Authority in Practice How Respect is Actually Earned Performance Without Burnout The Real Discipline of Great Leadership
Dr. Abdulla Altaee
EDITORIAL NOTE
Leading Banking into the AI-Ready Age
Inalandscapedefinedbyrapidtechnologicalevolution
andstrategictransformation,leadershipexcellenceis bothacompassandacatalystforindustryprogress.In thisissue,wearehonoredtospotlightAbuDhabi'sMost AdmiredLeaderoftheYear,Dr.AbdullaAltaee,whose stewardshipoftheUAEbankingsectorexemplifies forward-thinkingleadershipinanerawhereinnovationand resilienceareindispensable.
AsChiefOperatingOfficerofUnitedArabBank,Dr Altaee'scareerreflectsadeepcommitmenttooperational excellenceandtransformativeimpactacrossbanking functions.Withextensiveexperiencespanningtreasury, retail,corporatestrategy,andtechnology-ledmodernization initiatives,hisleadershiphasbeeninstrumentalindriving sustainablegrowthandoperationalefficiencywithinUAE financialservices.
WhatdistinguishesDr Altaeeishisstrategicvisionin navigatingthesectortowardanAI-ready,openfinance future—aparadigmwherecustomerexpectations, regulatoryframeworks,anddigitalcapabilitiesconvergeto
redefinefinancialservices.Bychampioninginitiativesthat harnessthepowerofartificialintelligenceandopenfinance frameworks,heisnotonlyshapinghisinstitution's competitivetrajectorybutalsocontributingmeaningfullyto thebroaderevolutionoftheUAE'sbankingecosystem.
Thisrecognitionisnotsimplyanaccolade;itunderscoresa leadershipphilosophyrootedinadaptability,innovation, andinclusiveprogress.Dr Altaee'sjourneyhighlightsthe importanceofembracingemergingtechnologieswhile anchoringdecision-makinginstrategicrigorand stakeholdervalue.
Asyouengagewithhisprofileandinsightsinthisedition, weinviteyoutoconsiderhowsuchvisionaryleadership fostersresilientinstitutions—capableofthrivingamidst disruptionandpoisedtodefinethefutureoffinance.
-Alaya Brown
THE SIGNATURE STORY
The Financial Steward
Dr. Abdulla Altaee
Leading the UAE Banking Sector into the AI-Ready, Open Finance Era
INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
Authority in Practice
How Respect is Actually Earned
INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
Performance Without Burnout
The Real Discipline of Great Leadership
Business
Business
The Signatur e Story
The Financial Steward
Dr. Abdulla Altaee
Leading the UAE Banking Sector into the AI-Ready, Open Finance Era
Chief Operating Officer (COO) United Arab Bank
Whatmakessomeofthemostadmiredbusiness
leaderslike admirable? Dr.AbdullaAltaee
Morethananythingelse,itistheirinherent philosophydevelopedbythem,whichfeelsinnateasifit wasalwaysinbuiltintheirpersonalityandhasbeenapart oftheircharacterforever ThesameisthecasewithDr Altaee.Hisphilosophywasshapedonthefrontlinesof bankingandoperations—earlybranchandbackofficeroles.
Afterwards,FXsettlementsandpaymentstaughthimthat governanceonlyworkswhenitissimple,auditable,and builtintodailyworkflows.Leadingreconciliationand internalcontrolsatNBAD,thencentralizingservicesacross theregion,reinforced“controlbydesign,”cleandata lineage,andtimelymanagementinformation.Oversightof majortransformations—mostnotablyTemenosT24 deliveryandthemigrationfrom39legacysystems,plusthe NBAD–FGBintegration—instilledprogramrigorand stagedcutovers.ServingontheUAECentralBankUBF andSWIFTforumsanchoredproportional,standards-based compliance.Mostimportantly, managing large, diverse teams showed that clarity of ownership and predictable cadences outperform heroics
“Compliance establishes the floor, not the ceiling. Regulatory adherence is the minimum viable guardrail, not the strategic endpoint.”
At ,thistranslatesintosimplebut UnitedArabBank(UAB) strongcontrolsembeddedintotheprocessesandsystems, risk-ledtransformationwithpre-mortemsandleading indicators,asingleenterprisePMObookofwork, reconciliationbydesignandSTP,business-owned technology,andacoachingculturethatlinksperformance tocustomeroutcomesandcontrolhealth.
