Commercial, non-commercial organisations need different leadership styles

The other reason was I was the most qualified to do this job considering the wealth of experience I have had in managing at the top. Unfortunately, this is the worse experience I ever have because there is absolutely no autonomy and authority to do anything here. This does not include the “heavy politics” that are happening there, too. I am totally disgusted. I could hardly move and neither can I move anyone there. I am seriously thinking of quitting unless you can help me see something that I cannot see till now.

FRUSTRATED
One hard reality to face is that managing a commercial organisation is very different from managing a non-commercial one like what you are doing now. I call this “managing in the middle” where you do not have absolute authority. On top of you is an executive committee, who like you, have volunteered themselves to serve the community. Below you, is the community, which has its needs and aspirations and wants a leader who is their “enabler” who can get all their needs met. You therefore need a major shift in your leadership and management philosophy and style otherwise it is better for you to call it a day.
The Bottom Line: The key ingredients to be a successful leader here is patience, humility and compassion. Forget about the clout and authority you had before. Only through consistent actions, driven by these three attributes, can get you far. You can manage them successfully through persuasion, influence and empathetic communication to get them to buy into your ideas. At the same time, you will also need to buy into theirs as long as they are for the wider interest of the community. This is not the place for power play. The other thing is to “walk your talk” by “rolling up your sleeves” to volunteer and be the first one to do whatever you want others to do. Such actions will scale up your trust and credibility and soon you will become the “fuel” that will drive the actions of others.
Powerful Questions: In your current mood, do you feel that you are paying back to the community? If you quit, will you be any happier? What other sacrifices are called for to serve others? What will you do now to make it work for you?

MANAGING PEOPLE AT THE TOP
Some people have all the luck in the world working under good bosses. And because of this they are able to grow themselves together with their bosses and the organisations they work for. For me, in the span of my 22 years of working life, I have just the opposite fate. I have encountered more bad ones than good ones. Here are some examples: I had worked under selfish bosses who care for themselves rather than ours. I had political ones who always had their own agenda than the organisation. I had domineering ones who want to control everything you do. I also had incompetent ones, too, and often wondered how they got there. All these characters gave me a hard time. No opportunity to grow is one thing; the other is spending tormenting times in such workplaces that bring so much stress and unhappiness to me. I want to grow and I want to be happy but it is not happening as fast as I want it to be. Can you help?

SUFFERING SOUL
From my personal point of view, it is difficult to say whether the problems lie with them or with you. However, it is better to take responsibility for this than blaming others if you want to take charge of this situation. It is wiser to point the finger at yourself (instead of them) and tell yourself that you will change now in order to manage them well. Change in places where you have more control than trying to change people and events where you have absolutely no control. I am certain you will be happier once you have “learned the ropes” of managing your bosses.
The Bottom Line: The starting point is always to develop your patience and understanding so that you can build a good relationship with them. Make them your friends, rather than your enemies. Next, look beyond their weaknesses to spot their special abilities and strengths. It cannot be all so bad that there is nothing good in them. Once this is done, you will naturally find ways to blend your styles with theirs so that value is added in the working relationship that will inevitably grow both of you.
Powerful Questions: If there is something you can make a change in yourself that will make you happier with them, what will this be? What will doing this give you compared to what you are getting now? Where is the first place to start? How will you always remember to do this?

Note: Corporate Coach Academy is a coaching school in Asia to certify leaders of all backgrounds to become manager-coaches or professional certified coaches in this region. Log in www.corporate-coachacademy.com or [email protected] for details.