Guest Blog - Tania Fowler
Leadership ‘Til You Die
Posted on September 17, 2012
An overused, ubiquitous term with entire bookstore shelves dedicated to unraveling the mysteries of its magic. And…an evolving ideal for dealing with real world problems that people must work to resolve or improve with the help of and for the good of others.
We know the text book definitions of good leadership: Leaders are people who corral followers with an inspiring message; good, workable ideas; and the savvy to surround themselves with talented people who can make things happen. They build trust by genuinely taking the hit with what goes wrong and heaping praise on others when things go right. They communicate their messages with clarity and authenticity. They tell you what needs to happen and create the vision to get you there, yet they are willing to listen to many conflicting ideas, making the tough decisions after hearing the solicited input. They are unafraid of being disliked if they are acting in alignment with their intrinsic beliefs. In business they do all of this while building stronger companies making departments and employees functionally interdependent. They foster growth by persevering through obstacles while maintaining an understanding that their workforce is at the heart of carrying out every decision.
But, great leaders engender confidence in their people by trusting them to make their own way, by listening with curiosity, and allowing people to make mistakes. They allow failure! And often they can see the mistakes coming on the horizon and allow the failure just the same knowing that we only learn through our challenges and not through what’s easy. The learning is in the planning, the doing, and the result; something that should always be encouraged by great leaders. Great leaders help people feel confident about their intrinsic capabilities. They are careful to keep their egos in check at the expense of their people by avoiding the pitfalls of proving they were right, one-upping, minimizing, and even taking credit for good ideas that were not their own. They are patient. They take the long view; they invest in R & D, and I don’t mean just a research lab but in their people as well. They believe in balance because while they can’t let major issues slip, they also understand that their role is to build the most capable teams and employees who can think both critically and creatively. They believe in teaching and coaching versus telling, yelling, and dictating.
But at the top of all of this, great leaders bring courage and perseverance into the room. Courage to look at themselves and what they are doing, how they are leading, and how they are communicating with an ear for what resonates and how they can be better. They pay attention to whether what they do and say are in alignment, knowing that everyone is watching. They regard; they don’t disregard. They tell truth. And in demonstrating this courage without talking about it, they tacitly give permission for everyone else to be vulnerable in seeking ways to be better. They persevere in their relentless pursuit to be better. Wanting to be better indicates great character and an understanding that you are not done in life. Great leaders know they are not done ‘til they are dead.
Courageous and persevering leaders understand that acknowledging their weaknesses may just be their greatest strength.
And here’s the thing; let’s not leave leadership to people who run companies and countries. We should understand that we all lead people in our lives whether we’re parents, teachers, community volunteers, or small, one-person run businesses. We need to practice leadership in our own lives and not point to others to do it for us. It is my belief that almost all of us want to be better…until the day we die.
Who would you nominate as a great leader in your life?
Posted on September 17, 2012
An overused, ubiquitous term with entire bookstore shelves dedicated to unraveling the mysteries of its magic. And…an evolving ideal for dealing with real world problems that people must work to resolve or improve with the help of and for the good of others.
We know the text book definitions of good leadership: Leaders are people who corral followers with an inspiring message; good, workable ideas; and the savvy to surround themselves with talented people who can make things happen. They build trust by genuinely taking the hit with what goes wrong and heaping praise on others when things go right. They communicate their messages with clarity and authenticity. They tell you what needs to happen and create the vision to get you there, yet they are willing to listen to many conflicting ideas, making the tough decisions after hearing the solicited input. They are unafraid of being disliked if they are acting in alignment with their intrinsic beliefs. In business they do all of this while building stronger companies making departments and employees functionally interdependent. They foster growth by persevering through obstacles while maintaining an understanding that their workforce is at the heart of carrying out every decision.
But, great leaders engender confidence in their people by trusting them to make their own way, by listening with curiosity, and allowing people to make mistakes. They allow failure! And often they can see the mistakes coming on the horizon and allow the failure just the same knowing that we only learn through our challenges and not through what’s easy. The learning is in the planning, the doing, and the result; something that should always be encouraged by great leaders. Great leaders help people feel confident about their intrinsic capabilities. They are careful to keep their egos in check at the expense of their people by avoiding the pitfalls of proving they were right, one-upping, minimizing, and even taking credit for good ideas that were not their own. They are patient. They take the long view; they invest in R & D, and I don’t mean just a research lab but in their people as well. They believe in balance because while they can’t let major issues slip, they also understand that their role is to build the most capable teams and employees who can think both critically and creatively. They believe in teaching and coaching versus telling, yelling, and dictating.
But at the top of all of this, great leaders bring courage and perseverance into the room. Courage to look at themselves and what they are doing, how they are leading, and how they are communicating with an ear for what resonates and how they can be better. They pay attention to whether what they do and say are in alignment, knowing that everyone is watching. They regard; they don’t disregard. They tell truth. And in demonstrating this courage without talking about it, they tacitly give permission for everyone else to be vulnerable in seeking ways to be better. They persevere in their relentless pursuit to be better. Wanting to be better indicates great character and an understanding that you are not done in life. Great leaders know they are not done ‘til they are dead.
Courageous and persevering leaders understand that acknowledging their weaknesses may just be their greatest strength.
And here’s the thing; let’s not leave leadership to people who run companies and countries. We should understand that we all lead people in our lives whether we’re parents, teachers, community volunteers, or small, one-person run businesses. We need to practice leadership in our own lives and not point to others to do it for us. It is my belief that almost all of us want to be better…until the day we die.
Who would you nominate as a great leader in your life?
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