Lead More…

There’s thousands of books on how to become a better leader, and just as many with inspiring stories about leading varying industries, economies and overcoming adversities of all shapes and sizes. Looking in the mirror is great for generating or deepening your self awareness, but what if you don’t know what you’re looking for?

Many executives and business professionals we’ve worked with once they’re honest with themselves reveal there’s this very small inner fear that they’re “not enough” or “less than”. If you’re looking to be a better leader or business owner, then this brief article shares some simple, powerful and practical insight to bulletproof your career and organizational future today.

Four Essential To-Do’s Starting Today:

Delegate – extend trust to your team. Easier said than done? Or is this trait difficult, because loosening (not losing) some control is beyond a current capability of yours. Notice, I didn’t say ALL control – some. Relinquishing control, as some of you are internalizing this point, demonstrates to others and indirectly yourself perhaps you lack trust in others from a past negative experience. According to a Gallup survey, trust is the #1 factor attributing to a leader’s success. I said simple, I didn’t say easy.

Communicate – initiate authentic conversations, and be succinct while speaking directly – be clear, concise and compelling. Without it, we’re hearing ourselves speak, not learning anything and thus not solving any problems. As a leader, you’re charged with communicating more frequently and solving problems together with your people up, down and across an organization. Want to be a better leader, really? Communicate effectively, simply and powerfully!

Be Likeable – whether you characterize this ‘to-do’ as enthusiasm, attitude or energy, the underlying premise is to naturally exude positive energy; keep an upbeat attitude. Not a Pollyanna fake-it-til-you-make-it, rather a genuine, sincere and honestly likeable personality. I didn’t say anything about being charismatic or an extrovert. Some of the best leaders I know and have had the pleasure of working with avoid ‘the stage’. Their confident sense of self and clear communication far outweigh any appearance of a ‘high octane’ persona.

Be Accountable – act ethically and responsibly, and don’t make promises you can’t keep. There’s very little else to say. Remember the early point about trust? You must be trustworthy to be a better leader. Be accountable to yourself so you can demonstrate accountability. Be accountable as a leader for your team.

What can you do to LEAD MORE today?

What will you do to lead today?

The everchanging environment we live and work in today is starved for a need, for purpose, direction and unity. A leader must extend trust, inspire drive, be courageous under stress and encourage people throughout an organization – in short, LEAD – throughout the ambiguity, turbulence and constant change. Leadership is rare!

What do people do when they don’t lead?  The truth is in your meeting agendas, in the people you surround yourself with and the conversations with them. Daily work consumes future-work, and necessity trumps opportunity. Our calendars, agendas and conversations are cluttered with management activities and busy work, and we often don’t realize how bad it is until we step back and take an honest inventory or ask a trusted person to help. The issue is bigger than ourselves, as an owner-operator or C-suite, it is systemic to drive plans, budgets, policies, processes, measures and controls to force a complex organization to do what it naturally does not do: function reliably and efficiently, day-by-day, which is, in short, management.

We manage process, numbers and operations. You cannot manage people. You LEAD them or you don’t. Everything we do and are accountable for is done with and through people. Very, very few of these people have ever run a business at- or -to scale.  And for some of you, what are you willing to commit to today and in the same vein, what are you not willing to commit to today?

…the conversation continues…