“My core belief is that Operational reliability is an intrinsic part of the Customer Experience. We treat resilience as a product feature.”
TheFuture-ReadyBlueprint:Reliable,Fast,and Trusted
Thefinanciallandscapeisevolvingattheblinkofaneye. Dr Altaeefeelsthatinsuchascenario,aresilient,futurereadybankisreliableineverycycle,fastinchange,and trustedbycustomersandregulators.Itpairsstrongbalance sheetdisciplinewithoperationalresilienceengineeredinto everydaywork.
Inpractice,thismeansbuildingresiliencebydesign: implementingstraight-throughprocessing(STP), reconciliation-by-design,andembeddingcyberand recoverycontrolsdirectlyintorunbooksandtested playbooks.Regulatoryconfidenceisearnedthrough proactiveengagementandevidenceofeffectivenessof controls.Thebankmustembracemodern,modular technology—cleandatalineageandAPIs—toenablerapid, safechange.Aboveall,reliabilitymustbecustomer-centric, evidencedbypredictableTurnaroundTimes(TATs)and transparencyonservicelevelsforpayments,trade,and onboarding.
AtUnitedArabBank(UAB),thisvisioniscodifiedintoa guidingsetofprinciplesfortheleadershipteam: Governanceasanenabler,Risk-ledtransformation(where everyinitiativestartswitharisknarrativeandpre-mortem), andaData-firstapproachthatmandatesgoldensourcesand real-timeaction-drivingManagementInformation(MI). Crucially,thestrategyincludesBusiness-owned technology,whereOKRs(ObjectivesandKey Results)aretieddirectlytocustomeroutcomes andcontrolhealth,notjusttechnicaldelivery, allsupportedbyatransparent,predictable operatingrhythm.
TheTransformationInflection:FromLegacytoOpen Platform
UABisexecutingamulti-yeartransformationtomodernize itscoresystemsandpivottosolution-ledgrowth.Dr Altaee identifiesseveralpivotalinflectionpointsthathave reshapedthebank:
ThefirstwasCoremodernizationandopen-platformshift. ByupgradingitscoreandcorporatechannelstoAPI-ready architecture,UABachievedfasterproductlaunches, strongerservicereliability,andreadinesstointegrate innovationviaplatformslikeFinastra,Newgen,Apzillon, etc.
ThesecondwasembracingCloud-firstenterprise digitizationthroughtheadoptionofRISEwithSAPon AWS.Thismovesignificantlyloweredrunrisk,improved operatingleverage,andestablishedacrucialfoundationfor “greenledger”analyticsandpaperlessworkflows.
ThethirdwasacompleteCustomerexperienceredesign, overhaulingmobileandUXtoaligndigitaljourneyswith modernexpectations—ashiftdesignedforspeed, transparency,andself-service.
“The biggest danger is often indecision masquerading as caution. We must move quickly with small blast radiuses and explicit rollback paths.”
Further,thebank-initiatedSolution-ledproductexpansion, includingtheReverseFactoringprogram.Thisstrategy deepenscorporaterelationships,improvesworking-capital relevance,anddiversifiesfeeincomebeyondtraditional lending.Thesedisciplinedchanges,managedunderan EPMO-managedportfolio,havepositionedUABwith scalableinfrastructuretoadapttothefast-changing technologicallandscape,progressingtowardsembracing OpenFinance,Instantcross-borderpayments,andChina inter-bankpaymentsystems—allalignedwitharesolute customer-centricstrategy.
TheInnovationPlaybook:PrudencebyDesign
Dr AltaeebelievesthatforaLicensedFinancialInstitution (LFI)navigatingthepeakofdigitaldisruptionintheUAE, balancingrapidinnovationwithuncompromising regulatoryobligationisvital.Hisstrategyisformalizedinto apracticalplaybookbasedonprudencebydesign,ensuring controlisbuiltintodailyworkflows,notboltedon afterward.
Thisapproachmandatessettingaclearriskappetitefor innovationupfront,defining“safetotry”experimentswith pre-approvedguardrailsfordatausage.Crucially,Dr. Altaeeenforcescompliance“bydesign”:embeddinglegal andriskteamsintodiscoverysprintsandutilizingpolicyas-codechecksinCI/CDpipelinestoensurereleasesfail automaticallyiftheybreachstandards.
