more structure than adults. Maybe not.

But when do the adults learn a more progressive leadership and management style?
Many never do.

Many prefer micro-management versus empowerment and freedom.

Command and control people management versus being a leader first, who manages a work statement.

Being a leader first requires:

Listening to your teammates.
Building relationships and serving their best interests.
Painting the company vision and aligning team priorities.

Providing inspiration.

Setting up some guardrails.
And trusting your teammates to perform.

It’s tough, because it requires building a solid foundation.
Then seeking feedback and providing guidance and correction.

Many managers prefer to just dictate all processes. Monitor all productivity. Catch and correct anything that is out of line.

“Where’s Kristina right now?!” Clearly not at her desk. Clearly out of line.
If only I was tied to my desk; it would make things so much easier for him.

He was simply a Manager, not Leader first.

A leader builds relationships, trusts, and provides freedom.

Creating space for creativity. New ideas. And innovation.
Allowing teams to self-manage, knowing how they work best.
Being committed to one another and the larger vision.

Even years later, after now working for some great leaders, I still have the “Where’s Kristina?!” drilled into my head.

The internet went out the other day while I was working from home.

My immediate thought: “Oh no, my manager is going to think I’m not working.”

He’s a great leader and it’s probably the last thing he was thinking.
He knows I’ll get my work done.

But after years of programming the thought still crosses my mind.

Bringing these old programs and mental models to the forefront brings awareness and allows me to overcome and change.

To be a great leader and manager, it starts with me.
It starts with Mindfully Evolving, providing a stable foundation to build upon.

 

#MindfullyEvolving

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