Too many people -- more women than men, it seems -- are less than excited about their leadership role. They acknowledge that leadership is their job, but they aren't fully stepping up.
Leadership means taking responsibility, and it also means wielding power. It means really caring about your team members' development, challenging them to step up. And it means saying so if they don't ... or if their efforts are less-than-successful.
You help no one when you step back from the leadership aspects of your job. And you're stepping back when you blame senior management for what you're asking your team to produce.
The truth is that, from time to time, you'll need to ask for a push. For an extra effort. For a greater-than-usual commitment. And you have every right to expect your team to respond. If extraordinary efforts are regularly required, you need to be asking for increased headcount, and making the best possible case for that to your leadership.
