There is no question that many of us operate more often than not from a reactive structure of mind. Research says so, with reports from The Leadership Circle 360 assessments showing up to 75% of leaders are operating with a predominately Reactive form of mind.
This means that for the most part, leaders react to situations, weigh options that will solve problems and avoid risks, keeping in mind what they’ve been and will be rewarded for. This is the kind of thinking that constitutes external-driven, socialized behaviors. This isn’t necessarily wrong; but it is limiting.
To simplify: a manager sees a problem, senses the risk and fear, then reacts by using familiar solutions to bring things back to the status quo.
Reactive tendencies short-circuit the brain. Instead of sitting with the mess and tolerating it for any length of time, a reactive manager reaches for the fire hose to put out the match. I’m exaggerating, of course. But think about how many times this happens in a day.
Problem A evokes Solution A. Again. And even when it happens over and over again, the manager believes there is no time to consider more creative and effective responses. This is because they are operating with a mindset that has been ingrained with processes and compliance and “doing a great job.”
While there is nothing wrong with managing like this, it’s not going to be the most effective way to gain results and outcomes that will survive in today’s rapidly changing complex businesses. It’s not flexible, it isn’t always attuned with reality, and it doesn’t allow for growth.
Reactive leadership and management is self-limiting. The more we define ourselves by other people’s approval (“exceeds expectations”), the more likely we will fear rejection and be risk-adverse, indecisive, and compliant.
For managers who excel using strengths like building relationships, intellectual superiority, or achieving results, there is a self-limiting barrier beyond which their strengths stop working for them.
We overextend our talents when we fear failure and fail to delegate, collaborate, build teamwork, and acknowledge the brilliance of others.
Here’s what Robert J. Anderson and William A. Adams, authors of Mastering Leadership: An Integrated Framework for Breakthrough Performance and Extraordinary Business Results (Wiley, 2015), say about leading effectively today:
“Leaders today are trying to create high-engagement cultures that are more efficient, innovative, creative, customer-centric, agile, involving, and self-managing. The demands that these change efforts make on leaders are at the Creative level of Mind and leadership, meaning the ways we are expected to behave in the new, transformed organization are beyond the natural capability of the Reactive Mind.”
From what I see in today’s organizations, most leaders and managers are being challenged to grow beyond their current form of mind, to develop new ways of solving problems through the people they lead. I truly believe that most want to succeed but many aren’t being given the “how” of leadership development.
The answers are more than ever before clearer thanks to some excellent leadership assessment tools and qualified executive coaching. Most people want to grow, given the chance.
What do you think? Are you being given the opportunity to grow as a leader?
Getting more familiar with your leadership strengths and your structure of mind will pay huge dividends in your leadership effectiveness.
As always, I’d love to hear from you. I can be reached at 425-533-4330 or email Marty@VondrellLeadership.com, here or on LinkedIn.