Did anyone ever teach you the most important leadership skill is invisibility?
I had to learn it the hard way.
In business school they gave me frameworks, leadership styles, and group dynamics
In management courses they told me to be visionary, and how to project confidence on stage.
All of these skills were useful. And I’ve gotten pretty good at some.
But no one taught me the most important one:
How to become invisible.
How to light the fire in teams, and get out of the way.
Not intervening. Not telling them how to do their job. Only listening and nudging.
Asking questions, and trusting they will get it right.
And then summarising at the end to move to action.
I didn’t find it easy at first.
It means letting go of your ego.
Of being the one “who knows” and “gets sh** done”.
It also doesn’t make good social media.
Especially on Linkedin, with its personal branding fetish.
But the reward is worth it.
You get better results than you ever could by leaning forward.
And frankly, it’s a joy to just sit back and watch the magic happen.
So next time you’re leading something, whether it is a meeting, project, change, or full transformation.
Ask yourself:
How can I be invisible here?