The disease of idolizing superiors. This is the disease of those who court their superiors in the hope of gaining their favor. They are victims of careerism and opportunism; they honor persons [rather than the larger mission of the organization]. They think only of what they can get and not of what they should give; small-minded persons, unhappy and inspired only by their own lethal selfishness. Superiors themselves can be affected by this disease, when they try to obtain the submission, loyalty and psychological dependency of their subordinates, but the end result is unhealthy complicity.
Gary Hamel
We finally made it to the venue. Almost two hours later than expected, and certainly not according to plan, we made it. The presentations went on, the ambiance was nice, and the room was filled with good energy. It was a group of people ready to serve their peers, ready to do their best representing their colleagues vis-a-vis ‘management’ and jointly creating the best possible working environment. We were all happy to be there. In this context, we started talking about hierarchy and the need to ‘flatten’ our structures. What do you mean by that? asked one of the participants. My boss’ started his response with a story…
When I arrived in this office, said he, I was welcomed by your peers and they started by saying that I was at the top and that they were happy to follow my lead. As I listened to their goodwill messages, expectations, and advice, I kept thinking; where can I go once I am at the top? My boss stopped and posed the question to the audience.
Eyes wide open and mouths quite shut, no one responded. He waited a bit, silence prevailed. With a big smile on his face, he said: if you are at the top, you can only go down! The crowd laughed and nodded, and the conversations ensued. He finished by stating: I say to you what I said to them, we should lead from behind, be at the bottom, not at the top.
I had heard the story before, and have it among my cherished learnings, but it was the first time I saw the reaction of a large group of people to it. They got it quickly, it made sense to them. Of course, there are different roles and responsibilities in any organization, there is a hierarchy to follow. The person talking was my boss, but he has his boss, and I am somebody else’s boss. The supervisory lines exist to facilitate delivery and ensure accountability, not to put some above the others and anoint them thereafter. Leaders should not feel or be placed at ‘the top’, they – I should say ‘we’ because we are all leaders at certain times- should be at the bottom, supporting those they lead.
Organizations invest heavily in hiring the best they can find -and afford- in the labour market, unfortunately on many occasions, once hired, these- very same people- the best out there, are expected or even constrained to simply follow, to do as they are told, to accept the status quo, to be a ‘good’ team member. Careful! This is the recipe for disaster that has bankrupted businesses and demoralized organizations.
People who feel safe to opine, suggest, question, criticize, challenge, accept mistakes, and take risks, are the ones that form high-performing teams. Are the trailblazers, the ones that tip the balance and make a difference. What kind of team are you leading? What kind of leader are you? I am not talking just to the ‘bosses’, I am talking to every team member because we all lead on different occasions. What do you do when you see your boss making a mistake? What do you do when you engage with colleagues to share their frustration?
I strongly believe that the vaccine to the disease of idolizing superiors is precisely understanding that leaders are not at the top to command, but at the bottom to support. Beware of the sycophants, the palace jesters, the selfish ambassadors of mediocrity, and please, please, please do not become one of them!
By all means, do recognize a good example, praise good deeds, and encourage, and support your superiors, but do it for their growth and their benefit, not yours. Remember the famous line by JFK in his inaugural speech: “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country” and apply it to your context.