Ownership and demonstrating value

A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.

Lao Tsu

The quote above represents a value which I regard as pretty central to the way I function. It is important to avoid the ego dominating the way in which we lead. Achieving what needs to be achieved is more important than getting recognition for it.

But this issue has been compromised for me recently. There is a natural tension between the idea of ensuring that people feel ownership for something, and the need to ensure that we demonstrate value in the work that we do. How do we balance that tension? I think earlier in my career I would tend to take Lao Tsu’s words to their natural conclusion.

Now I realise that we need to balance that with a bit of healthy pragmatism. If we don’t get acknowedgement for the value that we add to the world around us (not just in monetary terms of course), then it is difficult to argue for resources to continue to do our work.

As in so many things, it is a matter of striking a balance. And that balance will shift on different issues.