The Dispensable Virtue of a True Leader

Leadership coaching in India is about to take a new turn. Let’s talk about dispensability today!

Have these thoughts ever crossed your mind?

• ‘If I teach them how I do it, they won’t need me anymore; neither will the company.’

• ‘If I show them my tricks, I will no longer be of any relevance to anyone. I shall become redundant. I better keep all my cards to myself.’

We’ve been conditioned to think that if we reveal all our cards, we’ll have nothing to show for it again. There is truth to this fact, but for leaders, there is such a role as being dispensable and why it is a good thing. A leader must be dispensable at the transactional level. This means allowing the team to get better at their work, learning your skills as a leader, and applying them effectively for growing the business.

What is a leader’s role?

It’s truly objective when it comes to defining a leader’s role. A leader is supposed to analyze and strategize; look at the business from the top view and then take delegate action. How can a leader do this? By having people in different interdependent teams to execute work. However, many leaders step into the arena to fight the battles and journey through the experiences.

Micromanaging is one of the worst attributes taken up by many leaders. Their eagerness to achieve perfection is the very reason for not stunting business growth. 

Who is looking from the top

if everyone’s grappling at the bottom?

Someone has to be at the top – the leader. And for this, the leader has to learn to be dispensable at the transactional level. In doing so, the leader can lead with a clear mind and make the right decisions.

Benefits of being a dispensable leader

The dispensable leader is the one who can:

• Empower their team members to take responsibility and make decisions.
• Help team members foster a sense of ownership and accountability.

Imagine a team where decisions cannot be made until the leader visits the office. They’ll wait until the customer is frantic and leaves for another better business. For instance, a customer asks for a replacement of the refrigerator bought four months ago. It’s not working and creates odd and loud noises. But the staff cannot decide as their reporting manager has taken a one month leave. No one has been left in charge but were instead told to contact the manager to approve the replacement requested by the customer. However, the reporting manager has not been answering his phone for over a week. The customer is frustrated and has visited the showroom. The staff members know what needs to be done but are hesitating due to paperwork and the reporting manager’s signing off. 

In any company, this would not be the case. However, just as an example, I want you to understand what it means to head a team that cannot do anything without you. They can’t make a decision or take action as they may be afraid of the consequences. Therefore, coming back to why a dispensable is so essential; here are the rest of the benefits:

A dispensable leader is also the one who can:

• Structure the team and work process to scale the organization more efficiently.
• Create a long-term succession plan and ensure a smooth transition of leadership.
• Make the team flexible and adaptable to changes in fast-paced industries and dynamic environments.
• Encourage open conversation and sharing of ideas, creating a more resilient team better equipped to handle challenges.
• Step into various other roles that require a leader’s attention rather than at the base level already assigned to capable team members.

Being a dispensable team leader is a journey in itself. Reach out to Krescon Coaches to help you gain the pinnacle of leadership in the right way. We have the best leadership programs in India to groom you as a leader.