Feeling overwhelmed by expectations? That’s where ‚underwatching‘ can help. Coined by Niklas Luhmann in the 1960s, underwatching is a refreshing take on modern leadership. It suggests that sometimes, the best way to lead is by stepping back and letting your team take the reins.
From my experience, managing up needs a careful approach. The constant pressure to be a visionary, role model, team player, and confidant can be too much. This is where letting your team lead you – or ‚underwatching‘ – is crucial.
Theoretical Background
The term „Unterwachung“ by Niklas Luhmann can be best translated as „under-watching“ or „under-surveillance.“ It contrasts with „Überwachung“ (surveillance or oversight) and refers to monitoring or observing from below, often implying decentralized vigilance. Judith Muster, a sociologist and partner at Metaplan, has extensively explored this concept, drawing on Luhmann’s theories.
Practical Examples for Underwatching at work
Judith Muster suggests that good ‚underwatching‘ involves:
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- Delegate Smartly: In my coaching sessions, I often emphasize the importance of smart delegation. Letting your team handle time-consuming tasks means they bring you the best options, embracing underwatching. This not only lightens your workload but also empowers your team to steer key decisions.
- Trust Their Expertise: Acknowledge and respect the special skills your team has. By following their lead on specific topics, you demonstrate trust and foster a collaborative environment. In one of my past projects, I saw this trust transform a team’s dynamic, with team members feeling more valued and engaged.
- Selective Attention: Muster points out that dood leaders know when to step back and let their teams handle the details. This doesn’t imply a lack of interest but a strategic delegation of focus. Encourage your team to manage daily issues, escalating only critical problems to you.
“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.”
– Ronald Reagan
Practical Questions to Consider for leaders
- How can I identify the key strengths and expertise of my team members to delegate tasks more effectively?
- In what ways can I create an environment of trust that encourages my team to take initiative and make decisions independently?
- What specific strategies can I implement to ensure I am accessible for critical issues without micromanaging daily operations?
- How can I provide constructive feedback that empowers my team to learn and grow from their experiences and decisions?
Underwatching isn’t about losing control but sharing it smartly. By trusting your team’s expertise and delegating wisely, you cultivate a more collaborative and effective leadership style. Real leadership is about knowing when to let others take the lead.
Think about this: How can you practice underwatching in your role? What steps can you take to trust your team’s expertise more deeply? How might this shift improve your overall effectiveness and reduce your stress? Let’s move from theory to practice and see the transformative power of underwatching in action.
"Good leaders know when to step back and allow their teams to handle operational details. This doesn’t imply disinterest but rather a strategic delegation of focus"
Judith Muster
MY LEARNINGS
- Subtle Influence is Key: Managing up well means working quietly behind the scenes. Align your actions and communications with your leader’s goals while quietly pursuing your own. This subtle alignment, as I have found in various leadership roles, can significantly enhance your influence without being obvious.
- Trust and Delegation: Building trust through reliability and effective delegation allows leaders to manage their limited attention span better. Stephen Covey’s and Simon Sinek’s emphasis on trust as a fundamental leadership principle resonates deeply here. By empowering your team, you create a resilient and responsive structure.
- Strategic Underwatching: Embrace underwatching as a strategy. Letting your team guide certain decisions not only lightens your load but also empowers them. This approach builds a flexible and responsive team, which is essential today.
Underwatching isn’t about being a passive leader. It’s about recognizing the strengths of your team and leveraging them to achieve collective success. By stepping back strategically, you not only manage your workload better but also foster an environment of trust and collaboration.
Remember, leadership isn’t about doing everything yourself. It’s about enabling your team to thrive and succeed together. So, the next time you feel overwhelmed, try a bit of underwatching. Your team—and your sanity—will thank you for it.
Further readings:
Luhmann, Niklas. Social Systems. Stanford University Press, 1995.
Luhmann, Niklas. The new Boss. Polity Press.
Muster, Judith; Bull, Finn-Rasmus; Kapitzky, Jens; (2021): Postbürokratisches Organisieren : Formen und Folgen agiler Arbeitsweisen. München: Vahlen Verl. (german)