Lighting rarely connects to the ground. In most instances it creates a flash of light, followed by a booming sound.
We pay attention to the spectacle, it creates anxiousness about what could happen, we scurry for cover, or a place to watch the show.
At your organization, does leadership decision making have the same effect? Why does this happen? Leaders suffer from decision making bias. This bias salves the ego. It makes leaders feel like they are doing good, creating a feeling of satisfaction and power. And then what?
The organization sees a flash of light, hears a booming sound, experiences anxiousness and your middle managers ask: Should I find safety or watch the show?
Middle managers especially are impacted by this bias. While lightning rarely hits the ground, it always hits middle managers.
Complete an assessment by first identifying all the projects, initiatives, tasks required of middle managers, and then record all the leadership and management initiatives dreamt up and communicated. How successful were middle managers in executing the new projects and tasks? Did the new initiative help or hinder the manager in completing the basic requirements of their roles?
Discovery of the root causes of middle managers’ struggles is critical. In your organization – how do managers describe their atmosphere?
McKinsey & Company’s research paper, “Stop Wasting you most precious resource: Middle Managers”, identified the challenges managers experience in their roles, providing valuable insight.
The atmosphere of decision making should include a systematic perspective of what is challenging your managers’ ability to execute leadership decisions. Leaders need to think about the weather they create -throughout the year – to avoid decision making spectacle.
