Leadership Skills – Page 2 – Doug Dickerson on Leadership

Leadership Lessons From a Weary Traveler

Posted February 20, 2023February 20, 2023
by admin

A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving. – Lao Tzu

Some years ago, I was with a group of friends and we were taking a day trip from Athens, Greece up to Delphi – some 115 miles away. We were off to see some of the ancient ruins – including the famed Delhi sanctuary and the Delphi museum.

After enjoying our day in Delphi, the time came to return to Athens. But there was a catch. The weather turned bad and they were experiencing the worse snowstorm they’d had in many years. The route back to Athens would not be the one we would take going back.

We made our way over to the coast and hopped on a ferry that eventually returned us to Athens. What normally would have taken only a couple of hours turned into a long and tiring trip that got us back safely but exhausted.

On a humorous note, while aboard the ferry, some in our group made mention of the need to use the restroom. A smiling deckhand kindly pointed to the sign on a door where the restroom was located. Upon opening the door, the “facilities” was simply a hole in the floor a couple of inches in diameter. Several made the decision to wait until we were back on land.

In your leadership, there will be times when things do not go according to plan. And when this happens, you will have to adjust accordingly. Here are a few things to remember as you face the unexpected.

Flexibility is essential

It’s been said that what doesn’t bend, breaks. And in leadership, you have to anticipate the unexpected, and when it happens you have to be flexible at the moment. John Maxwell observed it this way, “Flexibility says there is more than one answer.” And this is what smart leaders recognize – there is more than one answer to whatever you’re going through.

Your attitude matters

When we left Athens for our day trip over to Delphi, we had no way of knowing that one of the worse snow in decades was going to happen that day. But – snow happens! In leadership, sometimes the unexpected happens. In these moments we are reminded that it’s not what happens to us that matters, it’s how we respond. Your attitude in times of adversity will make you or break you. Choose it wisely.

Adaptability is your ally

One definition says an adaptable leader is “someone who is able to change their behavior in response to changes in a situation.” It’s inevitable that you will face challenges and changes in your leadership. When they come, being adaptable will not only serve you well but can be an invaluable teachable moment for your team to learn from.

Final Thoughts

Just as it was for my trip to Delphi, the road that has brought you to where you are today, may not be the same road to take you to the next level tomorrow. Conditions on the ground may change and you have to learn to be flexible, guard your attitude, and be adaptable.

Please follow and like us:

Leading Through a Crisis

Posted February 5, 2023
by admin

Leadership is a matter of having people look at you and gain confidence, seeing how you react. If you’re in control, they’re in control. – Tom Landry

The wintry afternoon walk in the field out behind our house with my older sister started out like any other. I was about 10 years old. The field was a great place to play. There were plenty of trails to walk and ride our bikes. We built forts, shot our Daisy BB guns, and caught fireflies in Mason jars. This day, however, would be different.

As my sister and I exited the field before heading inside, I did something I’d done many times before with no thought. I pulled a tall weed out of the ground. But this time the weed didn’t budge. When the force of my pull met the resistance of the weed, it slit my finger open and laid the skin back.

As we approached the backyard my blue coat was already soaked in blood. I went to the water faucet and began rinsing my finger. “Don’t tell mom!” I shouted to my sister as I saw her run inside with no intention of following my command.

Once I went inside, my mother was already in a panic. She walked me up to the kitchen sink and told me to stand still. “I’ll be right back!” she exclaimed. Moments later she returned with a bottle of rubbing alcohol. “Hold your finger still”, she said. I was under the impression that she would perhaps pour just a little on the cut. I was wrong.

With the best intentions that a loving mother could conjure up at that moment, she emptied the entire contents of that bottle of rubbing alcohol onto my finger as I screamed. Which was just prior to my fainting on the kitchen floor.

My mother – God rest of her sweet, loving soul up in heaven, meant well. And in my moment of crisis, she did the best she knew how.

As a leader, there are two things you can be certain of – 1) You will face moments of crisis, and 2) Your people will be looking to you for confidence. So what do you do in a crisis? Here are a few practical ideas.

Stay calm

Remember, in times of crisis, your people will take their cues from you. From you, they need to see steadiness, resolve, and confidence. They don’t need to see you running for the doors. Or reaching for the alcohol.

Assess the situation

In times of crisis, you want to gather as much information as you can as quickly as you can. Gather your key people, ascertain what you know, separate fact from fiction, and start developing your action steps.

Communicate clearly

A good plan poorly communicated will only make matters worse. Click To TweetMake sure everyone knows the plan and everyone knows their role. Don’t assume anything.

