Gen 41:33-41: “And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.”
This passage about Joseph and Pharaoh is an example of a leader giving good talented people room to become all they can be, to exercise their full potential, without being threatened by their success. I can say from experience that there is nothing worse than having a micromanager boss or an insecure boss, or both. Talented people need room to stretch their wings and see how far and how fast they can climb.
Micromanagers are like kryptonite to these people. Allowing micromanagers to run unchallenged is the surest way to lose your most talented people. A good leader recognizes that having great people on his team makes his team successful, and everyone wins. As the boss, I need to be secure enough to let my people flourish knowing that I will only go as high as my team goes. Insecure, prideful, micromanaging bosses assume they have all the best answers and therefore have to see everything to ensure that everything is done the best way that it can be done--their way. This style of management kills the spirit and enthusiasm of those bright, “Jospehs” on the team. It motivates these types of people to seek opportunities somewhere else, where the can express their creativity and achieve their full potential.
Reflection: Where are the Josephs in your organization? Are you setting them over responsibilities commensurate with their ability? Do you believe that when your team does well, it’s a reflection on you? Are you using your authority and resources to open up doors to those who can run with their talents or to enforce barriers and cumbersome “mother-may-I” approval processes? Joseph was allowed to flourish under Potiphar and Pharoah’s authority and everything Joseph did for them prospered. Where can you reposition, unleash, a “Joseph” in your organization, under your authority, to tackle a huge obstacle and score a victory for your team? Do you realize that Joseph wasn’t the slave with the most longevity in Potiphar’s house? Nor was he one of the seasoned leaders in Pharoah’s administration. Are you afraid to unleash a Joseph, someone with unusual talent and ability, merely because of the reaction of those who have been around longer? How do you justify giving more leash to an exceptional talent while keeping a tighter rein on someone who has paid their dues and been loyal but just doesn’t have the rare, unique giftings of your Joseph?
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