Leading from behind

“Leaders set the course and let others steer the ship.” Unknown

For now and into the coming decade or so, there are those who believe that the most effective leaders will lead from behind, not from the front.   In his autobiography, Nelson Mandela equated a great leader with a shepherd: "He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind."

Everyone is familiar with the idea of leading from in front, but there is not enough attention given to leading from behind.  I believe successful organizations will focus on the development of each employee as a leader.

The organization’s leadership will of course set the vision and strategy of the company, but it will be the employees who make it happen. The challenge for leaders will be insuring that they have the right people in the right jobs, training them and giving them the latitude to make informed decisions based on a set of established parameters.  The bottom line is that leaders will have to find people who can execute on the vision and ideas of the organization.  This does not mean they will not be able to go off script when unique circumstances exist, but they will have been coached and prepared to accept the responsibility to make sound decisions.  Leading from behind results in a culture where innovation and creativity are nourished and rewarded which will set the successful organizations apart from all others.

As a leader, you have to be willing to bring up the rear if you want your team to be the best they can be and produce the results you are looking for. 

In the military, the general is rarely on the front lines in the heat of battle, he is often-times in a position where he has the best view of the battlefield.  He knows that each soldier has been carefully selected and trained for the task he has been assigned.  As a result, the general is confident in the soldier’s ability to carry out the mission.

Developing your team and coaching them for success will also result in a stronger bench where your next leaders will emerge.  So, get out of the way and watch them succeed, sometimes the view is better when leading from behind.