ACCOMPLISH MUCH MORE BY LEADING (RATHER THAN CONTROLLING) OTHERS

Great leaders develop practices and communicate expectations that allow them to manage fairly and consistently as they motivate people to contribute their proportionate share towards the success of the team or the stability of relationships. Unfortunately, there are many insecure and unprepared leaders seeking to claim all of the “gain” as their own while accepting none of the “blame” that often allows us to learn from mistakes. The road to success is not a highway built by a single individual – it is a precarious path paved with the sacrifice and hard work of a team allowing individuals to share both setbacks and successes as they grow together towards the accomplishment of identified goals. We maximize the potential for success when a group (large or small) develops and discusses mutually beneficial objectives then takes the actions necessary to bring them to fruition (leveraging strengths while compensating for individual deficiencies). Poorly thought-out initiatives, reactions without consideration of repercussions and a general misdirection of otherwise worthwhile efforts or activities will often result in failure – not necessarily a fatal flaw but far too often individuals accept a fall as their destination rather than a place to regroup and recover. A successful leader determines a direction, communicates a potential course of action, equips the team to act with relative independence THEN monitors progress – stepping in to redirect effort only when necessary. In order to accomplish much with others, a leader should:

•  ACTIVELY ENGAGE IN BUILDING APPROPRIATE RELATIONSHIPS. Successful leaders make decisions that affect themselves, those around them and/or their families (and accept both the positive and the negative which might come from their carefully considered decisions). Poor leaders often allow others to direct their actions (then complain when things do not progress as they might have wished). Good leaders make decisions then move forward while monitoring both progress and set-back so that “bumps in the road” or detours do not turn into unexpected dead ends. Poor leaders often lose track of the “big picture” while making isolated decisions – tending to live within functional silos that store and contain their accomplishments rather than on an operational farm where their efforts can grow to fruition. While a stated objective usually becomes our targeted destination, the relationships, and decisions we make build the path upon which we will travel and lend us the support to achieve our objectives. How you lead (or relate to others) ultimately determines whom you lead (or are in relationship with) and defines the horizons (or limitations) that will welcome you to a new and unconsidered future (or hold you back to live as you have always existed). 

• DELEGATE RESPONSIBILITY AND AUTHORITY TO THOSE AROUND YOU. Leaders analyze strengths when assigning projects to maximize the potential for successful resolution. They recognize what others can (and cannot) do, then work within those parameters to optimize the chances of success. If an individual has the ability to perform a task, knows when it must be completed, and is not overloaded with interfering assignments, much can be accomplished IF the leader avoids micro-managing activities while remaining available for questions and monitoring progress. Individuals must have the desire and feel the need to contribute – must feel empowered to identify alternative actions and enabled to act independently – must not only be included but made to feel accepted and acceptable – before they will risk failure (or taste success). 

• ACCEPT THAT FAILURE IS AN EXCELLENT TEACHING TOOL. Far too many individuals feel that “winning at any cost” is the only way to be successful. While winning more often than not is desirable, if an individual never makes a mistake he or she will not know how to deal with adversity. Repeated failure should not be tolerated but if an individual can learn from a mistake – which is not dangerous, destructive or damaging to the organization’s (or the individual’s) reputation, self-concept or ability to perform, the shortcoming should be embraced (rather than buried), examined (rather than hidden) and resolved (rather than accepted) so that one can move beyond it (rather than dwelling within it). 

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  DEAL WITH ISSUES PROMPTLY AND APPROPRIATELY. If something needs correcting and discipline is required, deal with it specifically and immediately. If an individual does something exceptionally well, celebrate the accomplishment as soon as possible. It is important to stop (or clone) behaviors rather than avoiding or ignoring them. Address and discuss issues that bother you BEFORE they become insurmountable. One will not create mutually beneficial relationships if “everything is always wrong” and “nothing is ever right” in the actions, attitudes, or behaviors of others. Focus on modifying behaviors (both your own AND those with whom you interact) to achieve different results rather than addressing the individual for what was not done and expecting positive change to grow from a tainted seed. 

Good leaders celebrate success loudly while whispering about failure privately. They analyze themselves to identify their strengths (which they leverage towards a common good) and their weaknesses (which they work hard to strengthen OR minimize by leveraging another’s gifts). A good leader may or may not be “a friend,” but MUST be fair and consistent. We must establish decision-making skills that allow us to act in a predictable and reasonable manner if we wish to become effective – which, if done by example rather than through edict – will allow us (AND those around us) to accomplish great things.