Have you ever come across a Mouldy ManagerTM? If you do, Phil Greenwood, head of Technical Consulting, EQ Investors, has some ideas that can help both you and them.
This is to do with relationships, with character, with opportunity, with opening doors.
We tend to think that we are apart from the other things in the world, but we are more connected to the natural world than we often realise. We can learn a lot from nature, for example, on how to structure our workplace relationships. And it is relationships that drive so much when it comes to personal growth.
Amensalism – I beg your pardon?
And this is where amensalism comes in. Amensalism is a phenomenon in nature where one species benefits at the expense of another, it is a relationship where one is stymied or destroyed and the other is unaffected. It translates as “not at the table”.
A classic example is the black walnut tree, which releases a chemical called juglone into the soil, inhibiting the growth of nearby plants. The tree thrives while surrounding vegetation suffers, leading to a less diverse ecosystem. This is an example of “competition” and it’s easy to see how this relationship, when mapped across to the workplace, can be catastrophic for the development of a more junior member of the team.
Another example of amensalism in action is Penicillium mould, which produces penicillin to inhibit the growth of bacteria. While the mould remains unaffected, the bacteria’s ability to thrive is destroyed. I’m not calling anyone bacteria, but if you were, you would not be particularly happy with the mould.
Spotting a Mouldy Manager
The Mouldy ManagerTM is one who’s perspective is internal. They want to hold on to what they have and feel threatened by those around them.
This can lead to hoarding knowledge and not providing the right development opportunities to team members. They may be acting out of the fear that they will lose their position, that their achievements may be lessened somehow by others rising up and improving.
This could be the micromanager who controls every detail of their team’s work (maybe even what they wear), leaving no room for creativity or development. The team suffers, leading to a decline in morale, productivity, and innovation.
This could manifest in a manager who constantly criticises ideas without offering constructive feedback. This not only kills enthusiasm but also discourages further contributions. Over time, employees become disengaged. This could result in high turnover rates and reduced productivity. This mindset, like mould, will spread if left unchecked.
It can take a strong will to overcome the fear and realise that success is not singular. In defence of the manager, I do believe that most people don’t behave this way out of an innate evil (it’s really not that black and white in most cases), but because of the pressures they feel, a lack of training, or knowledge, on how to manage a team effectively. It’s easy to vilify them, but with the right support, they could turn around their destructive habits.
It’s quite possible that they are feeling out of their depth, and imposter syndrome can lead to this fear of “being found out”, even if this is baseless. A logical (if damaging) extension of this is to stop others from improving. To protect what they have.
The power lies with the manager, and also the responsibility. Creating an amensal relationship within a team is unfortunately quite common. It is extremely short-sighted. It destroys talent and deprives those coming up of their voice and agency.
Symbiosis
Mutualism is a version of symbiosis. It is one where both parties benefit from the relationship. If you set up a mutualistic relationship with your team, they will benefit from the development, and you will benefit from their increased skillset, and, often overlooked, their confidence as well. Confidence will allow that team member to feel able to bring up an idea. That idea could go anywhere. We are better as a collective, with everyone bringing something to the table, rather than being excluded from it.
Raising others up will not reduce you. Quite the opposite.
Take the example of bees and flowers. Both thrive because they support each other. It is a mutually beneficial relationship which not only helps them but helps the planet. It’s not hard to see that a mutually beneficial relationship between team members can help the individuals and the organisation to thrive. The good news is that (if you are a manager anyway) this is within your control, you can make the choice. And if you need help, then reach out, don’t suffer in silence, perpetuating a cycle of destructive habits.
If you manage people well, they will thrive. So, don’t be a Mouldy Manager and watch as you reap the benefits.
Main image: brooke-lark-nMffL1zjbw4-unsplash
