YEAR OF ZEN: AUTUMN: DAY 43

The Haarlem Painter's Guild in 1675, - Jan de Bray

Q: Some people and cultures are tight and follow rules while others are loose and provide more leeway. Where do you fall?

A: Like most things, I try and find a balance between these positions, sometimes relying on both based on the situational context and circumstances. As a leadership style, I tend to go more with the philosophy of stating my vision and then being hands off in terms of letting people figure out ways to execute and discover solutions on their own. I have found that this tends to generate ownership and buy-in while also pulling me out of the mode of micromanaging. I can serve as a more productive force in this way. I can be a collaborator, a sounding board, a guardrail, or whatever is needed to help the project along.