Empower your people

Your people will gain confidence when you place your confidence in them. You can inspire your team by empowering your team. A time of crisis is not the time for a one-man show. Walk through the crisis with your people and you will make your team stronger.

Please follow and like us:

What Floyd Dean-Shannon Taught Us About Leadership

Posted January 23, 2023
by admin

In a world where you can be anything, be kind. – Unknown

Perhaps you saw the story recently on social media. It was one of those feel-good stories that just restores faith in humanity on many levels.

It begins with a post showing Delta Airlines flight attendant Floyd Dean-Shannon sitting in the aisle on a flight from Charlotte, N.C. to New York City holding the hand of a nervous passenger.

“I’ve got you,” he’s quoted as saying as he gives comfort and reassures the nervous passenger that everything was going to be fine. He took the time to explain every noise and bump as he held her hand.

The beauty of the moment didn’t go unnoticed by fellow passengers who were so touched by this act of kindness that they couldn’t help but capture the moment to share with the rest of us.

It’s probably safe to say that Floyd Dean-Shannon didn’t set out that day to be declared a hero on social media for his act of kindness toward a total stranger. He’d probably just say that he was doing his job. But I hope that the rest of us won’t soon forget it.

John Maxwell said, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” And this is precisely what Floyd Dean-Shannon modeled. Here are a few additional leadership lessons we can learn from his actions that day.

Acts of kindness don’t diminish your leadership, it elevates it

We must never embrace the false notion that strong leaders don’t have the capacity for being kind. Not only did Dean-Shannon prove it, but judging by the response, it’s refreshing to see. In leadership, being kind is an asset, not a liability.

People are your business

Howard Behar, the former vice president at Starbucks said, “We are not in the coffee business serving people, we are in the people business serving coffee.” And this is the leadership lesson found at this moment. It always has been and always will be about people and how best to serve them.

One person truly can make a difference

Perhaps the greatest lesson that Floyd Dean-Shannon taught us is that one random act of kindness by one person truly can make a difference. But when we couple random acts of kindness with intentional acts of kindness soon big changes are made.

Mother Teresa said, “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” As leaders, this is our challenge – to create ripples that make a difference. Thank you, Floyd Dean-Shannon for showing us how.

Please follow and like us:

What To Do With Disruptions

Posted January 11, 2023January 13, 2023
by admin

People don’t want to buy a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole. – Theodore Levitt

It all started innocently enough with a text from my daughter sending me a picture of a beagle puppy. “She belongs in our family,” she exclaimed. “Isn’t she cute?” she insisted. This was her subtle way of saying that this “cute” puppy didn’t belong in her home with her husband and her kids, but rather in mine. What could possibly go wrong?

Against my better judgment, this firehose of a puppy whom we named Lucy, came to live in our home. And just like that, disruptive forces were unleashed.

Perhaps my routines and settled ways of living were severely taken for granted, but suddenly everything changed – like sleep patterns, meal time, quiet evenings, etc. Lucy was and at times remains a disruptive force to be reckoned with.

In leadership, you will have times of disruption. There’s really no escaping it. And when it happens, how you handle it matters. When disruptions occur, perhaps you should invoke what I call the L.U.C.Y. approach.

Lean into the disruption.

Many variables are likely at play when disruptions happen in your organization or to you personally. Often, disruptions are simply manifestations of other underlying issues at hand. While there can be things you don’t see or choose to ignore, disruptions in leadership need to be assessed. Lean in and get perspective.

Understand the disruption.

Once you lean in and figure out what’s behind the disruption you’re experiencing, it’s now time to understand how and why you got to this place in time. The greater your understanding the better you can lead. But also know this – not all disruptions are bad and can actually serve a greater purpose if you allow it.

Clarify the challenges

Often in leadership, the root causes of disruptions are never addressed. Perhaps it’s just easier to look the other way or pretend the problem doesn’t exist. Obviously, that’s not good leadership, but it’s a default approach for many leaders. But in moments of disruption a leader needs to bring clarity to the situation, not denial. Once you lean in and understand the disruption that’s taking place you can now bring clarity as to how you’re going to handle it.

You set the tone

As a leader, you set the tone for your organization. Will disruptions within your organization occur? Yes. Will you have to contend with disruptive personalities? Yes. But as the leader, it’s up to you to set the tone that others will follow. Understanding your role and having this perspective at the forefront of your leadership mindset is critical to your success and the success of your team.

