Let’s continue the discussion about characteristics of anabolic and catabolic leaders. The focus today is on how (and if) leaders assess themselves, and examine how their actions and attitudes affect their results, as well as impact the people around them.
I have worked with people who remind me of both the catabolic and anabolic styles below. I certainly have a preference.The last few years, I have spent a lot of time working on a self-assessment model, and I am loving the results. Think about how this looks in your life.
Catabolic leaders operate in their own little worlds. They do what they do, and they rarely, if ever, stop to think about the consequences of what they are doing (and how they are doing it). If catabolic leaders do assess, they self-assess – that is, they don’t ask for input from people around them, because they fear that in doing so they may appear weak. In addition, catabolic leaders know that they are right, and others are wrong (or incompetent, or lazy) – so why would they ask for others’ feedback?
Anabolic leaders on the other hand, are always working “on themselves.” Not only are they willing to take hard looks at themselves, but they also solicit, and consider, feedback from others, as they know this information is crucial if they are to continue to grow and develop.
Let’s consider Catabolic Curt and Anabolic Amy, two leaders in the same company. Both manage several team members, and both recently had to deal with customer complaints they’d received. Curt was, well, quite curt as he told his team exactly what to do to correct the problem, and later, when his proposed solution didn’t work, he blamed his team members for not implementing the plan properly.
Amy, not surprisingly, handled the situation differently. She and her team brainstormed a solution to the customer’s complaint, and together decided what course to take. When their chosen plan didn’t work out, instead of blaming her team, Amy sat down with them again to devise another solution. One of the questions she asked her team was how she could have handled the situation better, or supported them more. Amy learned some valuable information from their responses, and modified her behavior accordingly. Not only did Amy demonstrate that she was willing to learn and grow, but she also let her team know that it was safe to honestly give her feedback and trust her.
Anabolic leaders, by soliciting feedback and leaving their egos “at the door,” grow, and by example, allow their colleagues and companies to grow and prosper as well.
This can be difficult, but how can you imagine a similar response to Amy’s in your life? What would that do to affect the outcome? Imagine this technique with your spouse or children?
*This piece contains my interpretation of the copyrighted work of Bruce D Schneider and the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC).
