When we think of assets in an organization, our thoughts generally lean toward the accounting definitions. We have cash tied up in inventory and accounts receivable. We have cash tied up in equipment or other fixed assets. And, we have cash tied up in, well, cash. These are all perfectly acceptable definitions of organizational assets. Unfortunately, when we take this clinical approach, we fail to recognize the greatest untapped asset of all—the collective creativity of the people who work with us and for us.

Creativity comes from confidence in one’s strengths and abilities. This confidence may be a byproduct of someone’s education. It may come from past work experience or even from on-the-job training in their current position. The point is that everyone is given the innate ability to be creative based on past experiences, but they do not always have the confidence to express their thoughts. This is the untapped resource. As a leader, it is incumbent upon you to help coach your employees to explore and utilize their talents. To do so, you just might have to give up a little control.

BOSSes rule

Over the course of our careers, we have been exposed to several types of authority figures. Everyone has met the BOSS—Boisterous Omnipotent Self-Indulgent Sociopath. This definition was given to me by my good friend and colleague Rick Johnson, Ph.D., of CEO Strategist LLC. BOSSes are consumed with control. They direct rather than coach. They berate rather than explain. Their edicts begin with “I” versus “We.” Frankly, this management style is exhausting. Not only do BOSSes have to make all the decisions, they find themselves constantly looking for more victims caused by a high degree of turnover. Of course, there are times when being a BOSS is appropriate; however, my hope is that these times are rare rather than frequent.

The BOSS management style is a creativity killer. Why would team members want to offer up their own opinions? BOSSes are so fearful of losing control that they do everything in their power to avoid input. In their mind, inviting others to make decisions is a sign of weakness. It means they are somehow failing to meet the requirements of their job. Furthermore, they are deathly afraid that someone will find out they don’t always have the answer. As irrational as it sounds here on paper, many organizations are rife with ineffective, fear-based managers.

Leaders empower

On the flip side, servant-style leaders recognize the potential of collective creativity. Rather than fear the input of their teams, they encourage it. As my friend Abe WalkingBear Sanchez, a noted thinker in organizational efficiencies, says, “thinking should not only be encouraged; it should be a condition of employment.”

A servant-style leader understands the power of humility. Many confuse humility with humiliation. The two could not be more different. My favorite definition of humility is the ability to remain teachable. Humble leaders recognize they do not have all the answers. As is often the case, their direct reports are closer to a situation and have the best opportunity to offer a solution.

Servant-style leaders inspire others to reach their potential. Good leaders do not have to possess all the operational skill sets to run the organization. They must be able to surround themselves with the people who excel in these operational functions and inspire them to achieve success. These leaders must have enough confidence in themselves to allow others to shine in areas they may not have expertise in. Are the best sales managers necessarily the best salespeople? Of course not. But they understand how to draw out and nurture these skills in others. When managers move past the desire for self-recognition, they are well on their way to becoming leaders.

Transitioning to leadership

Can managers employ a servant-style leadership approach? If they ever want to take a vacation, they will need to depend on the abilities of their team. Managers are often charged with creating standards, measuring performance and generally ensuring that the status quo is maintained. Yes, there are growth goals to be achieved, but those can never be realized without the full support and creativity of their team.

If managers want to become good leaders, they must be willing to give up control. Furthermore, they must quit providing answers to every situation or opportunity presented during the day. When an employee comes into the office with a problem, the natural tendency is to give direction and move on. This is the path of least resistance. Unfortunately, we have now told that employee that they are no longer required to solve problems for themselves. This type of behavior stifles creativity and promotes laziness. It also makes it very difficult to develop promotable employees.

The tougher, but ultimately more fruitful, option is to invite input. When presented with a situation, turn away from the computer and get ready for a learning opportunity. Once you are able to give the employee your full attention, ask your direct report, “How do you think we should handle it?” or “What do you think we should do?” Whatever their suggestion, and unless it will cause grave bodily harm or financial ruin, your response should be, “OK. Let’s give it a shot.” 

For the manager with control issues, this will be a monumental exercise in self-restraint. I get it. It’s hard to let others run with a solution that differs from your own, but it is the first step in getting your team members to think for themselves and encourage their creativity. Over time, they will become more confident in handling opportunities.

Chicken and egg

When I ask managers to list the biggest challenges they face, time management is always near the top. Nearly all of them want to become more proactive versus reactive. Becoming more of a visionary is a great goal—if you can carve out the time. And of course managers don’t have the time. They are so busy reacting to the situations their employees dump on their desks they will never have time to look at the bigger picture. But when employees start pulling their weight in the thinking department, the manager will be able to free up time to become a better leader. Does anyone see the chicken or the egg here?

Empowering leaders are primarily focused on the goal, while the specific path is a secondary concern. There are many ways to solve a problem, just as there are many ways to skin a cat. Fear-based managers will insist on their path being the only method. They have simply reversed the priorities here. When the path becomes more important than the goal, creativity is stifled. When we put the goal above the path, the organization can finally begin to tap into its greatest asset of all—the collective creativity of the team. 

Jason Bader is the managing partner of The Distribution Team, a firm that specializes in helping distributors become more profitable through strategic planning and operating efficiencies. You can reach him at (503) 282-2333 or Jason@DistributionTeam.com. Also visit The Distribution Team’s website at TheDistributionTeam.com.