Why the best leaders own decisions clearly while inviting input genuinely. And how to stop swinging between command-and-control and consensus-driven paralysis.
Great article Ryan! I recognise this tension from my own leadership journey and it has been a really tough one to grapple with. I think the tendency to control comes from a fear or insecurity about being seen as “incompetent” or “unqualified” for the role you occupy - once I built up my confidence as a leader I actually found it easier to let go and be challenged or have my mind changed by my team. I still make the final call on any contentious or ambiguous matters, but it comes from a place of ownership and responsibility rather than control. I can see that this shift has had a really positive impact on my team - I’m happy to report there are lots of lively debates and respectful acceptance of decisions these days 😊
You've basically described the journey most leaders have to go through but rarely talk about openly! That connection between control and insecurity is real, and it takes a lot of self-awareness to even recognize it in yourself, let alone do something about it.
You're now seeing what Inclusive Authority looks like when it's working - the lively debates and the respectful acceptance. That combination doesn't happen by accident. It happens because your team trusts that their voice actually matters in the process, even when the final call doesn't go their way.
The confidence piece is huge too. The leaders who struggle most with letting go are often the ones who haven't yet separated their identity from their decisions. Once you own the responsibility without needing to own every idea, everything shifts.
Thanks for sharing this! It's the kind of real leadership experience that's way more useful than any framework on its own.
Such a pleasure Ryan! It really resonated and I appreciate having a name for the concept as well - helps to consolidate my own thinking and makes it easier to share it with others.
Great article Ryan! I recognise this tension from my own leadership journey and it has been a really tough one to grapple with. I think the tendency to control comes from a fear or insecurity about being seen as “incompetent” or “unqualified” for the role you occupy - once I built up my confidence as a leader I actually found it easier to let go and be challenged or have my mind changed by my team. I still make the final call on any contentious or ambiguous matters, but it comes from a place of ownership and responsibility rather than control. I can see that this shift has had a really positive impact on my team - I’m happy to report there are lots of lively debates and respectful acceptance of decisions these days 😊
You've basically described the journey most leaders have to go through but rarely talk about openly! That connection between control and insecurity is real, and it takes a lot of self-awareness to even recognize it in yourself, let alone do something about it.
You're now seeing what Inclusive Authority looks like when it's working - the lively debates and the respectful acceptance. That combination doesn't happen by accident. It happens because your team trusts that their voice actually matters in the process, even when the final call doesn't go their way.
The confidence piece is huge too. The leaders who struggle most with letting go are often the ones who haven't yet separated their identity from their decisions. Once you own the responsibility without needing to own every idea, everything shifts.
Thanks for sharing this! It's the kind of real leadership experience that's way more useful than any framework on its own.
Such a pleasure Ryan! It really resonated and I appreciate having a name for the concept as well - helps to consolidate my own thinking and makes it easier to share it with others.