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The company is expecting inspirational leaders and employees are happily willing to be ones, ONLY IF they just know how the levels are defined

# 1- They are Foretellers:

C- Level Bad: Only focuses on today’s problems. Wants to have quick fixes or cover, ignoring potential long-term consequences. Ignores signs given to them by their team or partners about potential risks. Easley misses opportunities even if offered to them.

Action: Run away, they’re going to sink soon

B- Level Good: Turn every stone up looking for hidden opportunities, takes the signs and signals gestured by their team and customers seriously and finds out root causes and act on them. Carefully considering future consequences and cross functional implications in every decision they make.

Action: Hold on them, they’re securing your job

A- Level Foreteller: Sees things no one else can see. Creates opportunities everyday every where. Can notice minor changes in business trends and people and are strong enough to make bold decisions accordingly. Can build on the scattered data to constitute a picture for the future, they actually lives there, now. Will always strike you with totally different perspectives to things.

Action: Work for them even for free, they will change the way you see things

# 2- They are Magicians:

C- Level Bad: Steals your ideas, efforts & work, claim it for themselves and have no problem getting recognized for someone’s else efforts. poor imagination and discourage creativity

Action: Run away, just run

B- Level Good: They are very innovative and encourage teams to think out of the box, loves trying creative approaches, assuring and supportive in case of failure. Fair enough to assign the credit to you if it was your idea and accomplishment, proudly presenting it to everyone.

Action: hold on them, firmly

A- Level Magician: It is their own idea, throw you tips leading you to think about it, engage you through, let you do the work, once done, gives you solely the credit for the success and celebrate it with everyone. Amazingly you are convinced it was yours.

Action: work with them even for free, they are rare!!

# 3- They are Talent Hunters:

C- Level Bad: Scared of talents in their teams and exert tremendous efforts to expel them out, try to hire low-profiles to ensure lack of successors. Pretend to focus on numbers rather than personnel development therefore hires doers not thinkers. Trust no one and do all jobs themselves.

Action: Run away, you’ll suffer otherwise

B- Level Good: Search for talents, hire and develop them continuously. Have multiple successors as they believe it their way for next steps. Become the talent’s voice and sponsors. Trust their talents with their important tasks. Offer them tracks for development and follow them up.

Action: Hold on them, they are fun to work for

A- Level Hunters: Assumes everyone is a talent, turns them into high-potentials through extensive mentoring, delegations and believe. Never compromise on talent selection while maintaining diversity. They can easily spot talents in short time, would always put them in the right role. Sees potential in people they themselves couldn’t realize. Take their development responsibility personally and raise the bar continuously.

Action: Work for them even for free, you would evolve quickly

# 4- They are Fair and square

C- Level Bad: Have preferences to some team members over others, giving away extra benefits to gain their loyalty to themselves. Tend to split the team, have 10 versions of each story, stubborn and avoid confrontation. Always surrounded by their gang of hypocrites

Action: Run away, you are not getting anywhere

B- Level Good: Very much focused on treating people equally, living the fairness values, consistent in their decisions to avoid confusions. Transparent in their communication specially when granting exceptions. Accepts criticism and revise their decision when mistaken. They speak their mind and have one version of each story.

Action: Hold on them, you will get what you deserve

A- Level Fair: Treats all their team members fairly but not necessarily equally, very much aware about personal variations/ needs yet having no preferences to anyone, not even giving a chance for any misperception of preferences. Wouldn’t mind perceived as injustice as long as they are consistent and transparent with everyone. Live their values even under pressure.

Action: Work for them even for free, you’ll prosper

# 5- They are Challenger:

C- Level Bad: Has answers to all questions as they believe it’s their role to have them. Tend not to ask simple questions to avoid perceived as the idiot in the room. Single minded, hate alternatives as it confuses them. Happy to stay in their comfort zone as change is a source of risks for them.

Action: Run away, otherwise you are going to be stuck forever

B- Level Good: Always ask smart questions aiming to understand and explore alternatives. They carefully read the numbers and finds the story beyond it. Consider change as a chance. Sets high standards and not afraid to stretch goals and keep raising the bar. They are OK if they are challenged back. They smile 😊

Action: Hold on them, they are wonderful mentors

A- Level Challenger: Never accepts status quo, they hate complacency and considers it the first step to failure. Do nothing but ask stupid questions and expects smart answers, yet never consider anyone’s question stupid. Would always seek alternative routes, think BIG as small steps doesn’t excite them enough. Loves to be challenged back so to ensure perfection. They always smile 😊

Action: Work for them even for free, they will make you re-discover yourself

# 6- They are Balancing:

C- Level Bad: Despite they try to apply situational leadership approach, they usually tend to lean on one quadrant most of the time with all team members. Jumps to compromised solutions quickly to avoid conflicts. Tend to focus on sorting out immediate pressing problems and avoid fixing the more complicated long term challenges.

Action: Run away, you will not learn much

B- Level Good: Fix the basics first, pave the way and lead the team through. focuses on results but more importantly knows exactly how it was achieved. Recognizes strong performers even if their numbers are lagging. They are aware about the relationships between “actions and results” So, focuses on what really matters. Can find the right mix between digital & physical. They don’t compromise instantly but cleaver in balancing their attention towards issues that seems to be less in focus and needs intervention.

