When Leaders Become the Problem

This came up in a recent leadership workshop I was part of. I casually asked the room: “What kind of leader do you deliberately not want to be?”

Most answers came fast.

“I don’t want to be a micromanager.”

“I don’t want to be bureaucratic.”

“I don’t want to be political.”

 All familiar. These are usually the behaviours we notice and dislike most in everyday work.

 I paused. And that question stayed with me.

 Later, while talking it through with a friend, something became clearer - I don’t want to be the leader who becomes a bottleneck.

I’ve watched teams slow down when decisions drift upward, when ownership starts to blur, and people start waiting instead of deciding. Things still move but just with more friction, less confidence, and no or less accountability.

 These days, I try to ask myself: 

Is my involvement creating clarity or just absorbing uncertainty?

If it’s the latter, that’s usually a signal.

Not to step in more, but to step back and fix what’s unclear - ownership, decision paths, expectations.

Leadership, over time, is less about presence and more about what continues to work without you.

It’s a question I keep coming back to. Curious what this question brings up for you.

#LeadershipReflection #RiseWithritu