“Leaders live by choice, not by accident.”
– Mark Gorman, who is either a preacher or a football player, depending on the source
You’ve been promoted! You’re the boss now, the leader of the pack.
How will you lead?
Here are four cornerstones that will help FILL the role and make it fulFILLing.
The leader must focus. Your teams will have hundreds of opportunities to be distracted each day. If the leader chooses to make his or her focus clear, in word, deed and action — that focus becomes a “True North” for the organization, and it presses the important through at the expense of the urgent.
The leader must inspire. Not motivate, but inspire. Susan Fowler’s book, “Why Motivating People Doesn’t Work…” is worth the read. The issue here is inspire. It doesn’t have to be a Kennedy-esque speaking style or a Michael Jordan “give me the ball and get out of the way” game winning shot. It shouldn’t be about the leader other than the confidence he or she inspires in the team. Calm under conflict, firm during times of uncertainty, fast with justice and slow with judgment — all are choices; inspirational fundamentals that serve the extroverted leader and the introverted leader equally well.
The leader must lead. “Duh, Steve! That’s why the word is called leader, you meathead!” It is, in fact a “duh!” but not in the obvious sense. Upon promotion, aspiring leaders can be tempted to manage (or even micromanage). They see their reputation hanging in the balance of every decision, even though that’s almost never the case. Leaders choose to lead, and they lead by removing obstacles, setting clear expectations and an environment where success is the most likely outcome. Leaders choose to lead, because they know that while you can manage “things,” people must be led.
The leader must let! Tempting though it may be, the team does not need protection, it needs trust. Choose to let them venture out and stretch themselves. Decide when you have to but don’t when someone else can and should. Challenge colleagues to dive in, take a risk, fix a problem or amaze a client. Let them win, let them lose if the stakes are smaller and then let them relish in the accomplishment or the lesson learned. Let them own their outcomes.
Focus. Inspire. Lead. Let. The Fill Factor for difference making leadership.
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