Lead by Collaborating With People, Not Sidelining Them — Part 1

What do you do if a person, whom you supervise, shares an idea regarding your workplace, and you like it? Do you take over, co-opting the idea and preventing your coworker from participating? A better approach than excluding and marginalizing your coworker is collaborating with them, perhaps letting them take the lead. Since they thought of the suggestion, they could be the best person to implement it. Furthermore, they may want to do the work.

If you sideline your colleague, it may be because you:

• Feel that accepting your coworker’s idea should be enough for that person. – Mere acceptance may not be sufficient. Your colleague may be happy that you accept their idea but feel upset that you marginalized and boxed them out.
• Are threatened by others. – Your coworker may not be trying to take your job. They just may want to help with office goals that are important to both of you. Supervising people who produce high-quality work reflects well on you.
• Like to have control. – You may know less about the idea than your colleague does and, therefore, end up with a final product that would have benefited from including your coworker.
• Do not want to lose your power. – Your colleague may not want your power. They may want to make meaningful contributions.
• Think you could do a better job. – Your colleague may know more about the subject than you do and could do a better job.
• Worry about potential mistakes – You could coach and work with the individual to prevent errors. You could also give them the lead and review and correct their work.
• Feel that your colleague may be too busy with their other work to implement their idea. – You could give them the option of trying to accomplish both their assigned duties and idea-related work. If they are unable to do everything, you could talk with them to find a mutually agreeable solution.
• Want to be more efficient, thinking it would be best if only one person (you) implements the idea. – Since your colleague thought of the idea, they very well may know more about it than you do. Thus, they could be the point person.
• Think it just may be easier for you to do it. – It could be easier for your coworker, rather than you, to follow through with the suggestion. They may have relevant knowledge and skills that you do not have.
• Have bias against demographic trait(s) of person. – Biases against demographic traits are wrong. Do not be biased, and do not let biases interfere with your work.
• Do not realize that you are sidelining your coworker. – Realize how your actions may come across to others, and change your behavior.
• Do not really know how to lead but think you know how to manage people. – You can learn about how to manage people so you do not repeat this behavior.

Learn more about the negative effects of marginalizing colleagues in my follow-up piece, titled “Working With Coworkers, Not Sidelining Them — Part 2.”

Miriam Edelman, MPA, MSSW, is a Washington, D.C.-based policy professional. Her experience includes policy work for Congress. Miriam’s undergraduate degree is from Barnard College, Columbia University, with majors in political science and urban studies. She has a master’s in public administration from Cornell University, where she was inducted into the national honorary society for public administration. She has a master’s of science in social work (focusing on policy) from Columbia University. She is a commissioner of the DC Commission on Persons with Disabilities. Miriam aims to continue her career in public service. She is especially interested in democracy, civic education, District of Columbia autonomy, diversity, health policy, women’s issues, and disabilities.

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