I got this question from a Gen X middle manager recently: “How does one handle upper management and business leaders that don’t have the mindset of developing their talent?”
First, my condolences. Nothing is more demoralizing than having a coach who doesn’t care about developing his starters. That’s basketball parlance, of course, but you get it. Leaders who don’t take time to develop their people either lack the will or the skill to get the job done.
I drew this little X/Y diagram to depict this. In the upper right hand corner is the kind of boss we all want to work for: the Phil Jacksons of the world - the gals or guys with so much skill and passion that she/he will take you to the top. A real champ. I’d bet that fewer than 20% of us work for this kind of boss.
The rest of us work with one of these three protoypes:
- Michael Scott (upper left hand corner: has the will to develop his people, but no skills.) He’s probably a nice guy who’s completely ineffective.
- No Will-No Skill. This guy doesn’t have the ability to develop you, and worse, doesn’t care. He’s a complete douche. A repellent to great talent who probably surrounds himself with a bunch of cronies who kiss his butt and keep his ego propped up.
- Burned out Bob has the skills to develop you, but he’s withholding them because his heart isn’t in it. He’s lost his passion for people. Maybe he got overlooked for a promotion, and his best years are behind him. Maybe he’s tired. Whatever his reasons, Bob has great coaching skills, but he’s put them on ice because “It’s just not worth it.”
So, what are you going to do about this?
I suggest that you make the decision today that even thought your jerk-boss isn’t going to help you learn and grow, you’re going to do two things:
- Find mentors and advocates within your organization who WILL help you; and
- Break the cycle, and be a the Phil Jackson of your own team.
This is going to take some tough-mindedness on your part. It’s not easy to break the cycle, stick your neck out, and do for others what is NOT being done for you. But it’s the right thing to do.
Go on, be a great boss. And find others who can help support you.
Comments
That’s so interesting, and for a fact I do Know that is real. I actually don’t want to Judge my boss, but as much as I do He said he was hiring me because he could see in me I wanted to progress, learn and be better, but, every single time he talks to me it seems he doesn’t care, and he doesn’t take me serious. He doesn’t pay any attention or do something to teach me something. He makes me understand that I’m only filling a space. I want to thank this information because I also know that even tough my boss doesn’t care I can learn and acquire experience get something better and make a difference.
