You are likely familiar with the concept that employees don't quit companies, they quit bad leaders. It is for this reason that many organizations invest time, energy, and resources developing leaders who foster employee engagement. Most companies and organizations focus on, and invest heavily in, leadership development and those in leadership in their respective companies.
The following are five key leadership lessons that will help you grow as a leader within your respective companies and organizations. Great leaders encourage the people they lead to pursue the following key leadership traits and I invite you to invest a few minutes reading about each trait and reflect on where you are as a leader. I encourage you to think through the areas that you need to grow in, the areas you are strong in that can be accentuated and the areas that are new to you that might be good to add to your leadership tool belt.
1. Make GREAT Decisions…DO NOT Try Please Everyone.
Every time you (as a leader) make a decision, it is inevitable that there will be three camps of people on the response side. Camp #1, I like the decision and I think you are a good leader. Camp #2, I do not like the decision, and I think you are not a very capable leader. Camp #3, I am not that in tune with what is going on and I am OK with the decision you made. So, leadership lesson #1 is do not try to please everyone. Rather than spend time and energy on pleasing everyone (which is frankly impossible), focus on engaging in a good process and making well informed, timely and great decisions.
Blame it on your upbringing, your DNA, or some other force, many of us are compelled (quite often dysfunctionally driven) to please others. We don't like the idea of someone being disappointed with, frustrated about, or indifferent toward us. So we at times over compensate and try to please everyone. Not only does this waste time and energy, but it is a fruitless endeavor, because you can't please everyone.
Great leaders give their fellow employees permission to disappoint some people. These leaders work with their employees to uncover who truly matters most to the success of the team and organization. This gives employees the freedom to say 'no' to certain requests and give a big 'yes' to those issues that have the greatest potential for positive impact and influence on their respective audiences. Everyone is treated fairly and with equal value, but there is also an ongoing recognition that good and timely decisions need to be made that everyone will not be supportive of.
2. Focus on What is Most Important…Do Not Try to Do Everything.
You have a finite amount of time, energy, and resources. When you attempt to do everything, you usually accomplish nothing with excellence. Yes, you might understand the law of diminishing returns at an intellectual level, but when faced with the choice of doing one task over another, you may let your feelings or egos push you to try to do everything.
What do great leaders do? Great leaders work with team members to determine the team or organization's most important goals, and to ensure clarity about the role everyone plays. Getting clear on which goals matter most and who does what, allows team members to prioritize their efforts, and, like not trying to please everyone, they learn what tasks to accomplish and which ones to let go. Focus on what is most important and prioritize your time and energy spend toward those top 5-7 priority strategies and plans.
3. Measure the Outcomes that Give You The Best Chance To WIN!
Most organizations measure things - arguably too many things. Take a look at your organization and odds are that if you can measure it, you do. The natural tendency when you measure everything is to try to optimize everything. When you try optimize everything, you typically create no sustainable advantages. What do great leaders do? Great leaders give employees permission to be both just ok at some things and ruthlessly focus on the core things that really matter to your company. They do this by allowing some measures to be sub-optimal, or cut the measure altogether in order to provide a very clear set of measurable goals that will allow employees to play a winning game.
Bill Belichick, the legendary Coach of the New England Patriots, asks his players each day to focus on just four things. 1) Do your job, 2) Be attentive, 3) Pay attention to details, 4) But the TEAM first. This what “we look at everyday when we walk in the building”, says Coach Belichick. Simple and yet profound in both its simplicity and implementation.
4. Apply Your Energy on Things You Control, DO NOT TRY TO Control Everything.
Since birth, many of us have tried to control everything. Some even incessantly watch the weather, the stock market, or the daily traffic report in an effort to control the outcome. Highly effective people know that the best energy is used to accomplish the things you can control or influence.
What do great leaders do? Great leaders allow employees to let go of things they can't control and focus on things that employees can truly influence. These leaders also assist employees to accomplish certain tasks by lending the leader's influence, access, or skill-set.
My very good friend and very accomplished Automobile dealer Dick Withnell lists “10” things we control and should focus on in our personal and professional development:
1. Be on Time
2. Apply Great Work Ethic
3. Give a Great Effort
4. Give off Positive Body Language
5. Bring Energy
6. Great Attitude
7. Be Passionate
8. Be Coachable
9. Do Extra
10. Be Prepared
Those are ten great traits or things we all control daily. Great words of wisdom Richard Withnell! We are were talking the other day on which of the above ten was the most important. We both agreed that #7 was an important catalyst for the other 9! Thanks Dick! Great perspective.
5. Care and focus on both People and Product.
I have heard it said many times that you need to focus on people over product or in some cases vice versa. The reality is both are very important. You need great people to get anywhere with your company AND you also need to produce a great product or service. I have always taught and shared the perspective of riding both rails (people and product) and to not see them as binary choices, but rather complimentary and feeding off one another.
Value and invest in your people and they will be more motivated to produce a great product or service. Lead, incentivize and motivate your company to focus on and drive toward a great product or service and your employees will be motivated to provide that very desirable company outcome. People want to be affirmed for who they are and what they produce, LEAD well and create a leadership culture that affirms both, people and desired company goals and stated outcomes.
Reflections:
Take a few minutes to assess yourself as a leader. Ask yourself how well you are doing and whether or not you are creating a culture of success.
· Are you clear on who truly matters most to the success of your team or organization? Do you put the majority of your energy to serving these most important customers?
· Are you clear on your team or organization's top goals? Can you name them and explain how well you are performing? Are you clear on the role you play in driving desire results?
· Are you measuring the fewest number of items in order to ensure clarity? Or, do you measure everything and attempt to optimize everything?
· Do you obsess about things that are out of your control in hopes that you can somehow gain the outcome you desire? Or, do you focus on what you can do and put your energy in those areas?