Action: Hold on him, they will get you through

A- Level Balancer: They are capable of balancing everything without compromises and not necessarily mid ways, they can confidently go to extremes if needed. Based on each situation, they magically can find the right balance between contradicting standpoint e.g. Results oriented vs. People oriented, Strategic vs. Operational, Topline vs. profits, System vs. innovation, Flexibility vs. compliance, Motivation vs. Assertiveness etc… They rely on transparency to engage their teams if they get confused and relentlessly explain what they are doing. Believe that decision making is all about weighing alternatives for best outcomes

Action: Work for him even for free, you’ll learn how to maneuver during VUCA times

# 7- They are Igniters:

C- The Bad: Avoid public speaking, tries to impress audience with complicated data. They use the same message for different audience type. Deliver data rather than clear messages and ways forward. They might stutter and not much caring about how well presentable they are. Enjoys looooong torturing meetings with no agenda or outcomes.

Action: Run away, you will be embarrassed

B- The Good: Ignite enthusiasm every time they address their audience. Embrace simple minded approach, uses illustrations, and metaphors to effectively deliver their message. Tailoring their communication to their audience. They use strong body language to maintain attention. They always use multiple communication channels to ensure message delivered. Invite for well-prepared meetings with clear outcomes.

Action: Hold on them, they will make you proud

A- The Igniters: They are charismatic characters by nature, they radiate confidence based on knowledge and experience. Very simple in their communication style and messages. Tends to use short statement yet persuasive argument. Shows empathy and carefully reads audience reactions and adapt accordingly, always succeeding in capturing their full attention in crowd or individual. They spare quality time for one to one interactions and ensures everyone is involved. They find every chance to APPRECIATE

Action: Work for him even for free, but be careful as they can convince you with literally anything

# 8- They are Fighters:

C- Level Bad: Their brains always comforts to the excuse mood, always rationalizing every mistake. Delegate tough jobs and start finger pointing once the s**t hits the fan. Limited imagination, poor in creating alternatives. They can only see troubles in any challenging situations. Exerts big efforts in hiding the truth instead of approaching them transparently and planning for a solution.

Action: Run away, they would drag you in troubles

B- Level Good: They always thrive to achieve their plan and will have plan-B because they know things might go wrong. Are committed because they are experienced, and don’t mind following their gut feelings. Don’t mind delivering bad news, and willing to take the blame. Sense the tension and addresses the right challenges with the right tone. They are quick responders and resilient characters.

Action: Hold on him, they are reliable

A- Level Fighters: Have plan B, C and even D, never give up, already one step ahead all the time. They can easily spot the upsides in any tough circumstances. They consider the plan as a promise and take it personal. Courageous in delivering bad news but with proper recommendations. They are always positive in the way they think, and they act with calmness when everyone else panics. They don’t give up because they fight for a PURPOSE

Action: Work for him even for free, they will build your muscles

# 9- They are Sinners:

C- Level Bad: Never admits mistakes, actually, they don’t believe they do any, they are always right because others don’t know or understand! Don’t accept excuses because they believe people are manipulative. Work like robots and expects everyone else to do the same. So arrogant that can’t see people leaving because of their attitude, have NO self awareness. Wants copies of themselves. Always threatens !!

Action: Run away, they will drive you crazy

B- Level Good: They act humanly with candor, admits their mistakes once realized. Respects other’s choices and welcomes diversity. Simple character and fun to be around. Source of continuous encouragement and support for low-but-improving performers. Sleep over their anger and give the benefit of doubt to everyone. They have good work-family balance and collaborate well with others.

Action: Hold on them, they make you feel secured

A- Level Sinners: Admits mistakes publicly. Accept failure and share its stories to develop self and others. If they fail, they fail quickly and take rapid decisions to rectify consequences, respected for their transparency. Invites diversity and believes it is a source of strength. Give hope to all in need, never give up on anyone trying to improve. They are humble because they are strong.

Action: Work for them even for free, it’s lovely to be a human

#10- They are Eagle Leaders

The shift between top line, strategic & visionary role a leader needs to be, versus the deep dive, detailed & micromanagement roles he needs to sometimes takeover is frequently a great source of confusion, frustration, and questions

C- Level Bad: They are all time micro-managers

B- Level Good: They are always top view managers

A- Level Eagle: Eagles 🦅 fly high in the horizon and in a second dive deep into the sea 🌊 to catch its prey.

It is the same for leaders, they maintain focus on vision, strategies and staying strong yet in a second able to decide when to deep dive into details that keeps the organization away from prospering and back to top view.

So, rules for micromanagement:

1- Only when needed (a persistent problem, lack of transparency, a colleague that needs extensive support etc. ) , exceptionally

2- Don’t stay long in the water (quickly pull out of the details, proportionate to the time in strategic matters)

Advice for those who are managed by Micro’s:

• Make sure you are not lacking the knowledge or skills for your job

• Make sure your manager is aware about your work in full transparency

• Make sure you always provide solutions not present problems