I'm a VP for a smallish company. I report to a C level executive. I believe that the recipe for success is to treat your employees well. Create an environment for psychological safety. Define a problem and let the team design a solution. Don't wait for an employee to ask for a raise or a promotion, if they deserve it you give it to them. They need time off? Approved, no questions asked. It's their time let them take it. I don't put pressure on them unless it's absolutely essential and I constantly ask for their feedback on decisions because I make wrong decisions all the time and need them to help me correct course when I do something dumb.
This had worked for me over a long career in leadership. My current team is one of the highest performing teams in the company. They do amazing things and others in our field recognize that we swing way above our weight. I'm not responsible for this, my team is. My responsibility is to create an environment where they can grow and thrive. I will do everything I can to protect them from harmful decisions and policies.
Today, I had a one on one meeting with one of my team members. He jokingly told me that he and one of my colleagues on another team “decided I wasn't allowed to leave” the company. I responded that it's not entirely up to me. I've had a lot of disagreements with my boss on how I run the team. So I half jokingly said that my boss has some say in it. He responded that if I was fired there would be a wave of resignations. That made me feel good. I wouldn't want anyone to quit on my behalf, but a a leader it's rare to get that sort of positive feedback.
An hour later I had a one on one with my boss. He's not a bad guy, but he is more concerned with what his boss thinks of him than actually executing successfully. He's a climber. There are things he is good at, but people management is not one of them. His entire team, with the exception of me, has turned over in the last 12 months.
I was still feeling good from my earlier meeting when he hits me with an ultimatum to do things his way or hit the highway. This isn't terribly surprising. As I said before, we disagree often. I think the hardest thing for me is the whiplash of feeling successful in what I see as most important aspects of my job to the realization that all my efforts have been wasted. I refuse to change the way I manage my teams. The traditional way is harmful. This sub is a testament to that. Since I won't change, my only option is to leave. I love my team. I like the company, but if they can't recognize that you can win without creating casualties along the way, then there is no place for me here.
I'm kind of numb and feeling very disillusioned. I got into management because I wanted to change things from the inside. It's been a long road to get where I am today and I'm not sure if I have the will to stay on it. Don't worry, I'm safe, just thinking may need a complete change of careers.
If you made it this far, thanks for participating in my therapy.