Thursday May 24, 2012 #422
“The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good people to do what he wants done, and self restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it.”
~Theodore Roosevelt
Two key leadership functions: selecting the right talent, and letting them do their best work. Both critical, both executed poorly for the most part. Why?
The wrong talent is selected usually due to letting others (HR) decide for you, or a lack of understanding how to select correctly. The solution? Take responsibility for talent selection, realize it is a learnable skill, and spend time learning and practicing.
You’re not done. Now you must lead this great talent well. Ensure they understand what they need to contribute, they have the tools they need to do their work, and they know where to seek assistance. And then get out of their way! Remember, you selected great talent. Great talent does not need any more help then described above. Let them get on with it!
That’s it: Hire great talent, give them what they need, and then get out of their way…