A frequent job interview question is “As a subordinate, what is your preferred type of manager or management style?” My usual answer has hearkened back to a director in an organization I worked for long ago. She described her style as “Hire good people and get out of their way.” I was several levels of hierarchy below her, so I don’t know if it was a true description of her style or not, but I have had several bosses for whom I enjoyed working because they truly did function according to that model. I have benefited from the cases where the assumption was that I knew how to do my job and would ask if I had questions. Frequently they pushed me to take on new duties or projects and figure out how to do them. When I had questions, those bosses were always happy to answer what they knew and offer ideas to pursue for questions they did not know, but still they left me the responsibility for solving the problem in the end. To me, this particular leadership style doesn’t tell a manager to be uninvolved. Rather it suggests they not be so involved that it takes more time keeping them informed or listening to their input than getting work done.   

That director’s words came back to me when I saw the recent Wall Street Journal headline, “Bosses, get out of your employees’ way.” The article talks about both the productivity that can be lost to supervisory meddling and the bad decisions that can be imposed by managers that think they know more about a situation than they do. It offers advice for bosses to make sure that they are being realistic about their style and tendencies. These can include checking in with the people most likely to complain or be critical, and recording oneself if needed to observe one’s behavior from the outside rather than through the warped lens of memory. The article is clear that there are times that a quick and firm decision is needed from above, but that there are other times where gathering input from many sources leads to better outcomes. The article finishes with several suggestions employees can try when they feel managerial over-involvement is being counterproductive to their organization’s goals and well-being.

In my organization, I coordinate about fifty volunteers in three programs. I like to think I tend to spend time listening to them and matching their areas of strength with organizational needs. However, it seems that most managers believe that of themselves and may not have a realistic assessment of their relationships and impact. This article rekindled my dedication to paying attention to my own leadership tendencies and asking questions before offering input. I also anticipate looking for opportunities to gather information about others’ perceptions more frequently, from observers among colleagues and volunteers.

Sutton, R. I. (2019, October 27). Bosses, get out of your employees’ way. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from https://www.wsj.com/articles/bosses-get-out-of-your-employees-way-11572228361?mod=DJCP_pkt_ff