Over many years, I have seen companies with capable people, good ambitions and plenty of activity. And yet the results don’t always turn out the way they had hoped.
Often it is not a question of skills or will. It is a question of how the company is led.
Far too many decisions have to go past the CEO. Middle managers wait for answers. Employees become unsure of what they are allowed to decide. And even small issues travel up through the organization before anyone dares to act.
That creates busyness. But not necessarily progress.
A company doesn’t get stronger because the CEO makes every decision. It gets stronger when the right decisions are made at the right level.
Top-down management can create control – but also bottlenecks
There are, of course, situations where clear central control is necessary. When a company is in crisis, or when difficult strategic decisions have to be made, leadership must be able to set a clear direction.
But there is a difference between setting the direction and wanting to decide everything.
If top management has to develop the strategy, allocate the resources, sign off on day-to-day operations and solve employees’ problems, the organization becomes dependent on very few people.
That makes it vulnerable. And it limits the company’s ability to grow.
I believe in a different approach.
The tactical level of leadership is crucial
In a well-functioning organization, each level of leadership has its own job.
Strategic leadership defines the direction, sets the priorities and creates the framework.
The tactical level – department heads and middle managers – turns that direction into concrete decisions, plans and actions.
And employees need the right skills, the right information and the freedom to do their work properly.
- Strategic leadership Direction · Priorities · Mandate
- Tactical leadership Decisions · Responsibility · Ownership
- Operational execution Skills · Action · Results
It may sound simple.
But in practice, it requires top management to have the courage to let go of some of the control.
Because if every decision ends up on the CEO’s desk anyway, middle managers have no real leadership responsibility. They become messengers between the top and the rest of the organization.
And that is a waste of both skills and potential.
Responsibility is something you take
I have always believed that responsibility is something you take – not just something you are given.
But I also believe that leadership has an obligation to create the conditions for people to actually take that responsibility.
You can’t expect ownership from a middle manager who is measured on results but has no mandate to make the decisions those results depend on.
That is neither fair nor effective.
No responsibility for results without a real mandate.
When people are given trust, clear expectations and the room to act, something interesting often happens.
They start thinking beyond their own to-do list. They see the connections. They come up with solutions. And they take responsibility for getting the job done – not just for finishing their own part.
That is where responsibility turns into ownership.
Middle managers need to be developed – not just appointed
A skilled employee doesn’t automatically become a skilled leader just because they get a new title.
Leadership takes different skills.
Setting priorities. Communicating clearly. Making decisions. Handling disagreement. Developing people. And following up on results without stifling initiative.
That is why companies need to invest in their tactical level of leadership.
Not necessarily through expensive and complicated leadership programs, but through real involvement, coaching, clear areas of responsibility and the chance to learn on the job.
And, of course, with top management that backs its middle managers – also when the decisions are difficult.
Because you don’t develop independent leaders by constantly taking over their decisions.
Hostmanship is leadership too
For me, hostmanship is about much more than welcoming a guest.
It is about how we meet other people.
With openness, respect, involvement, clarity, responsibility and integrity.
That applies inside a company too.
A middle manager who feels seen, heard and respected is in a much better position to treat their own people the same way.
And employees who understand the company’s direction and feel that their contribution matters are far more likely to engage and take ownership.
That doesn’t mean everyone should decide everything.
It means everyone should understand their responsibility – and have the opportunity to live up to it.
Leadership is about creating results through others
Throughout my career, I have had overall responsibility for people, finances and business development.
And one lesson stands out above the rest:
A leader’s most important job is not to be the best at everything.
It is to build an organization where other people can succeed.
That takes direction from the top, strong middle managers and employees who get the chance to use their skills.
It also takes the courage to measure results rather than activity.
Because being busy is not a result. Progress is.
And in my experience, the most valuable progress is the kind that keeps going even when the CEO isn’t in the room.
A question for you
Think about how many decisions end up on your own desk today.
How many of them should really be made by your middle managers?
And what would it take for you to feel confident giving them that responsibility?
Maybe the next step in your company’s development doesn’t start with yet another strategy.
Maybe it starts with giving more people the chance to take responsibility.
If you would like to talk about how your organization can strengthen leadership, responsibility and progress, I’m happy to have a no-obligation conversation.