InnovationprogressesonlyviaTieredPathwaysto Production:startingwithsyntheticdatainasandbox, movingtointernalpilots,thenlimited-marketcanarieswith
hardlimitsandkillswitches,beforeachievingscaled rollout.Thismethodologyensuresdecisionsarereversible andhaveasmallblastradius,favoringfeatureflagsand shadowmodedeployments.
Furthermore,itrequiresrobustmodelandAIgovernance, mandatingmodelcards,fairnesstests,andexplainability thresholds,whileseparatingownership:Productowns outcomes,ModelRiskownsvalidation,andTechowns controls.Regulatorsareengagedearlyandoften,treatedas designpartnersonemergingtopicslikeAIexplainability
Allgo/no-godecisionsfollowastrictrubricvalidating Value,Controlreadiness,Operationalresilience, Explainability,andEthics(Biasandharmassessments).He stressesavoidingthecommonfailuresof“complianceatthe end”andshadowAIusage.
TheNorthStar:CultivatingaCultureofAccountability
Tobuildarobustcultureofaccountabilityimperativefora regulatedLFI,Dr Altaeefocusesontransforming
organizationalbehaviorthroughclarityandconsequence. Hisstrategyanchorsonaclear“northstar”-aconcisecode ofconductandriskappetitestatementpublishedtotranslate valuesintoday-to-daychoices,tiedtocustomeroutcomes andorganizationalvalue.
Hemakesaccountabilityspecificandowned:defining RACIforeverycriticalprocessandassigningonenamed ownerpermetric,model,orrisk.Thefocusshiftsfrom “policing”to“designingforright”byembedding compliancedirectlyinproductsquadsandrelyingon automatedchecksandpre-approvedpatterns.Decision forumsarestrengthenedwithclearinputsanddocumented outcomes,requiringGo/No-Gopacksthatdetailcontrol readinessandexitplans.
Dr.Altaeemakesethicspractical,notabstract,by mandatingimpactassessmentsfordataandAIusecases andreviewbygovernanceforumspriortoadoption. Accountabilityispairedwithpsychologicalsafety:running blamelessincidentreviewsfocusedonlearning,
“We are moving from compliance thinking to responsible innovation thinking. This requires leaders to be Ethically grounded and Systems thinkers.”
butmaintainingclear,consistentconsequencesforwillful violations.Transparencybydefaultismaintainedthrough opendashboardsforKRIsandauditactions.Heclosesthe loopbytyingincentivesdirectlytodoingtherightthing, balancingscorecardswithcustomeroutcomes,controlling health,andteamdevelopment,andrecognizing“stop-theline”behaviorasapositivecontribution.
ThePlatform-FirstRevolution:RedesigningCX
Dr Altaee'sentireexecutivefocushascenteredon customer-centricity,treatingeverydailyactionasafactor thatmustpositivelyimpactclients.Heledaradical reimaginingofthecustomerexperience(CX)atUAB,built onaplatform-firstdigitalfoundation.Thisinvolved upgradingthecorebankingandcorporatechannelstoan API-readystack,enablingfasterfeaturereleases,richer self-service,andaconsistentexperienceacrossall touchpoints.
ThiswassupportedbyaCloud-enabled,end-to-endprocess redesign,utilizingRISEwithSAPtostandardizedata, eliminatepaper,andenableembeddedanalytics,thereby significantlyimprovingturnaroundtimesandtransparency forcustomers.Furthermore,adedicatedMobileandUX overhaulbroughtbrandvaluesdirectlyintothedigital experience,reducingfrictionandincreasingtask completion.Forclients,thistranslatedtofaster,clearer mobilejourneys(Retail)andunifiedportalswithAPIenabledservices(Wholesale).
OperationalReliabilityastheCoreofTrust
Crucially,Dr AltaeeensuredthatOperationalreliability wastreatedasanintrinsicpartoftheCX.UABmodernized itsCentralOperationsandintegrationprocesses,ensuring digitaljourneyswerebackedbyresilientfulfillment,shorter ServiceLevelAgreements(SLAs),andconsistentservice acrossalltouchpoints.
Beyondretailbanking,UABdevelopedCorporatesolutions beyondproducts,designingsolution-ledpropositionslike ReverseFactoringtoseamlesslyaddressworking-capital needsforbothbuyersandsuppliersinasingle,digital journey ThiswasamplifiedbyanenterpriseRebranding andtrustsignalingprogram,aligningallcommunications withtheupgradeddigitalexperiencetostrengthenclarity andconfidence,ultimatelyaligningUABtomeettheUAE market'sstrongappetiteformobile-first,insight-driven banking.
