Breakthrough Strategies
Controlling Your Leadership Power
Overusing power indeed makes a statement, but often one that just reflects insecurity, not deep confidence.
- By Robert Pater
- Mar 01, 2022
It’s tempting in a high-paced, power-through-it world to operate as “if some is good, then more must be better.” However, this mindset can rebound negatively.
In the safety realm, for example, it is telling and no coincidence that “Overexertion” is the number one injury “all-time-winner-and-still-champion,” according to the most recent - and all previous - Liberty Mutual’s Workplace Safety Index of disabling injuries. Overexertion is overusing strength and power. These typically result in strains (to muscles and tendons) and sprains (ligaments.) In other words, those body parts that hold your joints together and help you move. Overexertion can occur from trying too hard, putting too much muscle into a task then carrying workers over the edge into soft-tissue injuries.
However, overexerting is not limited to physical safety. It is also a hallmark of less-than-effective leadership. Oftentimes trying too hard, using too much force to the degree it backfires. I’d bet you’ve seen this happen: leaders talking too much and listening too little. Often trying to drum ideas or procedures into what they think as others’ “thick skulls.” Attempting to wear down workers’ resistance through disdainful repetition. This often stems from busy leaders not understanding the exertion tasks require, or that staff are shorthanded.
But doggedly pushing the same-old approaches to change or safety doesn’t seem to move the needle. Ditto for repeating the same training and messaging in the same lulling ways. Overloading workers with yet more policies and procedures they’re expected to memorize. Incomplete or off-target organizational communications can distract workers and fuel rumor mills. Calling people out, worst case, in front of their peers with the assumption that embarrassing people will get them to change.
Much of this “strong man” approach comes from the assumption that power is demonstrated by how outwardly tough, challenging, unyielding, loud or rigid a leader is. It is behind the old-school belief that leaders are born, not developed, that the physically larger the leader, the “stronger” he is. But numerous organizational studies consistently dispute this. In fact, empathy and connected communication, both traditionally seen as “soft,” are actually hallmark attributes of effective leadership.
This article originally appeared in the March 1, 2022 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.