Growing leaders – Doug Dickerson on Leadership

Stop Throwing Your Leader Under The Bus

Posted September 15, 2019
by admin

A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves. – Lao Tzu

I read the story of a young man who applied for a job as a farmhand. When asked for his qualifications, he told the farmer about his previous experience then said, “I can sleep when the wind blows.” This puzzled the farmer, but he took a liking to the young man and hired him.

A few months later, the farmer was awakened in the night by a violent storm. He ran outside to make sure that everything was secured. He found the barn doors tightly shut and the shutters closed. The storage shed and machinery was already properly taken care of. That was when the farmer realized the significance of the statement, “I can sleep when the wind blows.”

Just as the farmer found the type of worker he needed in the young farmhand, so too, do employers need those dependable people within their organizations. They need those who know what to do when the winds blow and the storms rage.

In my space here last week, I wrote about leaders not throwing their people under the bus. This week, we flip the script. The measure of your value to your organization is in how you treat those in positions ahead of you.

Thriving and successful organizations are so because those in leadership and all within it place premium value on relationships, communication, trust, clearly defined values and goals, and collaboration to name a few.

But when people within the organization are throwing the leader under the bus then the health of the organization is at stake. And for the sake of context here, I am not talking about incompetent bosses, bullies, and jerks which is a topic for another day. I am more directly addressing the issue of an otherwise good leader performing well.

So what are some of the more common ways leaders are thrown under the bus and what are the consequences. Let’s explore these four ways.

You throw your leader under the bus when you elevate your agenda ahead of the organizations’ agenda

When you put your personal agenda ahead of the organization’s agenda, then you are undermining those in leadership. If you are placing what’s best for you ahead of what’s best for everyone then you are only serving your own interests. The way you get ahead is not by cutting the legs out from underneath those in leadership but by elevating them. Click To Tweet When you help your leader succeed you will succeed.

Leadership Truth: No matter what our circumstances, our greatest limitation isn’t the leader above us-it’s the spirit within us. – John Maxwell

You throw your leader under the bus with whisper campaigns

It usually sounds something like, “If I were the one in charge…”, or “She’s in way over her head” and of course this one, “He’s always playing favorites”. And from there it takes on a life of it’s on. Instead of adding value to your leader by “leading up”, many find it easier to just throw them under the bus. But when you see that your success is tied to your leader’s success you will begin to see things in a new light. Maybe instead of water cooler whispers, you can try having their back.

Leadership Truth: If you want to get ahead, leading up is much better than kissing up. – Dan Rieland

You throw your leader under the bus when you withhold your best and don’t offer solutions

When you withhold your best from your leader and don’t offer solutions you are making the work of your leader harder. You are denying your organization the leverage they need to move forward. Solutions withheld is progress denied. By not giving your best, offering your best, and being your best, you are more of an obstacle to progress than you are a help. Click To Tweet Those in leadership need you at the top of your game, not holding back. They need to see that you are a strong team player.

Leadership Truth: The team with the best players wins. – Jack Welch

You throw your leader under the bus when you are unable to adapt

Flexibility is essential to a thriving workplace culture. So long as you have a “this is the way we’ve always done it,” attitude and are unable to make adjustments, then you are throwing your leaders under the bus. When the wind blows and the storms come, you should be able to demonstrate to your leadership that you can sleep in the wind. Let your leadership see that you can adjust your sails and not only adapt to change but you can lead it.

Leadership Truth: Growth is painful. Change is painful. But, nothing is as painful as staying stuck where you do not belong. – N.R. Narrayana

I know this to be true – no one likes being thrown under the bus. We need more people on it and no one thrown under it. It’s time to find a better way and lead by example.

Additional resources from my website:

Hope For Discouraged Leaders

Four Things All Humble Leaders Do

A Message To Broken Leaders

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Three Locks That Hold You Back

Posted August 14, 2015
by admin

Life has no limitations except the ones you make. – Les Brown

The story is told of master magician and locksmith Harry Houdini on one of his European tours and how he found himself locked in by his own thinking. After he had been searched and manacled in a Scottish town jail, the old turnkey shut him in a cell and walked away. Houdini quickly freed himself from his shackles and then tackled the cell lock. But despite all his efforts, the lock wouldn’t open.

Finally, ever more desperate but completely exhausted, he leaned against the door–and it swung open so unexpectedly that he nearly fell headlong into the corridor. The turnkey had not locked it.

One difficult lesson for leaders to learn is that it’s not always the big stumbling blocks along the way that will do you in. In fact, just the opposite can be true if you are not careful. From the story we learn that what Houdini thought was locking him in the cell was the very thing that would set him free. Here’s the lesson: at times what you think is the problem is not the problem and the small things you overlook are the ones that give you the most grief.

So what are some of the locks in leadership that will hold you back and keep you from reaching your potential? There are many, but I will highlight three. If you will pay attention to these little things now it can save you a lot of heartache later.