StrategicPositioning:TheTechandTrustEdge
Withinthefiercelycompetitiveandinnovation-drivenUAE bankingecosystem,UABhascarvedoutadistinctstrategic position.Thebankfocusesondeliveringbespokeservices toitswholesaleclientswhileusingitsuplifted infrastructuretosupporttheSMEsegmentwitheasy-to-use digitalproductofferings.
UAB'sstrategyisdefinedbyaPro-innovationRegulatory Posture,activelypursuingOpenFinanceandsandboxdrivenexperimentation.ItsTechnologyFocusisaggressive, leveragingAI-enabledsystems,advancedanalytics,and RegTechadoptionacrossitscloud-ready,API-driven channels.
UAB'sroleintheUAE'secosystemisthatofaPlatform Orchestrator,partneringwithmultipleFintechstogain speedwithoutcompromisingcontrol.Thiscomprehensive strategicinvestmenthaspositionedUABasaleading institutioninfinancialinnovationanddigital transformation,ensuringitsservicesarefaster,more reliable,andsecureforitsclientbase.
TalentMultipliers:EmpoweringFutureLeaders
Dr AltaeerecognizesthatUAB'sresiliencehingesonits people.Tofosteracontinuouspipelineofleadershipand ensureUABremainsanemployerofchoice,heestablished theEmergingLeadershipGroup(ELG)forN-2andyoung leaders,supplementingtraditionalHRsuccessionplanning. Thestrategyforempowermentisholistic,focusingontrust andgrowth.
Thisincludesgivingindividualsownershipofcritical activities,creatingopportunitiesfordecision-makingatall levels,andencouragingopen360-degreefeedback.To supportwork-lifeintegration,thebankoffersflexible workinghoursandWorkFromHome(WFH)options.
Crucially,Dr Altaeechampionsmentorshipatalllevels,
providestraining,andemphasizesclearcommunicationof goals.Thisapproachensurescontributionsarerecognized andleadershipskillsarenurturedfromwithin,transforming theworkforceintoactivestakeholders.
TheHigh-ImpactLeader:SystemsThinkerand Storyteller
InDr.Altaee'sview,high-impactbankingleadersmust embodyablendofstrategicacumen,operationalrigor,and ethicalgrounding.TheseleadersareCustomer-obsessed andoutcomes-led,alwaysstartingwithclearcustomer problemsratherthanjustproductfeatures.
TheymustbeRisk-savvyinnovators,pushingforvalue whileoperatinginsideexplicitriskappetiteand “compliancebydesign.”Aboveall,theyareSystems thinkers,connectingfront-endjourneystoback-office controls,data,andcapitalimplications.OthernonnegotiablequalitiesincludebeingEvidence-drivendecision makers,Talentmultiplierswhocoachjudgment,and
operationallyexcellentleaderswhotreatreliabilityand resilienceasproductfeatures.TheymustalsobeEnterprise storytellers,abletotranslatecomplexstrategyintosimple narratives,andethicallygrounded,modelingclearstandards fordataandAI.
TheFutureCompass:AI,OpenFinance,andInfluence
Lookingahead,Dr.Altaeeseesvastopportunitiesemerging fortheUAE'sfinancialsector,particularlydrivenby technologicalintegration.UABisactivelypositioningitself toremaincompetitiveandinfluentialbyembracingthese shifts.ThebankisembracingAIbytrainingitsemployees forthefutureandisactivelyadoptingregionalpayment mechanismssuchastheChinaInter-BankPaymentSystem (IBPS).
Crucially,UABisaspiringtobeakeyplayerinOpenData, amoveDr AltaeebelieveshelpsshiftthefocusfromOpen FinancetoabroaderOpenEconomy Thisproactive engagementwithcutting-edgetechnologyandregional
integrationpositionsUABtosustainitsstrategicroleand influencethefuturedirectionofthehighlycompetitive UAEbankingsector
The
FinalCharge:Strategy,Ethics,andtheLongGame
Dr.Altaee'smessagetoaspiringfinancialleadersisrooted inthehard-wonwisdomoftransformation,urgingthemto embraceablendofintellectualrigor,ethicaldiscipline,and proactiveagility
The Mindset Shift: From Compliance to Catalyst
Dr Altaeeadvisesthatthenextgenerationmustreject passivethinking.Theymustviewtheirrolenotassimply managingrisk,butasstrategicallyenablinggrowth.This requiresanimmediatemindsetshift:“Compliance establishesthefloor,nottheceiling.”Trueleadershipis achievedbytreatingregulationastheminimumviable guardrailandusingframeworksnotasobstacles,butasthe scaffoldingforresponsibleinnovation.
