Do you lead by hitting the top or bottom spin?
Have you ever watched tennis on TV or live? Have you noticed that often one player tries to slow down the game while the other gives the ball momentum?
Tennis games are often won by the one who gives the momentum, i.e. hits the top serve.
If you’ve ever held a racket, you know what we mean. The underspin slows the ball down, the overspin speeds it up. The best example of an underspin is the stopper – a super-difficult shot where you try to stop the ball right after it crosses the net. You rarely see it because it requires perfect conditions. Most often, players use underspin shots when they’re in a panic and can’t think of anything else.
When it gets tight, we start to brake
The exact same phenomenon occurs in management. When the market is tough, the first reaction is to hit the brakes and launch a savings program.
This can unfortunately be seen in many Finnish companies right now. As a manager, you may recognize the situation from the thought that once crossed Jaakko's mind during his working career: "I wake up in the morning and my first thought is, what all should be banned today?"
Processes are being streamlined, reporting is becoming more extensive, and team meetings are being held with strict demands for results. Micromanagement is becoming a habit, not a vice.
Tunnel vision is a problem and getting the job done becomes a survival skill. Does this sound familiar?
Winning shots are made with an overhand twist
The next time you watch a tennis match, pay attention to one thing: a large proportion of the winning shots, especially the shots that win, are made with an overhand loop. Practically all of them.
It is worth trying to utilize this insight in your own leadership. After the challenging times of recent years, it is worth stopping by your own people. Go and talk to each of them about why we do this work. When you meet people as people, you can find new ideas, thoughts and areas for development that would otherwise go unnoticed.
One of our customers found an AI-savvy operator on their production line who had been thinking about their processes and wanted to test how they could be improved with AI. Behind this discovery was a simple question, 'what else is there in your life besides this job?'.
Upward spiral = leadership through people
Using the top thread in leadership means, in a few words, leading through people. It means that:
- You tell me why we do the work. Start with the why, as Simon Sinek says. You give the work meaning that goes beyond the numbers.
- You ensure a common goal. Not a short-term goal, but the bigger picture. You specifically spend time together thinking about how to word the goal in a way that is shared and inspiring.
- You give authorization. Empowerment is permission to think outside the box. It is permission to think about alternative solutions and to present your own ideas safely, without being judged or criticized by anyone.
When people are empowered to fulfill themselves as they work together towards an agreed-upon goal, a positive spiral is created – an upward spiral.
Many leaders fear that reaching the top means losing control. In reality, it means gaining control of the right things. Control of what really moves the business forward: the energy and creativity of people.
What spiral is your leadership currently spinning? Upward or downward?
