“Hands-on managerial CEOs are, on average, less effective than leaders who stay more high-level,” according to a recent Harvard Business Review study that reviewed survey data from more than 1,000 CEOs across six countries.

In other words: “It seems that the CEOs who didn’t meddle in every detail of every decision were, on the whole, a touch more successful that those who floated in the ether …,” wrote Chris Matyszczyk, owner of Howard Raucous LLC, in a recent Inc.com post, who analyzed the HBR study.

I found the study interesting and I encourage you to take a look at it.

While the study acknowledges leaders must understand and find the “right fit between the CEO’s leadership style and what the company actually needs,” it was clear from this research that leaders over managers were deemed the more successful CEOs. I took this to mean that when you hire the right people for the job, step aside whenever you can and let them work.

continue reading »