Empty Leadership

Leadership comes in many sizes and shapes.

Large companies though, seem to provide just the right climate that fosters a very unique type of negative leadership that I like to call 'Empty Leadership'.

Empty leadership is how saying nothing, but saying it loudly and often, becomes leadership.

Large companies tend towards complexity. As this complexity grows, and especially if HR remains centralized near the top, understanding the competencies and shortcomings of even the relatively small group of executive leaders throughout the company becomes an increasingly difficult affair.

At companies like this, meetings tend to be the most important platforms to evaluate these executives.

It is at these meetings that empty leaders are at their best. They say more than others, and seem to say it the same way each time, but somehow also just different enough. Pointing out problems in the plans or proposals of everyone else is another common tactic of empty leaders.

Empty leadership is usually accompanied by several other symptoms that frequently appear together throughout an organization that typify the syndrome of corporate inefficiency.

Since there is no one common underlying cause of syndromes (unlike diseases) there is, unfortunately, no silver bullet.

That said, there are several actions that if taken can help to alleviate the severity and impact of certain symptoms. The most important steps to be taken are organizational streamlining and regular, unplanned communication.

If your HR operates functionally with a centralized corporate HR team that has lines into each business via an embedded HR function, keep the embedded HR functions as small as possible.

At the same time, cycle top performers in the embedded HR teams who are well networked back and forth between the corporate function to minimize knowledge gaps and streamline planning, recruitment, re-contracting and training.

Active and unplanned conversation with working level associates is key. If you are a CEO in a large corporation where certain business lines are underperforming with no clear understanding as to why, go walk through those business lines and talk to a few of the younger staff.

Unfortunately this is exceedingly rare. Most CEOs are "too busy" with other things. If you were a good operator though, I am not sure there is anything more important than your executive team in-charge of actually operating the business. These informal executive evaluations are more important than any formalized employee evaluations.

What percentage of leadership at your work is empty leadership?