Thomas Paine is often credited with the phrase, “Lead, Follow or get out of the way”. Since its creation many leaders have used it as a motto to motivate action. While this may make a great t-shirt slogan, social media content or even a bumper sticker, I am not sure it always translates into good leadership advice. It implies that forward progress can only occur by being the one in front.
My experience has taught me something quite different. Sometimes the one in front gets in the way. A boss with an unyielding need to “need to know” leads to direct reports afraid to think or act independently. Meeting paralysis, where every decision is by committee. Micromanagers thrive in this space, employees don’t.
Often these are not malicious efforts of the superiors, merely misguided attempts at doing the right thing. However, when people are afraid to act forward progress is halted.
This brings me back to the original statement. Maybe as leaders we should focus on getting out of their way and see what happens.