TheymustbecomeRisk-savvyinnovators,abletopushfor newvaluewhileoperatingstrictlywithinexplicitrisk appetites.
The Core of Mastery: Systems Thinking and Data
LeadersmustcultivatedeeptechnicalliteracyandSystems thinking.Themodernbankisacomplexsocio-technical ecosystem;successrequirestheabilitytoconnectthefrontendcustomerjourneytotheback-office,datalineage, controlhealth,andcapitalimplications.Theymustbecome Evidence-drivendecisionmakers,relyingonbaselines,testand-learnmethodologies,andvisibleleadingindicators ratherthanrelyingonintuitionorlegacyassumptions.
The Ultimate Currency: Trust and Reversible Decisions
Finally,Dr Altaeeemphasizesthatintegrityistheultimate currencyinthefinancialsector.Heurgesaspiringleadersto beethicallygroundedandtotreatreliabilityandresilience asthemostvaluableproductfeatures.Leadershipintheage ofrapiddigitalchangerequiresdecisive,yetreversible actions.Leadersmustmovequickly,butalwayswitha smallblastradiusandexplicitrollbackpaths,ensuringthat technologyadvancesbutthecorehuman condition—trust—isneverdiminished.
Hisfinalcounselissimple:“Focusonthelonggame.Build resilientsystems.Andensurethateveryinnovationyou launchisfundamentallydesignedtoenhance,noterode,the trustyourcustomersplaceinyou.”
FormoreinformationandinsightsintoDr.Abdulla Altaee'sphilosophy,work,andplans, please check out the following posts-links:https://www.linkedin.com/in/drabdulla-altaee-a348b2157/recent-activity/articles/
How Respect is ACTUALLY EARNED
Authorityisfrequentlythoughtofasatitle's privilege.However,inpractice,atitlejustgivesa personaroletofill.Itdoesnot,however,assure anyoneofinfluence,trustworthiness,oradmiration.In today'sbusinesses,whereemployeesarehighlyskilled, mobileacrosspositions,andtheirareasofexpertiseare dispersed,theonewiththehighestrankdoesnot necessarilybecometheleader.Itisratherthetrustworthy onewhoearnsthefollowing.
Hence,thisisthereasonwhy,inpractice,authorityis differentfromauthorityonthedocument.Themosthonored leadersarenotthosewho,bytheirposition,demand
respect,butthosewho,throughtheirmanner,wisdom,and reliability,getit.Respectisnotaone-timegift.Ithastobe wonoverandoveragain.
WhyFormalAuthorityisNoLongerEnough
Thepresent-dayworkenvironmentishighlycharacterized bycross-functionality,speed,anddependenceon knowledge.Alargenumberoftheworkersreporttoone manageronly,however,theyconstantlyliaisewithother departments.Theperceptionofleadersinateamisnot determinedbythehierarchybutbytheirpresenceinreal
situations.Whenleadersdependonlyontheirpositionfor power,theymayonlygetcompliancefromtheirfollowers, butnotcommitment.
Theemployeesmightdotheminimumrequired,butthey willnotshowanyinitiative,honesty,orextraeffort.Onthe otherhand,leaderswhohavegainedpowerthroughtheir meritswillhavefollowers:peoplewillvoluntarily cooperatewiththemsincetheirguidanceappearstobe trustworthyandjust.Thisisthemaindifferencethat distinguishesleadershippowerfromthisperspective.
RespectBeginswithCompetenceThat'sVisible
Thefirstpillarofearnedauthorityiscompetence.Leaders whoareknowledgeable,clearthinkers,anddecisionmakerswhoareindeedinsightfularetheoneswhoget people'srespect.Competenceisnotamatterofone'sbeing themostintelligentpersonintheroom.Itisratherbeingthe mosteffectiveatalltimes.
