Leading Clever People

Stop trying to tame your smartest, most creative leaders.

January 28, 2010 by: Roger Bain | The Bain Journal 1 Comment

The Harvard Business IdeaCast some weeks ago took up an interesting topic, it was a conversation on how to lead clever people. By “clever people” they didn’t mean intellectually elite, but rather creative individuals who can add a great deal of value to an organization, yet they cannot be tamed (told what to do).

Gareth Jones, coauthor of the book, “Clever: Leading Your Smartest, Most Creative People” said during the interview, “Some of your greatest leaders will say they don’t want to be leaders and they will also say they don’t want to be lead.”

Superiors can often tell people what to do and without questions or remarks subordinates carry out the task. While subordination is needed in any organization, the problem is that often people who simply carry out tasks don’t add as much value as anticipated. In other words, they are so comfortable with following that they don’t press the organization to reach new horizons.

Pastors want people to add value to their ministries, but the problem is that they often want them to do it THEIR WAY. They desire to have the people they work with do things the exact way that they would do it. But the reality is that quality leaders will lead in their own skin.

With the trust of their superiors, strategic parameters, and goals these “clever” leaders can achieve the heights of their potential.

This Harvard Business IdeaCast, though speaking of methods from the business world, I think gave some sound advice senior pastors could use in getting their most creative and ‘clever’ leaders to add value and find a place of significance.

How To Lead Clever People:

* Do explain things and persuade them, but don’t tell them what to do — clever people don’t take a leader’s word at face value; they need to understand why they’re being asked to do something.

* Do use your expertise but don’t use your hierarchy — clever people aren’t impressed with titles.

* Do tell them what to do but don’t tell them how to do it — clever people enjoy figuring out how to do things and will almost always rise to the challenge.

Gareth Jones, Leadership