The MTL Professional Development Programme is a collection of 202 PowerPoint presentations that will provide you with step-by-step summaries of a key management or personal development skill. This presentation is on "The Art of Non-Doing" and will show you how non-intervention is the secret to successful group facilitation.

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MTL: The Professional Development Programme
The Art of Non-Doing
THE ART OF NON-
DOING
Being effective by being there
MTL: The ProfessionalDevelopment Programme

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MTL: The Professional Development Programme
The Art of Non-Doing
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from thenounproject. All clipart is from free sources. The MTL Professional Development Programme is copyright of Manage Train
Learn.
TheArt of
Non-Doing
Introduction: Managing people without doing anything is a strange concept for some
people who believe that, to get a group of people to work, you have to direct them,
control them, and push them. But when you are pushing them in the wrong direction, and
against the flow, it is like pushing a river upstream: it's hard work and will probably not
succeed. The alternative is non-doing and in this topic we’ll look at 7 ways that you can
practise it.

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The Art of Non-Doing
Be fully present so that you can sense where the group is
1.
ATTENTIVENESS
https://www.flickr.com/photos/joi/30842850052/
When you practise non-doing in any leadership
role, it doesn’t mean that you are doing nothing.
It means you are still, quiet and attentive to what
is going on. In the attentive state, you are aware
of what is happening in the group without
needing to judge it or put a name to it. As an
observer, you can decide whether a struggling
group need you to intervene or whether with a
little help they can make it on their own.

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The Art of Non-Doing
2.
EMPOWERMENT
https://www.flickr.com/photos/joi/30842852122/in/dateposted/
A mature responsible group can manage itself
The problem with the old approach of directing,
deciding, and doing is that, when a leader makes
all these interventions, (a) they take away the
power of the group; and (b) they make the group
dependent on them. The group become like
children, not adults. Simply by stepping back from
these traditional roles, the facilitative leader
signals that it is for the group to perform them
instead.

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The Art of Non-Doing
Be present but don’t interfere or direct
3. SUBTLE
SUPPORT
https://www.flickr.com/photos/citrixsynergy/8103135226/
Subtle support allows you to support people
without making them dependent on you. Here
are two simple ways to give subtle support. First,
be present. Being present is often enough to let
people know you’re backing them. You don’t have
to do anything except be there. Second, give non-
verbal cues. You can do this through a whole host
of underplayed body language signals. A smile, a
wink, a gentle touch on the arm, a querying look
of the eyes, a gentle nod: all these can encourage
without directing.

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MTL: The Professional Development Programme
The Art of Non-Doing
4.
GENTLENESS
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739169/
Gentle leadership means you don’t come on too strong
Gentleness may sound soft, but it is one of the
most powerful ways you can act. If, for example,
the group have a problem and are spoiling for a
fight, gentleness takes the sting out of the
argument and overcomes any resistance. Gentle
persuasion techniques include suggesting options
for the group to consider; posing questions to
make the group think; pointing out the
consequences of decisions; not arguing for any
point of view; and making your point indirectly
through stories and anecdotes.

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The Art of Non-Doing
5. ABSENCE
https://www.flickr.com/photos/marinadelcastell/8998652737/
A group can be more creative when the leader’s not there
In traditional forms of leadership, the absence of
the leader meant that the group could relax. The
pressure was off, even if just for a short while. It
often resulted in a drop in performance. In non-
doing leadership, the absence of the leader
allows the group to grow. Being absent lets the
group know that the leader trusts them and often
results in greater effectiveness.

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MTL: The Professional Development Programme
The Art of Non-Doing
6. CHARISMA
One of the most powerful qualities of non-doing
leadership is charisma. Charisma is hard to
define. The word comes from the “Charities”, or
Graces, of Greek mythology, who were reputed to
have given mankind the gifts of humour,
graciousness, and good manners. All great leaders
have the gift of charisma. One of the most
charismatic leaders to have lived was President
John Kennedy. It was said that, when you spoke
to Kennedy, you were made to feel that nothing
else mattered to him at that moment but your
thoughts, your ideas, and your feelings. Such is
the power of charisma.
TheThree Graces by Sandro Boticelli
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charites#/media/File:Threegraces.jpg

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The Art of Non-Doing
7. CLASS
https://www.flickr.com/photos/poptech/10481822733/
Modern leaders have inner strength
There is a paradox about the leaders of old who
relied on traditional power to get things done.
The paradox is that the more they relied on their
power, the more they appeared weak without it.
Modern leaders, by contrast, don’t need to
display their power. Their strength comes from
within. That means you don’t need to come on
too strong with anyone. By being gentle and
confident, you display all the power you need.
That way you gain the respect of others. This is
known as “class”.

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The Art of Non-Doing
This has been a Slide Topic from Manage Train Learn
AFinal
Word
In today’s business world, the leader is a non-doing catalyst. Their role is to ignite the team into
action, by building a fire in their hearts. Such leaders don’t have to perform tricks or play to the
gallery. In gentleness and non-doing, they can be infinitely more effective than their counterparts
of the past.