Remote Control Strategy
Lead indirectly
The Remote Control Strategy involves leading indirectly by selecting, grooming, and placing protégés who share your vision and can think on their own. This approach allows you to assert your authority without being seen as a dictator, and to streamline your organization by cutting out waste and unnecessary reports. By operating through a kind of remote control, you can exercise control without being directly involved in every detail.
- Lead indirectly through protégés who share your vision.
- Streamline your organization by cutting out waste and unnecessary reports.
- Assert your authority without being seen as a dictator.
- Select and groom protégésIdentify and develop individuals who share your vision and can think on their own. Provide them with the necessary training and support to enable them to make decisions and take actions that align with your goals.Pro tipLook for individuals who are ambitious, share your desire for reform, and are able to think critically.WarningBe cautious not to micromanage or try to control every detail, as this can undermine the effectiveness of your protégés.
- Streamline your organizationCut out waste and unnecessary reports by reducing the number of deputies and streamlining communication channels. This will enable you to focus on the larger picture and assert your authority more effectively.Pro tipUse a 'directed telescope' approach to gather information and stay informed about key issues, while avoiding unnecessary details.WarningBe careful not to cut out essential functions or reports, as this can compromise the effectiveness of your organization.
- Assert your authority indirectlyUse your protégés and streamlined organization to assert your authority without being seen as a dictator. This can be achieved by using indirect communication, such as subtle hints or suggestions, rather than direct orders.Pro tipUse your protégés to spread a spirit of camaraderie and efficiency that becomes self-policing, reducing the need for direct intervention.WarningBe cautious not to undermine the authority of your protégés or to be seen as manipulative, as this can damage relationships and compromise the effectiveness of your organization.
Marshall transformed the War Department and the U.S. Army by selecting and grooming protégés who shared his vision and could think on their own. He streamlined the organization by cutting out waste and unnecessary reports, and asserted his authority indirectly through his protégés.
The strategy is illustrated through the example of General George C. Marshall, who transformed the War Department and the U.S. Army by selecting and grooming protégés who shared his vision and could think on their own. Marshall's approach allowed him to assert his authority without being seen as a dictator, and to streamline the organization by cutting out waste and unnecessary reports.