Have you been thinking about the characteristics of anabolic and catabolic leaders we have discussed so far? Now let’s look at another aspect of leadership – how information is passed along to others.
This may just be the most important part of being a great leader and is often the hardest part! I know for me, when I am busy, I completely go into this catabolic state where I am barking orders and definitely in the “giving” more than “sharing” mode that we are about to discuss.
In any type of leadership role – whether as the manager at a restaurant, or as the president of the PTA, imparting information to others is an integral and essential part of leading. Catabolic leaders give information, while anabolic leaders share information.
“Giving” means to convey, transmit, assign, or allot. When we give to others, we no longer have ownership of what we give. “Sharing,” on the other hand, means to partake of, use, or experience with others. When we share, we’re still part of the process – we’re “in it” with the other person. It’s similar to the difference between catabolic delegating and anabolic participating.
A catabolic leader will give information to others without much explanation, and with little buy-in or justification. An anabolic leader who shares information, however, explains well and gets buy-in, which builds trust, develops rapport, and deepens the connection with the other person.
Let’s take a look at the following scenarios and think about which of the following leaders is more likely to get the result they desire:
Catabolic leader – Sarah, I need a rundown of the responsibilities of the people in the litigation department. Please get it to me by tomorrow afternoon, if not sooner.
Anabolic leader – Sarah, we’re considering bringing in additional legal staffing to ease some of the workload you and the litigation team are under. I’d like a rundown of the responsibilities of the people in your department so that I can see who’s doing what and where some gaps might be. Since I’d like to get this process underway soon, how possible would it be to get this to me by tomorrow afternoon or earlier? After I take a look at it, I’d love to sit down with you to hear your ideas for resolving this. How does that sound?
The two leaders asked for the same information – but how differently they asked, and how different the result is likely to be! Sarah’s response to the catabolic leader would probably be to question what was going on and to worry about her department and the people under her, and to either put off doing the task or do it in perfunctory way. Her response to the anabolic leader, on the other hand, would most likely be to jump right into the task, do it well, and generate ideas for improvement.
Anabolic leaders get results! This month, try sharing instead of giving information, both at work and at home. Those extra few minutes of explanation and getting buy-in can make all the difference.
*This piece contains my interpretation of the copyrighted work of Bruce D Schneider and the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC).
