Leadership Torque

Build your Leadership Cred: Listen

Paul Tillich said "The first duty of love is to listen". I wonder if the same could be said for leadership. When you lead someone you only know where to begin if you know where those you lead are at. I've realised through many painful and embarrassing moments that what I can think is the best course of action, can often be totally wrong, because I'm not aware of the full picture, because I have not taken the time to listen.

It is said that Bill Clinton would listen through the bottom of a can of Coke! What does that mean? Simply that regardless of what he did when in the presence of another, they always felt that he was listening to them, even went sipping some coke. I want to be that kind of leader who listens to those they lead in such a way that my leadership is appropriately tweaked so as not only to meet them where they are at, but to lead them effectively to the destination they will benefit from.

I think I could be so bold as to guarauntee that if someone you lead feels you truly listen to them, then your credibility will increase!

THE CALL TO ACTION: Today, I think I can safely say that you will be in a number of conversations. In each of them focus on listening, rather than talking. Ask questions and concentrate. After the conversation has finished recall what the main points of interest were in the conversation. If you do this on a regular basis you'll see how quickly your listening skills are fine tuned!

Note of caution, it's easy to listen and hear what you want to hear rather than what is actually being said. Challenge yourself to understand where the other person is coming from and what they are saying!

Build your Leadership Cred: Care

Caring for others goes an enormously long way to making them feel valued. If they feel valued by you, they'll want to be around you and want to know what you think and have to say, hence it strengthens your influence with them, making it easier to lead them.

I find people don't need grand gestures or a huge show to convince them that you care, they just need to know that someone who is responsible for leading them does care. Now we all know how easy it is to care for people who we naturally gravitate toward and find it easy to be friends with, but what about all those others?

Well you are leading them, therefore you do care about them, otherwise why would you bother? But we both know that showing them you care, whether it be through a note, or a short conversation, or an email, or a text message, is an action that you have to take, rather than a natural flow of events. That action however holds in it's grasp enormous power. We're not talking about faking care for someone, we're talking about actioning something that is real, but not necessarily within our comfort zone.

THE CALL TO ACTION: Right now think of three people who you lead, and in the next 2 days do something for or say something to them that conveys you care about them and they are valuable!

Build your Leadership Cred: Serve

Someone said to me the other day "When I think of servant leadership, I think of you!" I've waited a long, long time to hear those words! Well in fact I've never actually waited to hear them, but I have tried, ever since I began leading people to above everything else, serve them. The fact that someone named that, validated what I feel has been a major defining element in my leadership.

I'm a great starter of things, but in the (now very distant) past have been a poor finisher. Mainly because finishing requires allot of the behind the scenes, hard going, floor mopping, vacuum driving, chair shifting, rubbish clearing, servant work and I'd rather not do that! But I realised that if I don't, nobody else will. But if I as the leader do, then hopefully my example will inspire others to also serve.

I know how easy it is to sit back after an event and feel a sense of achievement and not realise there are others still working to clean up the mess I've created. So to gain credibility with those who are still at work, and to finish what I have started, and to show that I would never expect someone under my leadership to do a job I'm not willing to do, I like to serve!

More times than I care to remember have I seen a leader lose cred, because they're sitting back while people (literally) work around them to clean up the mess. I find it hard to comprehend nowadays why you wouldn't want to be working in the trenches with the team till the job is done, so we can all celebrate together on it's completion.

THE CALL TO ACTION: When is the next situation where there Will be a chance for you to serve? Work out when it is and what you can do, and then plan to roll your sleeves up and jump in, then make sure you execute the plan. You'll see things from a different point of view, and gain some cred in the process!

Build Your Leadership Cred(ibility)

My hunch, based on what I observe in many different facets and areas of leadership is that everyday amazing opportunities to build ones leadership credibility fall by the way side. Maybe this is because people are unaware that they could gain some cred and don't. Maybe sometimes people just plain can't be bothered. Maybe sometimes people know they can do something but don't see the massive upside of something so simple? Maybe it's some other totally different reason!

But what I hope this next series is able to do, is to show you how the smallest things, done consistently can have such major rewards in your leadership of others! I'd imagine that you'll read through these posts and think "I'm pretty good at most of them". If that's you, then I want to push you to get better at the one or two you're week on. If you're at the other end of the spectrum and feel you're getting more and more depressed as you read along, I want ot encourage you to work on one of them a week, and I really think your leadership influence will flourish.

So before we jump in... What thoughts have you about how one might build their leadership cred?

What Differentiates a Leader From a Follower? "Visioneering"

Every leader has the ability to project into the future, and then take what they see and use it to deal with problems in the present before they become real issues of contention. In other words a leader heads off things at the pass before they grow into larger issues that need addressing.

The same can be said in regard to direction also. A leader has an uncanny knack of being able to see ahead and navigate the future terrain based on their projections, in order to steer the cause in an effective manner.

This is different from taking initiative. Initiative is something needed regarding the present, Cultural awareness is something that connects one to the past, but visioneering is absolutely essential if any forward motion (other than accidental) is to be enjoyed. Leaders, as they envision, ask themselves these sorts of questions:

What is coming up that we need to plan for?

What lies in the future that poses a threat we are yet to see?

What can I do now in order for the future that we are moving toward, to be better embraced?

