This is the latest entry in a series of blogs based on the latest Level Five Associates book, The Power of Being All In.
What Will Effective Leadership Look Like in the Future? | Part 1: Being Raised in the Culture of Compliance
I grew up in the 1950s and 60s, when “children were expected to be seen and not heard.” This parenting concept was also the premise behind the fundamental principle of leadership in those days: do what you are told to do when you are told to do it. The purpose – the why – was never really part of the conversation in both areas of responsibility.
I call this environment the “Culture of Compliance,” and it dominated almost every aspect of our lives well into the 1970s and beyond.
Most people worked with large numbers of other employees in big office buildings, were expected to work standard hours, and obeyed strict dress codes. Rules and regulations dominated every facet of the workplace culture. (Some argue they still do in many businesses and organizations.)
Let’s face it: virtually every aspect of life is simpler living in the “Culture of Compliance.” In this culture, leaders can be far more transactional than developmental in how they direct teams and organizations. It is much easier to just direct activities in time and space.
Compliance doesn’t require leaders to earn and sustain the respect of their teams. Leaders can simply pass out instructions and blame or punish those who don’t comply. They can promote those who follow instructions faster and more efficiently than the rest. These newly promoted workers then become the compliance officers.
The reality, though, is that the “good old days” of compliance are gone. The transformational impact of the Information Age has become the final nail in the coffin of these directive cultures. As leaders today, we must adapt to the new world of why: the “Culture of Commitment.”
What is this new culture? It is our ecosystem of buy-in, where we lead more by influence than directive. As leaders, we must accept the primal notion that our team members want to belong, and it is our duty to provide them with a workplace environment where everyone is valued. Respect is the standard. Trust and empowerment are the hallmarks of how we operate. It’s hard work to be adaptive leaders, but we must step up. Now is the time.
As the saying goes, “The King is Dead; Long Live the King!”
Enjoy the journey!
This blog post is based on the book, “The Power of Being All In.” You can download the first chapter for free at this link. Or, if you’d like to purchase the entire book (available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook), it is available on Amazon.
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