Oversight vs. Overreach

There seems to be mounting evidence that some modern-day leaders are trending toward overreach as opposed to oversight in their roles and responsibilities. Currently we are witnessing such overreach in government as programs and policies expand to “assist” people make decisions that our Founders felt were best left to individuals. But the tendency to overreach can be seen in many corners of corporate life, too—and while the power may seem tantalizing, the overall negative impact of productivity and profitability is profound.

Exceptional leaders should and must oversee their corporate families, and this means that they provide accountability to set standards. Instead of micro- managing, these leaders equip their team members to make great decisions and exceed expectations. What does good oversight look like?

  1. All Corporate Family members are accountable to one another. If someone senses a problem, he or she feels comfortable and confident in speaking to a fellow team member about the matter.
  2. Managers offer freedom to those in their niches. Employees are free to be creative, to explore new avenues in their roles and responsibilities, and to speak up and voice opinions and ideas.
  3. Leaders at all levels role model and cascade High Performance skill sets, including exceptional communication and mutual accountability.

Our Corporate Family members need to be encouraged to lead in their individual spheres of influence. This means that those of us in leadership cannot hold all the control. Instead, we must empower everyone in our organizations, regularly evaluating our level of oversight versus overreach—and what we will see as a result will above and beyond our own expectations!