The Problem of Leadership Dependency
- Leadership dependency is considered a significant risk in today's workplace, where organizations are built around one person, and when that person is absent, the entire organization comes to a standstill, as seen in the example of a manufacturing organization where a critical launch was looming and deadlines were tight, but the leaders did nothing when their leader left 42s.
- This phenomenon is also observed in other situations, such as when a Microsoft Office license expired and only one person could renew it, causing a room of 30 executives to wait and do nothing, highlighting the issue of leadership dependency 4m30s.
- The current approach to leadership, where one person is expected to have all the information, access, and be at the center of decisions, is a structural flaw that perpetuates leadership dependency, and this approach is no longer effective in today's complex and unpredictable work environment 7m10s.
- In times of complexity, ambiguity, and unpredictability, singularity of leadership is exposed, and it is unrealistic to expect one leader to cope with every demand, make all the decisions, and come up with multiple alternatives and options, as this can lead to pressure and burnout 9m40s.
The Flawed Leadership Model and Its Consequences
- To address this issue, it is necessary to transfer leadership to all, rather than relying on one person, and this can involve empowering teams and individuals to take ownership and make decisions, as seen in the example of a managing director who is working to transfer leadership to the rest of the organization 12m50s.
- The traditional approach to recruiting leaders, where a recruiter looks for the one with the best experience, network, and qualifications, and then places them on a pedestal, is also a contributing factor to leadership dependency, and a new approach is needed to develop leaders who can work collaboratively and empower others 6m20s.
A Collaborative Vision for the Future
- The managing director and a colleague drew a picture of the future for the organization, which was then shared with the nine department heads, who were invited to become characters in the story and play out the future, and this process was repeated with their section heads, resulting in nine pictures being produced 10s.
- The department heads were asked to repeat the process with their own supervisors, and two weeks later, the managing director and the colleague reviewed the nine pictures, which showed promising results, but also raised some suspicions about the level of involvement of the section heads 42s.
- When the section heads were asked about their experience with the process, one of them, Faisal, expressed strong emotions, stating that the picture had changed his life, and explained that it had helped them filter new client requests, reminded them of their daily priorities, and would be used to measure progress towards their desired outcome 2m6s.
- Faisal's response showed a sense of commitment, ownership, and accountability, which was seen as a positive sign of progress in transferring leadership to all, but it was also recognized that sustaining change would require ongoing inputs and processes 4m10s.
Executive Presence as a Leadership Enabler
- The key to sustaining change and transferring leadership was identified as executive presence, which has been redefined to focus on building connections, sharing, and trust, rather than relying on title or authority, as demonstrated by the managing director's leadership style, which had created a sense of belonging and ownership among the department heads 6m40s.
- The managing director's approach had opened up the space for communication and collaboration, and had helped to build trust and a sense of connection among the team, making it possible for the organization to continue thriving even if he were to leave, as the department heads had taken ownership of the organization and were working together towards a common goal 8m20s.
Executive Presence as an Organizational Design Principle
- The implementation of executive presence as an organization design principle, rather than a performance skill, can help eliminate the structural flaw of singular leadership, allowing organizations to evolve beyond leadership dependency 10s.
- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) provides three key reasons to adopt this approach, including the constant churn of expatriate leaders, which can disrupt organizations, but can be mitigated by transferring leadership to all levels, thereby reducing the risk of disruption 2m6s.
The UAE Context and Reasons for Leadership Transfer
- The UAE's global village environment, with its multiculturalism, also supports the transfer of leadership to all, as no one organization or leader can represent all cultures, and by bringing everyone in, a culture can be co-created that works for the organization 2m6s.
- The UAE's leadership priority on technology and AI is the third reason why transferring leadership to all is possible, as no one leader can know everything about technology, and by bringing in everyone, more experiences and perspectives can be leveraged to build a broad and deep tech ecosystem 2m6s.
The Future of Leadership and Organizational Culture
- Transferring leadership to all through executive presence can facilitate leadership at all levels, leading to ownership and responsibility flowing through the organization, without necessarily giving everyone a big title 2m6s.
- Leaders of the future will be measured by the leadership they have facilitated through others, rather than the power they had, and individuals can apply this principle by asking themselves if they are working in isolation or building conditions that allow others to lead 2m6s.
