Everyone is talking about Coach Sean McDermott’s termination. I won’t add to the buzz about this topic specifically, but it did make me wonder about the leadership versus results tension we see in business all the time.
What about managers who are loved by their teams but aren’t delivering the results ownership needs?
In this age of creating employee engagement and building strong company culture, is it enough for managers to be popular with their teams? Is building camaraderie and team spirit enough to win?
Sure, the employees may show up. They might even work well together. But will they achieve the greatness leadership requires?
And here’s the harder question: For the manager who works so hard to generate that strong team spirit and cohesiveness, what does he do when it’s not going to get them to their goal?
Is it appropriate for him to play tough, even if it makes the team love him less?
Here’s what I see in construction and engineering leadership: The best leaders know when to be the coach in the locker room AND when to be the one making the hard call from the owner’s box.
Culture matters. Camaraderie wins projects.
But results? Results keep the doors open.
The leadership versus results dilemma isn’t new, but it’s one every manager faces eventually. Maybe it’s not either/or. Maybe great leadership means building a team that trusts you enough that when you DO have to push harder, demand more, make the unpopular call – they follow because they know you’ve earned it.
What do you think? In your experience, can a leader be both loved AND drive the results ownership demands?