Managing Upwards: How WCM pillar leaders can gain the most from their Bosses

Managing Upwards

In the dynamic landscape of World Class Manufacturing (WCM), where pillar activities thrive in an almost flat organizational structure, it's crucial to acknowledge that hierarchical structures extend beyond the pillars. Guiding a WCM pillar entails a transformative journey, shaping individuals into innovative thinkers, insatiable learners, and collaborative leaders. At the core of this transformation is the role of a pillar team leader, tasked with inspiring others to achieve the "what" while granting them the autonomy to determine the "how."

Yet, a prevalent challenge emerges as many well-intentioned WCM team leaders find themselves under the guidance of superiors who lack a deep understanding of the pillars' significance. This circumstance not only drains vitality from the pillars but gradually diminishes the enthusiasm of devoted pillar members. Navigating this challenge presents pillar leaders with five options: confronting the clueless boss, avoiding them, contemplating resignation, adopting a low-profile compliance, or choosing to overlook the clueless behavior. Unfortunately, these strategies are often the least effective in resolving the situation.

The anxiety provoked by clueless bosses triggers responses in the amygdala, the emotional epicenter of the brain. This swift reaction frequently commandeers the neocortex, the rational brain, leading to impulsive actions and destructive behaviors. Addressing clueless bosses demands the utmost cognitive prowess from pillar team leaders. It is an intricate art form that, when executed with thoughtfulness and persistence, holds the potential to immunize one against the adverse effects of clueless leadership.

The Clueless Boss Dilemma: A Vicious Cycle

When clueless bosses perceive a challenge to their authority or a lack of acknowledgment for their ideas, their response is often marked by an escalation of force, staunchly defending their viewpoints. In essence, they double down on their perspective. Astonishingly, it becomes tempting for those within the organizational sphere to align with clueless bosses, opting to revel in the misfortunes of their colleagues rather than engaging in the daunting battle of challenging the status quo. Unfortunately, this alignment inadvertently contributes to the perpetuation of cluelessness within the WCM pillar, effectively minting a new clueless leader.

Breaking the Cycle of Cluelessness

To effectively manage upwards, WCM pillar leaders can employ the following tactics:

1. Understand It's Not About You: Recognize that cluelessness may stem from external pressures or poor role models, not necessarily your actions. Your reactions may inadvertently worsen the situation.

2. Accept Cluelessness as Inevitable: Acknowledge that you have more control than you might think. Despite the persistence of cluelessness, maintaining high expectations of yourself helps mitigate its destructive effects.

3. Lead the Leader: Guide clueless bosses by advocating for your capabilities. Few bosses understand you as well as you know yourself; therefore, take the initiative to showcase your talents.

Stage 1: Defenses Against Clueless Boss Attacks

In this stage, the goal is to relieve stress, neutralize immediate problems, and halt the downward spiral. Strategies include:

1. Discernment: Cultivate the skill of distinguishing serious attacks from passing comments. Avoid overanalyzing situations by taking a step back and adopting a broader perspective. This helps minimize the impact of the clueless boss on your thoughts and preserves your mental and emotional energy.

2. Build Alternative Networks: If gaining access to the clueless boss's inner circle proves challenging, proactively establish alternative circles of influence. Building a robust career network within the organization becomes particularly valuable when your boss is not actively supporting your professional advancement.

3. Tactical Retreat: Contrary to the instinct to confront, strategically choose to step back and regroup. This approach allows the clueless boss an opportunity to gracefully reconsider the issue, providing a mutually beneficial resolution.

4. Strategic Signaling: Earn trust and create space by identifying the priorities of the clueless boss. Send signals that align with these priorities, demonstrating a shared commitment and understanding.

5. Humble Assertion of Capability: Assert your capabilities with humility and respect. Request the space and opportunities to showcase your talents, coupled with a commitment to delivering your best thinking and work in return.

6. Seek Performance Insights: Seeking performance intelligence serves a dual purpose. It provides clarity on operational targets and their significance, while also offering valuable insights for recalibrating strategies, highlighting areas that need more attention and those that can be streamlined.

7. Explore New Opportunities: If all else fails and growth is stifled, consider adopting the hermit crab's approach. Explore opportunities to transition to a more conducive environment where your professional development is not constrained.

Stage 2: Managing Upwards

Clueless bosses desire recognition for their intelligence and ideas. To create a conducive working environment, consider the following strategies:

1. Harness your boss's strengths: Rather than attempting to change your boss, focus on leveraging their knowledge and skills to enhance the work you lead. Seek their insights in diagnosing problems or request their vision for achieving desired outcomes.

2. Provide a personal guide: Identify your natural strengths and work-life purpose, free from external influences. Create a user guide outlining ways your unique abilities can contribute. Share this guide with your boss, sparking a discussion on how your strengths can be optimally utilized.

3. Cultivate active listening: Even with a clueless boss, seize the opportunity to learn. Avoid hastily dismissing criticism. Instead, listen actively, find common ground, and look for ways to collaborate. Ask genuine questions to gain a better understanding of your boss's perspective.

4. Embrace vulnerability: Break the cycle of concealing mistakes by openly admitting them. Share lessons learned from both successes and failures, shifting the focus from blame to recovery. Transparency about your growth journey earns the space needed for improvement.

5. Take on challenging opportunities: Demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement by defining and tackling challenging opportunities, independently of your boss's directives. Showcase your readiness to face discomfort and take on tasks that stretch your abilities, signaling your dedication to personal and professional growth.

6. Extend invitations to collaboration: Avoid keeping clueless leaders at a distance, which could undermine team cohesion. Instead, invite them into collaborative spaces. Share data, involve them in meetings, and seek their input on critical matters. Transparency communicates that everything is in order, emphasizing valuable contributions and minimizing potential damage.

Stage 3: Inspiring Upward Management in Others

Real change happens when individuals recognize the need for change and are motivated to do so. Strategies include:

1. Positive assumptions: This approach not only assists in interpreting their actions in a positive light but also establishes a shared goal. Finding common ground is pivotal in helping colleagues realize that their current strategies may not be yielding the desired outcomes.

2. Incremental issue addressing: Avoid overwhelming clueless leaders by tackling one issue at a time. Gradual introduction of small ideas prevents them from feeling attacked and encourages a more receptive environment.

3. Progress Celebration: To guide someone toward new leadership approaches, acknowledge and appreciate every step in the right direction, no matter how small. An effective strategy for inspiring upward management is recognizing one's own cluelessness traits and transforming them into opportunities. Grant yourself permission to surpass the capabilities of your boss.

WCM leadership is a collaborative effort that transcends organizational hierarchies. While the challenges posed by clueless bosses may seem insurmountable, effective upward management techniques empower leaders to not only navigate these challenges but also foster a culture of continuous improvement and growth within the WCM pillars. Remember, the only clueless boss you can change into an upward manager is yourself.