Final Thoughts

John Maxwell was right when he said, “There is strength in numbers, but organizing those numbers is one of the great challenges.” What disruptions are you facing today? How are you responding to them?

Please follow and like us:

Why Do The Bad Ones Stay?

Posted November 1, 2022January 13, 2023
by admin

Choose your companions before you choose your road. – Patrick Lencioni

In this space back in 2019, I wrote an article entitled Why Do The Good Ones Leave? In that article, I shared various reasons why good people leave organizations. Those reasons included: leaders with no boundaries, no vision, limits placed on potential and opportunities for growth, and no accountability, to name a few.

Since writing that article, we have continued to witness what’s being called “The Great Resignation” and its impact on business everywhere.

Writing in Forbes, Cindy Gordon states, “Employee disengagement and unhappiness is worrisome, and year over year, it’s getting worse, not better.” And herein lies the dilemma for the modern-day worker and employer.

Much research has been conducted as to why employees are leaving. Pew Research has excellent data citing many of the causes of this great resignation and where things are headed. I encourage you to read it.

It’s been said that people don’t quit organizations, they quit leaders. It’s a sad but true commentary on the lack of strong leadership skills desperately needed in the workplace.

There are consequences to poor leadership and as the research has demonstrated, employees will leave good jobs for less pay if it means being in a better working environment with stronger leadership. Here’s the sad reality: good employees leave bad working environments where weak leadership exists. Left behind is a weakened and demoralized team forced to pick up the pieces, share increased duties, and often with no additional compensation.

On the flip side of this dilemma is another issue that needs to be addressed. Why do the bad or toxic employees stay?

Often, it’s not the bad team members that leave that give you the most heartache and grief, it’s the ones who stay. Click To Tweet

Why would a disengaged employee – the one with little to no skin in the game, who instigates or is in the middle of every bad vibe in your organization still be around? Here are a few possible reasons.

Those in leadership have miscalculated that person’s value to the organization

Could it be that an employer had rather overlook bad behavior from a productive employee than cut them loose and face the headache of finding their replacement? With the worker shortage as we know it, this is certainly a possibility.

But it also comes down to ways in which leadership within the organization perhaps has overestimated the value of the employee in question. Consistent poor behaviors and actions can’t be glossed over simply because they are the best salesperson on the team. It means little to have an employee who is the biggest contributor to the bottom line of the company means little if they are also the biggest jerk in the company. Click To Tweet

Those in leadership have miscalculated the climate of their culture

Many in the workplace suffer in silence. They see poor behaviors and actions, see little to no consequence for it, and wonder why such actions and behaviors are tolerated. It’s demoralizing.

When those in leadership fail to see the residual effects and consequences on the culture of the workplace due to the bad ones staying then poor morale is going to always be an issue. You can’t expect the good ones to look the other way forever. They will leave if you don’t deal with it.

Those in leadership had rather try to “keep the peace” than rock the boat

Some in leadership simply don’t want to confront what everyone else sees. They had rather look the other way than just deal with the issue at hand. They just don’t want to rock the boat and deal with the fallout.

This is one of the worse decisions a leader can make. On the one hand, leadership side-steps and avoids the necessary confrontation that needs to take place with the bad employee in hopes that it will get better. As a result, morale continues to falter. The longer this goes on the worse things get. By trying to “keep the peace” with one another, you’ve made things worse for everyone.

Final Thoughts

It’s been said that what you tolerate, you promote. And this is especially true as it relates to why bad employees stay in your organization. It can be for any reason mentioned or any number of reasons not. But the end result is the same. The bad ones will stay until those in leadership decide it’s time for them to go and that the morale of the good ones and the culture of the organization is worth the sacrifice and worth fighting for.

Please follow and like us:

How Anxiety Impacts Your Leadership – Part Two: Stay Calm

Posted September 19, 2022September 20, 2022
by admin

Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength. -Charles Spurgeon

In Part One of How Anxiety Impacts Your Leadership, I shared a story from the book by Tod Bolsinger entitled Canoeing the Mountains. In the book he shared the story of how when a herd of impala in the brutal African heat find a watering hole they rush to drink, crowding in, fearful of not getting enough water to sustain them. Suddenly, one impala raises his head on high alert. Immediately every other impala stops drinking and stands at attention. At that moment, every impala has a life-or-death decision: Is this a lion or not?

If there is a lion lurking near that spot and they don’t run, they become lion lunch. If there’s no lion lurking near the hole and they do run, they lose their place at the watering hole and could die of thirst.