Who do I need to equip now so the future will become more prosperous?

 

So there you have it! My reflections on what differentiates a leader from a follower. Would love to know what I've missed!

What Differentiates a Leader From a Follower? "Unleashing Other's Potential"

On the most part I think people generally want to develop themselves. I used to think everyone wanted to, but have met to many people who don't. Every leader wants to better themselves. If in fact you are in a leadership position and you don't want to better yourself then I don't think you should be there in that position!

More than this though, every leader has this in built desire and drive to not only better themselves but add to the lives of those who they lead, those who they know, those who they are friends with, in order to help them reach their full potential. Essentially this is how leadership is played out on a personable level. On an organisation level leadership is all about fulfilling the vision of the cause. On the personable level leadership is all about helping people to understand, believe in and then fulfill their individual potential.

Who are you wanting to help reach their full potential?

What are you doing to make that happen?

Are their people who you are responsible for who you don't want to help reach their potential? This needs addressing in you if you are leading them.

What areas and by whom do you need to be equipped (in), in order to carry out the above?

 

What Differentiates a Leader From a Follower? "Cultural Awareness"

Everyone knows what culture is, although few can define it. It's the environment we live in and the things that contribute to that environment, vibe, feel, values, philosophy, these things all mixed together in varying but unspecific amounts create a culture.

A leader is someone who is not only part of this culture but aware of it and analytical of it. They understand that not only are they part of it but in fact to a large extent because of their influence are actually a thermostat of culture. A leader is aware that they can mold, change, shift, challenge and upset the culture that is.

What differentiates a leader form a follower is that they see this and then go and do it! They listen and watch and pray and feel and after accumulating the fruit of these exercises they put in place plans and strategies to cultivate the culture.

Tim Keller said in his message titled “Culture” that “we take the raw materials of creation and draw out their greatest potential” (cited: http://newlifeuniting.com/creative/?p=335). This is what a leader understands and does regarding the culture they exist and lead in.

Can you analyse what makes your culture what it is?

What are its strengths and weaknesses?

How might you affect your culture for the better?

Remember any influence we apply to culture is not instantaneous but cumulative! Keep accumulating the change and eventually you will see it!

What Differentiates a Leader From a Follower? "Risking Action"

Leadership has to be primarily about action. Without action there is no movement, without movement people are not going anywhere, hence leadership is absent! But believe it or not actually doing something for a cause, that no one else has done, or everyone else is yet to do, isn't as common as you may think.

In fact when it happens people take note! Why? Because a gap is being created which is now safe for them to move into. If people sign up to a cause they believe in what it stands for, what it wants to accomplish and the direction it is moving in. But these things alone do not define leadership. Leadership takes place when someone dares to do something to step that cause forward.

This is a risk! Because it may fail, it not work, it may move the cause in the wrong direction, it may cause conflict, it may set back the previous hard work of others. Given all of this though, leaders understand that the only way progress forward can be made is if someone is willing to take a risk. The person who risks is the leader.

What was the last calculated, wise risk you took?

How did it end up? What did you learn?

If you are in a leadership position what risk do you need to be considering?

If you are not, but feel you might be a leader, are you in a position to risk something? Why or why not? What risk might you take for the sake of the cause and those in it?

What Differentiates a Leader From a Follower? "Creative Thinking"

I want those who lead me to be able to think about the things that matter to me, or stand in my way, or are obstacles to my advancement, and solve those things in ways that I am yet to think about. That's why they are my leaders, and I am not!

All of us have the ability to think creatively, just most of us never access that ability or apply it in a way that benefits others. Leaders need to do this as it separates them from followers. A person who arrives at a creative idea or solution, gets there before anyone else, and therefore by definition, if others want that idea or can benefit from that solution, then that creative person is leading the way.

I believe there are a number of things one can do to expand their creative potential:

• Open yourself up to creative influences (Movies, business books, you tube clips): What creative influences do you open yourself up to?
• Look at life through a creative lens: What do you think is the largest factor that stops you being creative?
• Challenge yourself to think beyond the obvious: When was the last time you looked beyond the obvious? How did that happen?
• Refuse to settle with how it’s been done before or by someone else: Do you like to settle with how it’s been done before?
• Ask others what they would do: What is the last creative insight you received from someone else who stretched your thinking?

Creativity is something to be enjoyed, so enjoy it!

What Differentiates a Leader From a Follower? "Bold Initiative"

Initiative is the knack someone has, to do something before they are told by another to do it. I'm sure Malcolm Gladwell has done some amazing thinking on this subject, but I am yet to read it. What I do know, however, is that a leader has an uncanny ability to see what others don't see and respond to it before others know it needs responding to.

I don't think you can teach this, but I do think you can release it!

I recall a time when I worked in a produce department and was responsible for many of the displays. I found myself constantly asking my boss for advice until he lost it at me one day and said "Can't you just use some initiative?"

"Well now you've given me permission, of course I can" I said inside as I nodded outwardly. But in that exchange something shifted for me, that if I was going to influence the things and people I wanted to influence, I needed to be doing it before I was told it needed to be done!

So be free to use your initiative, but always do it within the bounds of what you know is acceptable and ok. It's not about showing off, it's more about showing you have the goods!