I have just spent an intensive week coaching executives in a global organisation, asking my clients the simple question: are you an "In" or an "Out" leader?
By that, I mean, how much time and energy are you spending in (or with) your team and how much time out in the wider organisation? It might seem like a simple question, but executives rarely take the time to think about it. It's important to do though, because this single question could answer many other questions that you — or your boss — have about your style and effectiveness.
Executives usually have a preference for one arena, which can be reinforced by their role, their personality, or even the corporate culture. A quality control manager, for example, would naturally be more inwardly focused while a communications director would roam across the business. Both roles would attract different personalities. Similarly, some organisations are structured as, or have developed into, silos due to the nature of their business or markets. Examples might include law firms, where separate practices evolve to serve clients in specific areas.
My suggestion is that executives need to balance the time they spend in both the In and Out arenas if they are to be effective. They also need to find a third place — between the two arenas — where they can reflect on this. My post earlier this year about scheduling a regular meeting with yourself is one way to do this.
Let me outline some of the activities and tasks associated with each arena so you can assess for yourself where you are spending your time:
In Leaders:
- Focus on results and deliverables
- Coach and support their people
- Build team spirit
- Offer expert knowledge or share experience
- Monitor performance/quality control
- Are present and available
- Surface and deal with conflict
Out Leaders:
- Get involved in cross-organisational initiatives
- Build networks
- Delegate extensively
- Manage their profiles and visibility
- Engage with peers inside and outside their companies
- Look after their careers
- Engage in organisational politics
- Join committees
- Attend or speak at industry conferences
So why is balance so important? I have worked with many executives who exist only in the In space. They argue that they are doing "real" work: finishing projects, delivering results and building strong teams. They often distrust (or even despise) peers who focus on the Out space, branding them as attention seekers, political operators, or "committee people." Not surprisingly, the outwardly focused leaders describe their inward-facing peers as uncooperative, naïve, or poor corporate citizens.
Of course, I am describing extremes of behaviour here, but I hope you see my point. The best approach is to know your default setting and then to make sure that it is not turning into your comfort zone. All of the positive aspects of each point above can turn into negatives if they are overplayed. So focusing too much on results can mean you neglect strategy and vision, and always being on hand with an answer for your team can mean they become lazy or de-motivated. Equally, too many cross-organisational initiatives can detract from your real job, while looking after yourself and your career alone can mean you lose supporters.
One client I remember received some very clear feedback about where he should be focusing his energy. An individualistic and politically savvy North American executive, he had been posted to Switzerland, where his team were unimpressed by what they viewed as his selfish and pointless manoeuvrings across the organisation. "Come back into your team where you belong," they demanded. He recognised that Swiss culture is based on team work and the leader's role is more primus inter pares than boss. Fortunately he adapted his style and focused heavily inwards, spending time building relationships and supporting his team. Interestingly, when I caught up with him three years later, the feedback he was receiving was the opposite: "You are here too much," they said. "You have disappeared as a leader. We need you to go out and fight for us. Be our North star." Clearly, it was time for him to venture outwards again.
As always, I am eager to hear your thoughts and comments. Do you prefer one arena or the other? Have you been pushed outside your comfort zone or area of responsibility? Have you noticed any preferences among colleagues or bosses to be In or Out? What do you think is a good balance of activity?
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Excellent question - I am 50:50 - what are?
