One of the sole responsibilities of leadership anywhere in the world is solving problems and bringing growth to bear in an organization. Once there is no growth or traces of growth over a period of time in any organizational setting, then it becomes necessary that the leadership of such an organization be called to answer some important queries.
Listen to Podcast: Growth Inhibitors in Leadership and Organizational Life
Consistent growth is one of the many indications that a leader is making progress and an organization is not where it used to be. Now, on the other hand, growth inhibitors in leadership and organizational life are those factors that could hamper effective growth in any leadership or organizational setting. Some of those factors include:
1) Toxic Work Environment
Toxic work environment is the very first factor that can inhibit growth in leadership and organizational life. When a work environment is toxic, it is most of the times characterized by: unethical behavior among team members or employees (a situation where anything goes including abusive behavior), lack of effective communication (leaders don’t communicate, but want their team to figure out everything), reward for bad behavior (a situation where leadership rewards bad behavior), lack of trust between the leadership and the team, and negative, antagonistic behavior that has been wired into the very fabric of the organizational culture.
So, when leaders encourage toxicity in the work environment, when employees or the team allows toxic behaviors to go on among themselves, what it produces in the long run, is a state of motion without any significant progress to show for it. So, toxic work environment does not at any time, promote growth anywhere. It rather inhibits growth and bring leadership and organizational life into a state of halt.
2) Lack Of Motivation or A Reward System That Encourages Effectiveness
This of course, cannot be overemphasized. When there is a sense of not being adequately rewarded within an organization by the employees, the steam to give in their best actually dwindles with time thereby leading to lack of organizational growth. Sometimes when you take a look at why many African Nations don’t have a robust and growth-oriented civil service, it is simply because most of the civil servants of these nations aren’t giving their best towards the growth of their nations because they feel they are not adequately rewarded or remunerated. So, corruption and stealing becomes the order of the day.
Every leader must have this at the back of their minds that a properly administered reward systems within an organization can be the key towards quality workmanship and team performance. On the other hand, also, a poorly administered reward system can lead to little or no morale, ineffectiveness, unproductive performance, and even lead to a lack of growth within the organization.
3) Refusal To Take Initiatives That Would Bring About Growth
Growth anywhere in the world are simply initiative-driven. Every growth is a product of initiative. When leaders don’t take initiatives towards the progress of the organization that they are leading, such organizations remain on the same spot for a long time. When employees or team as well don’t take initiatives, they repel growth. Jesus at some point allowed His disciples to use their initiatives, even though He knew what He would do. If you read John 6:4-9, the Bible says:
“Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. 5 Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” 6 But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do. 7 Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.” 8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, 9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?”
If the organization would grow, leaders must be well-grounded in initiatives and must also allow their team members to use their initiatives when the occasion demands it.
4) Putting Round Pegs in Square Holes
Leadership and organizational growth would be inhibited when the right people are not put in places where they can best give in their best towards the progress of the organization. It is like asking the accountant of an organization to go and do the gateman’s job or the office messenger to work as the HR manager of the organization. In no time, chaos would ensue in such organization. For leadership and the organization to record any meaningful growth, round pegs must be out in round holes and square pegs must be put in square holes. Now, this is how prophet Joel put the scenario in Joel 2:2b, 7-8. It says:
A people come, great and strong,
The like of whom has never been;
Nor will there ever be any such after them,
Even for many successive generations.They run like mighty men,
They climb the wall like men of war;
Every one marches in formation,
And they do not break ranks.
8 They do not push one another;
Every one marches in his own column.
Though they lunge between the weapons,
They are not cut down.
So, in summary, for leadership and organizational growth to happen, there should not be any feeling or sense of toxicity in the working environment, there should be adequate remunerative and reward system, taking initiatives should be the order of the day, and everyone must be placed in their respective roles of expertise per time. This is how you can experience growth in your leadership and the organizational that you are leading as the leader.
Thank you for the gift of your time, my name remains Abiola Obayomi. Please don’t forget to share this podcast, drop your comments in the comment section and let me know what has inspired you in what we have shared with ourselves today.
[Centre for New Dimension Leadership]