Credibilityisgainedbyleaderswhoarecapableoflinking strategyandexecution,askingtherightquestions, recognizingtrade-offs,andforeseeingrisks.Whenteams realizethataleader'sjudgmenthasapositiveeffectonthe outcome,respectisautomaticallycreated.Competencehas tobeshowntimeandagainbeforeitisacceptedas authority;itcannotbejustproclaimed.
ConsistencyBuildsTrustFasterThanCharisma
Alotofleadersmistakebeingtherewithleadership. Charismacanattracttheeyes,buttrustisnotaproductof suchacircumstance.Trustisaresultofcorrelatedactions overaperiodoftime.Groupsshowappreciationforleaders whoholdsteadyexpectations,maintainahighlevelof performancethatisn'tinfluencedbytheirmood,andmake choicesthatareinlinewiththeirproclaimedvalues.
Unpredictableleadersinvitedoubts.Staffnumberonestarts managingtheleaderinsteadofworkingonthetask.Being consistentisthemostpowerfulrespectbuilderasit generatespsychologicalsafety
Peopleareawareofwhattoexpect,howtoact,andwhat constitutessuccess.Thatkindofpredictabilityturnsinto stability—andeventually,stabilityearnsrespect.
RespectisEarnedThroughFairnessUnderPressure
Leaders'behaviorsintoughsituationsaretheonesthat revealtheirrealpower.Ineasyconditions,anyonecanlook politeandcooperate.Therealtestiswhoiswhoinacrisis, conflict,orhigh-stakesdecision-makingsituation.Leaders getrespectwhentheyarefairunderstress.
Theydonotthrowpeopleatthelionstosavetheirimage. Theydonothavetheirfavorites.Theydonotlettheblame flowdown.Theykeepaccountabilitytightbutwithout degrading.Justiceintoughtimesshowstheleaderis mature.Itcommunicatestotheteamsthatthestandardsare real,notpolitical,andthatloyaltyisnotafool'sgamble.
StrongLeadersDon'tDemandRespect—TheyPractice It
Respectisatwo-waystreet.Thoseinpowerdemanding respecthavetoshowitfirst.Amongotherthings,this meansreallylistening,recognizingcompetence,being truthfulaboutwhodeservesthecredit,anddealingwith dissentwithprofessionalismratherthanego.
Power-hungryleadersintheirownrightmakeitpossible fortheteamtocommunicatefreely,withoutthethreatof punishmenthangingovertheirheads.
Whenthetopmanagementtakesrespectasavalue,the employees,inturn,willbehaveaccordingly Teamworkgets better,argumentsturnintolearningsessions,andthewhole workflowisstreamlined.Respectisnolongeranindividual thingbutratheraculture.
Conclusion
Authorityinactionisnotsomethingthathappensbyamere actofwill.Itisamatterofpractice.Authorityisdeveloped byshowingone'scapabilities,adheringtoasetofrules, handlingdifficultsituationswithpoise,treatingotherswith dignity,andacceptingone'sownmistakes.Inthecaseof present-daycompanies,respectcomesnotfromtherankbut fromthetrustworthinessofthepersonoccupyingthatrank. Theoneswhoareawareofthisdonotgoafterpowerby meansofdomineering.Instead,theywinpowerbybeing trustworthy.Forultimately,themostpowerfulauthorityis notthatwhichpeoplearecompelledtoobey.Itisthat whichtheydecidetoobey.
The Real Discipline of Great Leadership
Highperformancehasalwaysbeenthehallmarkof businesses.Buthighperformancethatis sustainableisthenewstandard.Inaworldthatis constantlychanging,withambitioustargetssetand competitionbeingacontinuousfactor,alotofcompanies stilloperateundertheassumptionthattheirenduranceis unlimitedandpressureisfree.
Consequently,theoutcomeiswhatcanalreadybe expected—burnout,turnover,lowerparticipation,and inconsistencyinperformance.Greatleadershipdoesnot meanpushingteamstothebrinkforthesakeof performance.
Itmeansachievingresultswithoutkillingthesystemthat generatesthem.Thesituationwhereperformanceisequalto
burnoutisacceptedinthebusinessworldasnomorethana wellnessconcept.Itisanoperationaldisciplineinstead.
Itisthecapacitytocreateaworkplacewhereteamswillbe abletoperformwithhighenergyanduniformitythroughout theperiodwithoutnon-exhaustingbeingthepriceof success.
