Have You Ever Been Placed in Leadership Time-Out?
Recently in Costa Rica I saw a tradition that’s common in my country too. A child was placed in time-out… For a certain amount of time, a child is not allowed to play with the other children, has to sit in a corner and is basically ignored. I’m certainly not critical of the form of discipline. It works well for some children. We had one for which it would work and one for which it wouldn’t.
I definitely, however, believe there is a time when a “child” outgrows the effectiveness of the practice. I don’t know that “time out”, for example, works for adults, yet I see it frequently.
Have you ever been placed in leadership time-out?
Leadership time-out occurs:
- When a leader ignores you because of a mistake you’ve made…
- When a leader avoids you after a difference of opinion…
- When a leader is threatened by you so he or she keeps you at a distance…
- When you have no relationship with the leader other than professional…
- When a leader acknowledges you only when it’s beneficial to the leader…
- When a leader has a set of “favorites” on the team…and you’re not included…
After my examples, let me ask again, have you ever been placed in leadership time-out?
In my opinion and experience, leadership time-out is often due to poor leadership skills on the part of the leader. The leader operates more out fear or control than out of respect and empowerment. The leader plays games more than he or she leads strategically. The leader doesn’t have the maturity to lead effectively.
Great leaders learn to push through the emotional aspects of leadership so they can treat people as adults in every situation.
What other examples would you add to my list?
