My sister Cleo lives in Boston and works as a HR and management consultant. She lived in Chiang Mai, Thailand for a year and makes a scalding green curry that can cure most diseases. She still writes letters on real paper and sends them in real envelopes.
Cleo has a theory, borne out by years of experience, that every business problem is a culture problem. And every culture problem is a leadership problem.
My consulting business is small, but when we run into problems, it's always cultural: people feeling undervalued, poor communication, disorganization, frustration. And at the root of all of those problems- if I'm being honest- is me. As the leader it's my responsibility to set the tone and solve the problems that come up. Sure, delegation is an important part of leadership, but a good leader knows what to delegate and to who, increasing the likelihood of success. Duke Ellington was a great leader; he knew how to work to the talents of his band members, which was ever-changing.
Cleo says managers get angry, hurt, and defensive when faced with this idea; they are generally hiring her to make their staff more efficient, effective, etc. They don't want to be the problem, even though that affords them the greatest gift, of also being the solution.
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