Being a Handmaiden

At lunch recently, Jennifer, an up-and-coming business leader, asked about a challenge she was facing. Last winter she had been reporting directly to the CEO while the role of her direct manager had been vacant. She had valued the opportunity to be part of the conversations at the top of the house, and she had made a very good impression on the CEO and others on the senior leadership team. However, a few months ago David had been hired from outside to fill the role above her, and now she was no longer invited to most meetings. As an ambitious and talented business leader, she felt a little frustrated. How could she continue to build her reputation and have impact on the direction of the business? In a company where most of the senior team had worked there for decades, David was a newcomer. An intelligent and experienced senior business leader, he had been hired for his ability to bring change to the organization. His communication style was pleasant but reserved, which made it difficult for Jennifer to ascertain his assessment of her or his expectations. She wondered whether her rise in the company would be derailed because she did not know how to read him. As we brainstormed about Jennifer’s dilemma, one idea seemed obvious to me. At this point, her best way to serve the company and to advance her own career was to do everything she could to make David look good. Of course, this is all-purpose good advice anyway, but it is particularly relevant in her situation. As someone who had been around the company for a number of years and has sat at the senior table, she was in a position to help her boss learn the business quickly, make good decisions, and navigate his way through the politics as the top. As I said – this seems obvious. But at the same time, it not necessarily an easy choice, Jennifer is facing two barriers. First, there is her natural resentment that David is in the position of power she held for a while. It feels great to have direct access to the person at the top – no one likes to let go of that. As a mature professional, her challenge is to not let those feelings of disappointment interfere with her business judgment. But there is also a deeper problem. For about the last three decades, consultants like me have been telling women they must make themselves visible. For too long, women have been in the background supporting and coaching male leaders without getting much of the credit, to say nothing of the promotions and the salaries. Women leaders are still struggling to learn how to step forward and take credit for their own accomplishments. And yet – there are times when the smartest path is to make someone else look good. This is true regardless of gender. Helping your boss succeed is one of the best ways to advance your own career and have a positive impact on the business. This may be hard for women now, especially when the boss is a man. (The competition between women business leaders is a topic for another day.) To be a behind-the-scenes helper can feel like going back to the bad old days. Nonetheless, it is an essential leadership tactic which belongs in our toolboxes right next to assertiveness, confidence, and competence.