Steve MacAulay

Let Them theory has become an important talking point amongst managers and management theorists. A book on the subject has been flying off the shelves: some 8 million copies have been bought already. Allow those who work for you to spread their wings to try out new things In a nutshell, Let Them theory says to leaders don’t do everything yourself, don’t micromanage. Allow those who work for you to spread their wings to try out new things.

For busy people, “office politics” can often feel like a barrier to skill and culture-building and just getting things done. However, developing political skill is not about encouraging scheming, it is about equipping leaders to be effective change agents. To ensure “good work” actually delivers results, leaders must master the informal systems of influence.

Performance management used to be a once-a-year ritual: managers dusted off last year’s objectives, employees braced themselves, and HR prepared for the paperwork. In today’s world of rapid change, dispersed teams and rising expectations, performance management has become one of the most strategically important levers available to organisations. Yet many still rely on outdated, compliance-driven processes that frustrate managers and disengage employees.