Fostering Innovation in the Obama White House

I was listening to a recent Diane Rehm show. It was a Friday news round-up discussing the upcoming Obama administration with Washington-based guests from The Washington Times, Newsweek and the Wall Street Journal. The topic of recently announced candidates for key positions was discussed and Jerry Seib from WSJ brought up the popularity of “czars” in the Obama organizational structure. Eleanor Clift from Newsweek bemoaned the fuzzy lines of authority, called them niche positions and worried that it would result in Obama being out of touch. Deborah Clift from The Washington Times was even more distressed, concerned that the media wouldn’t know who to call, afraid they’d get different answers from various people and called it a big mistake.

If it makes the insiders uncomfortable, then you know you are on the right track.

What the panelists failed to recognize is that this is a classic management technique for placing innovators in positions where they will have the most impact.

Follow the Leader

I once had a boss who said to me, “I’m your leader.”  

I thought that was the strangest thing to say.  Owner/Manager/Vice President/CEO are all titles one can assign to oneself, but leader is not.  Leadership is a strange thing in that you either are or you aren’t.  And if you have to tell someone you’re their leader, chances are you aren’t.  It is not a title you choose for your business card, it is a role assigned by others.  Sometimes bosses are leaders, but from what I’ve seen, it certainly isn’t a requirement.