BurnoutisaLeadershipProblemBeforeItisaPeople Problem
Burnoutisfrequentlyconsideredtobeaproblemof individualresilience.However,inmostcases,itturnsoutto beafaultinthedesignoftheorganization.Themajorityof burnoutsituationsarenottheresultofjustonehardweek.
Rather,thewholesystem'senduringordealcausesit:the prioritiesarenotclear,thereisaconstantsenseofurgency, thereareweakdecisionsmade,poordelegation,andno recoverytimeallowed.Oncetheleaderscreatesuchan atmospherewhereeverythingisapriority,theworkis alwaysrising,andtheemployeesthinkthattheyhavetobe alwayspresentinordertobeappreciated,thenburnoutis boundtohappen.
Theoutputoftheorganizationmaystillbetherebutthe performanceisnowverydelicate.Thenumberofmistakes goesup,theexperienceofthecustomergoesdown,and attractingandkeepingtalentbecomesmoredifficult. Sustainableperformancestartswiththeleaderswhorealize thatthepressurehastobetreatedasaresourceandthus managed.
TheDifferenceBetweenHighStandardsandHigh Stress
Numerousexecutivesdrawaparallelbetweensustainability andreducedexpectations.Thisisawrongidea.Excellent firmspreservetheirhighstandardswithoutraisingthestress level.Theydonotyieldaloweroutput.
Theyyieldahigherone,thatis,theoutputismore intelligent.Highstandardsrefertoquality,accountability, speed,andexcellence.Highstressisaresultofconfusion, poorplanning,andrepeatedfirefighting.Themostpowerful teamsarenottheonesworkingthelongesthours;theyare theonesthatpracticeclarityandfocus.Leadership disciplineisthecapacitytoensurestandardswhile eliminatingthestressthatisnotneeded.
ManagersAretheKeytoPreventingBurnout
Burnoutinthemajorityofcompaniesisusuallyalocalized issue.Thedirectsupervisordeterminesthebalanceof burdenandresource,theclarityofrole,thefrequencyof feedback,andtheemotionalsafetyoftheemployee. However,eventhebestorganizationalstrategybecomes uselesswhenmanagerslackthematurityofleadership.Top leadersinvestheavilyinthedevelopmentofmanagers.
Theyteachmanagerstocoach,delegate,clarifypriorities, andestablishfairaccountability Theyminimize micromanagementandmaximizeempowerment.Theteams thatfeeltrustedareperformingbetterandarelessaffected byemotionalstrain.Effectivemanagementisthepractical applicationofburnoutprevention.
PsychologicalSafetyProtectsPerformanceQuality
Burnoutsymptomsareamplifiedinthosewhoexperience theworkenvironmentasunsafe.Punishmentsmetedoutfor errorscanbeverysevere,communicationcanbeindirect andheated,andworkersmayfeelthattheyhavetokeep theirguardsupallthetime.Theresultisthatmentalfatigue addstothealreadyexistingphysicalfatiguecausedby heavyworkloads.
Beingagreatleadermeansyouhavetocreatea psychologicallysafeworkplacewheretheperformanceof employeesiscloselymonitoredandthus,thestandards remainhigh.Teammembersshouldbeencouragedtoraise earlytherisksinvolved,betruthfulandconfesswhatthey don'tknow.
Thisisagoodwayofuncoveringproblemsthatwould otherwisebehiddenanditalsolessensthepressureputon employeesbyanxiety-inducedoverworking.Trusting relationshipsatworkleadtoasituationwhereworkersdo notneedtospendmucheffortinfearmanagementand consequently,theyareabletoinvestthateffortinachieving results.
Conclusion
Performancewithoutburnoutthegreatestdisciplineof leadershipthatisgreatsyllablecount,itrequiresmaturity, restraint,andsystemsthinking.Itrequiresleaderswho guardthefocus,decidequickly,removetheunnecessary friction,setthespeedoftheorganization,andinvestinthe peopleandculture.
Forawhile,theperformancecanbeforced.Sustainable performancemustbeplanned.Eventually,thegreatest leadersarenottheoneswhogetresultsbytiringthestaff. Theyaretheoneswhocreateinstitutionswherethestaff canperformatthepeaklevelconsistently—becausethe systemfacilitatesthem,theprioritiesareclear,andthe pressureisintelligentlycontrolled.
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