How could "adding value" possibly be a bad thing? And might you be guilty of it?
In his bestselling book What Got You Here Won't Get You There, Marshall Goldsmith lists the twenty most common leadership bad habits he helps Fortune 500 CEOs and other leaders overcome. One of the most surprising on his list is what he labels "adding too much value."
The five percent problem
Goldsmith's highly successful clients often have so much experience, insight and expertise that they feel compelled to improve nearly every idea that floats past them.
A team member presents a solid plan, and the leader says, "That's good, but have you considered…" Someone pauses while answering a question, and the leader jumps in to finish the thought. A draft comes in, and the leader rewrites it line by line. A meeting reaches a conclusion, and the leader adds one final recommendation.
Each contribution may make the work slightly better. But it can also make others feel that their ideas were incomplete until the leader fixed them.
Over time, people begin to hold back. They stop bringing fully formed ideas because they expect the leader to reshape them anyway. They wait for the answer instead of developing their own judgment. They become less willing to take risks, because ownership never feels entirely theirs.
The leader may end up improving each idea by 5 percent — while reducing the contributor's sense of ownership by 50 percent.
This is not just a CEO problem
The tendency shows up in leaders at every level. There can be something intoxicating about seeing your own ideas brought to life, especially when your position lets your ideas prevail. Before long, you may find your fingerprints on nearly every proposal in the room.
The real discipline
The work is learning to notice the moment when adding value turns into subtracting value. It may be when a question is directed at someone else and you feel tempted to answer. Or when you know a better way and want to share it immediately. Or when silence feels uncomfortable and you rush to fill it.
Before speaking, ask yourself: does this truly need my contribution? Then ask the harder question: will what I add increase this person's capability and ownership, or quietly diminish it?
Leadership is not about proving how much value you can add. It is about creating the conditions for everyone else around you to add tremendous value.