The lock of low expectations

You will only rise to the level of success that you envision and strive for. Your expectations are the measuring rod of your dreams. If you are locked in by low expectations then high expectations will never occur.

But who or what is the source of your low expectations? You must identify and get to the root of your low expectations if you want to turn things around. Perhaps it’s a lack of confidence in your abilities. It may have been a bad break that you haven’t recovered from. Maybe you bought-in to someone else’s low expectation they placed on you.

Regardless of the source, you must disqualify it of its place in your vocabulary, your mindset, and your vision going forward. You can unlock your potential to growth and success when you remove low expectations from your playbook.

The lock of improper comparisons

One potentially demoralizing habit a leader can do is to get caught up in is the comparison game. You know the drill, “He has more clients”, “She has more contacts”, “He gets all the breaks”, “Her family name got her where she is,” and on it goes.

It’s all too easy to make improper comparisons and allow that to be a source of discouragement and a setback. You are not called to run anyone else’s race but your own. Improper comparisons are a lock that will always hold back so long as you are consumed by the other person and your perceptions of what is not fair.

As a leader you will ultimately have to look inward and upward if you want to be at peace. So long as you allow someone else to be your measure of success then you will always doubt and second guess yourself. Find peace at the end of the day in knowing that you did your best. Unlock the potential of everything that is great about you – not others.

The lock of a bad attitude

Ultimately, your attitude is your deal-breaker. With a good attitude you can unlock all the potential that is uniquely yours to achieve. A bad attitude will keep you locked up in a cell of your own making that will always hold you back.

Do other people sometimes get the better breaks? Do bad things happen to good and honest people? Of course it does. Life is not always fair. But life is made better or made worse by the way you respond and the attitude that you choose.

As a leader it’s time to pick some locks and set yourself free. It’s time to raise expectations equal to your talent – not equal to your fears. It’s time to quit comparing yourself to others and change your attitude.

It’s time to unlock your potential!

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Five Routines for Growing Leaders

Posted January 23, 2015
by admin

There is comfort in rituals, and rituals provide a framework for stability when you are trying to find answers. – Deborah Norville

I came across a fascinating article in Business Insider (http://read.bi/155XpL3) about the daily routines of 16 famous creative people. The article featured the likes of Ludwig van Beethoven, Thomas Mann, Sigmund Freud, Maya Angelou, and Victor Hugo to name a few.

What were some of the more peculiar routines? Beethoven’s day began with breakfast which consisted of coffee which he prepared himself. He determined that there should be 60 beans per cup, and he often counted them out one by one for a precise dose.

Victor Hugo would start the day by taking a public ice bath. Charles Darwin’s focused work would be interrupted by occasional trips to the snuff jar. Honore´ de Balzac would spend a large majority of his day writing with the help of upwards to 50 cups of black coffee.

Insights into the routines of these creative people prompted me to think about the necessary disciplines for growing leaders. Your growth as a leader is not a passive and disengaged process. Not if you want to grow.

Over the years I have found routines that have worked for me. It has little to do with whether you are a morning person or a night person, a social butterfly or prefer to be alone. What is the tipping point? The disciplines you develop today will determine the type of leader you will become tomorrow. Here are five routines – leadership vitamins if you will, that will help you grow into a healthy leader.

The routine of reading

Leaders are readers. Fortunately, I come from a long line of readers and writers. It was in those formative years, and despite my struggles with dyslexia, where I formed a love for reading that stuck. If you want to grow as a leader there is no better way or place to start than with a good book. When reading is a priority then your leadership growth will be automatic.

The routine of listening

The older I get the more I realize just how much I don’t know. I’ve discovered that there is no better way to learn than to be an engaged and active listener. In many circles you will find active and engaged talkers, and there is a time and a place to talk, but for the leader who wants to grow, he or she will listen more and talk less.

The routine of reflection

Growing leaders take the time to reflect. Through the course of each day you come across dozens of people, make important decisions, and often it’s done on the spur of the moment. Reflection time affords you the chance to measure your progress. Don’t know where to start? At the end of the day try answering these questions: Where did I add value today? How was my attitude? Who needs my encouragement? Etc… Reflection can also include prayer and meditation to replenish the soul.

The routine of exercise

I’ve touched on this before but it’s worth repeating. Healthy leaders are productive leaders. Exercise should be an integral part of your daily agenda as a leader. It’s good for your body and mind and it gets your creative juices flowing. Include in this routine healthier eating habits. A proper diet and exercise are the fuels you need to grow as a leader.

The routine of staying connected

Growing leaders are connected leaders. It’s through the growth and development of your personal and professional relationships that you mature. Being connected gives you a sense of community but it also runs deeper. It’s when you are able to let your guard down, take your mask off and be vulnerable, that you can truly see growth as a leader. Are you a detached leader? If so, then get connected- your growth depends on it.

What are you your leadership routines?

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