Positional asphyxia affecting leaders’ ability to sustain success (3)

This is the third and last in a series of articles with the same title highlighting the misuse of positions and power in organisations based on faulty leadership views. Here is the purpose: To make our organisation better and our business sustainable to outlive us, we need courageous people who can challenge leaders with positional asphyxia. Who can, despite being in the minority, have the conviction to stand for what is right and just?

I have done that with my career by losing it before it starts. I have challenged leaders who lack decorum and use their positions to psychologically and mentally abuse the goose that is to be producing the golden eggs for them. On three occasions, I have suffered career setbacks but stood fulfilled for being a lone voice in the wilderness, demanding leaders to be mindful of their positions and never get power drunk but instead focus on what is suitable for their teams and organisations. Invariably, what suits the organisation will be good for the people and advance them, except if the decision-makers are selfish.

Read also: Positional asphyxia affecting leaders ability to sustain success

In this episode, I will share two positional asphyxia behaviours leaders should know when leading people. The first is over-motivation, which breeds a manipulation perspective; the second is rare asphyxia, personal financial manipulations using leaders’ positions.

I was guilty of over-motivating until the organisations failed me, and I nearly lost my credibility as a leader. In numerous attempts to align the personal aspirations of my team members with the organisation and the specific team’s objectives, I inspired people with the promise of reward if the outcome is achieved. That is leadership; however, if the reward is not within the sole rights of your empowerment, it becomes manipulation. The team delivered results on three occasions, but the reward was not fulfilled because they were outside my control. I have recommended people for promotion or cash incentives that leaders above me declined.

 “A leader avoids psychological manipulation by being committed to what is within his control and as stipulated in the organisation’s process.”

I had overpromised processes and structural changes that failed to see the light beyond my imagination. To leading leaders, it is noble to inspire others, but do so within the organisation’s processes and with a caveat. For example, if you meet the performance expectations, that will reflect in your appraisal. I will recommend you for promotion and bonus if declared for the year. Let those you motivate know there could be decisions beyond your control that could truncate your desire to reward them.

If their followers meet the commitment requirements, leaders lose their credibility for not meeting their commitment. This is shameful except in politics, where a failed government could campaign for another term and rigg itself into office as often as possible. In the corporate world, the consequence is the disengagement of the employees and the perception that their immediate leader is a manipulator who failed to keep his or her promise after being recognised for excellent performance.

A leader avoids psychological manipulation by being committed to what is within his control and as stipulated in the organisation’s process. Where there is a mistake, you must fight for your people. A few years ago, a promotion list was released without a deserving staff member making the list. I was forced to approach an executive director to plead my cause, and luckily, the staff was promoted.

Financial asphyxia or manipulation is rare but does exist. I was an organisation’s mid-level officer with a female departmental head in early 2003. She is a single mother with a high level of influence and power. It is bad enough that you must carry her bag when she resumes in the morning and leaves at night, irrespective of your position. The worst case was her recklessness in manipulating her staff financially. She once asked staff to buy groceries and food and took them to her daughter at the university. The staff travelled 45 minutes from his official location to a university in Edo tate. After delivering the goods and giving the daughter whatever he could afford as a gift and evidence of being a loyal follower, his expectation of getting a refund was dashed as others told him never to ask. You dare not let her know what your wife is selling. Otherwise, she can request that the products be delivered to her house. She will do that with body language portraying her as patronising your wife’s business at first. After fulfilling the order, the case is closed. No one in the team dared ask for the money. Those who had asked in the past can tell the story of hostility and maltreatment they received after that.

A top corporate executive used similar tactics to manipulate senior direct reports. Whenever he approves the vacation of any of his staff, especially those holidaying abroad, he will give them a list of things to buy for him. You would only know that you entered ‘one chance ‘once you requested a refund. On one occasion, a senior staff member told him he didn’t have the money to fulfil his orders, and he responded, You don’t have shame; a senior staff member like you don’t have savings. That was the end of the discussion on that order. Who is without an iota of shame between the leader and the courageous subordinate?

Read also: Positional asphyxia affecting leaders ability to sustain success (2)

Both psychological and financial asphyxia are dangerous examples leaders can set for those watching and following them. I recently commented on the dangers of leadership, which are the tendency of followers to repeat what the leaders do. If you come late to meetings, pick up your phones to distract the meetings, or do whatever you like, the followers you send to your branches or subsidiaries will behave the same way if they are the number in the room. People do what you do, not what you say. Once there is a discrepancy between what you do and what you say, you are suffering from one form of leadership asphyxia, which needs review and curing.

To be a better leader, it is essential to know that your position has an expiration date. Using it to deprive or manipulate others is a sign of elevating your position above the service you are expected to offer to those you are leading.

Babs Olugbemi FCCA, the Chief Vision Officer at Mentoras Leadership Limited and Founder of Positive Growth Africa. He can be reached on [email protected] or 07064176953 or on Twitter @Successbabs.