If there is a lion and they run, or if there is no lion and they don’t run, they live another day. But all that matters is: Is that a lion or not? Everything in their impala being is focused on making that crucial life-and-death decision. Just like they do every day. Numerous times a day.

Part of what helps the impala make that decision is the herd energy, the animal anxiety that permeates the group and causes them to share listening, hearing, and deciding together. The key takeaway from part one is found in how the impala has to make this split-second decision of determining whether the threat is a lion or not. And translating that into leadership, are we making decisions based on fear or facts and whether the threats we sense are real or made up? These are critical decisions that have to be made and it’s important to your leadership and your team to get it right.

In our high-anxiety moments as leaders, much is riding on the decision-making process we engage in. As leaders, what are the one or two things that you can do to instill confidence and clarity in the moment? Here in part two, let me offer up a few suggestions.

Stay calm

We’ve heard this statement so much that sometimes I wonder if its true effect of it is lost on us. So what does stay calm really mean for you and me as leaders? Bolsinger defines it this way: “To stay calm is to be so aware of yourself that your response to the situation is not to the anxiety to the people around you but to the actual issue at hand.” And it’s when you are leading on this level that you know you are effective. When your actions as a leader do not raise or contribute to the level of anxiety of those around you, then you know you have a calming effect as a leader.

As a leader, you don’t want to make threats- whether real or perceived- any worse. You want to be able to lead your people with a steady hand and laser-like focus. This can only happen when you are calm on the inside and out.

Make better decisions

An obvious by-product of staying calm is your ability to make better decisions. Bolsigner’s perspective is: “For leaders, the point of calming down is not to feel better; it’s to make better decisions. It’s to make the best decisions for furthering the mission. When people are too hot, they don’t.”

And this is the point we have to remember; anxiety leads to poor decision-making. Whether that’s coming from the people you lead or you as the leader, it can derail the mission because bad decisions were made. Making good decisions is not about being lucky. It’s a result of smart intuitive leadership instincts developed over time and experience. Click To Tweet

Final Thoughts

In one way or another, anxiety is going to impact your leadership. When it does, you can channel that energy into something positive, lead from a place of calm and inner strength, make better decisions, and lead your team forward.

Please follow and like us:

How Anxiety Impacts Your Leadership – Part One: Is it a Lion or Not?

Posted September 12, 2022
by admin

Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength. -Charles Spurgeon

In the book Canoeing the Mountains, Tod Bolsinger shares how when a herd of impala in the brutal African heat find a watering hole they rush to drink, crowding in, fearful of not getting enough water to sustain them. Suddenly, one impala raises his head in high alert. Immediately every other impala stops drinking and stands at attention. At that moment, every impala has a life-or-death decision to make: Is this a lion or not?

If there is a lion lurking near that hole and they don’t run, they become lion lunch. If there’s no lion lurking near the spot and they do run, they lose their place at the watering hole and could die of thirst.

Part of what helps the impala make that decision is the herd energy, the animal anxiety that permeates the group and causes them to share listening, hearing, and deciding together.

Over the course of the past few years, no doubt you’ve experienced a lot of anxiety. And hopefully, along the way, you’ve learned from it as well.

Here’s another observation from Bolsinger about anxiety. He writes, “Anxiety isn’t a bad thing; it’s a creaturely thing. It just is. We feel anxious when we are reacting to a threat, whether real or imagined. Sometimes the anxiety is a gift that tells us that something bad is threatening the clan.” Think “mama bear” parental instincts.

And so for all the desire to rid ourselves of anxiety, perhaps there is a greater purpose to discover. Here are a few questions for consideration.

Are you basing decisions on fear or facts?

As a leader, you need to be grounded in facts when making decisions. When fearful and anxious we tend to be more reactionary than normal. In those moments, access the threat – perceived or real, and then proceed

Is there really a threat or is it something made up?

It could be that the anxiety you feel is an actual threat that you need to deal with. But nothing could be worse for the health of your organization than wasting time and energy responding to a threat that was only the by-product of someone’s overactive imagination.

Your leadership instincts are important and knowing how anxiety impacts it is as well. You will lead people with varying degrees of anxiety and how they deal with it will also vary. Click To Tweet Here is a truth you need to remember – people who are overly anxious do not always make the best decisions. When facing high levels of anxiety, Bolsinger says that people will react in one of three ways: We fight, we flee, we freeze. We run from danger and leave the others to fight the lions alone. Or we capitulate and allow the herd to be overrun. We turn on each other instead of working together.

Final Thoughts

Your leadership instincts are important and knowing how anxiety impacts it is as well. Anxiety can devastate your leadership and your organization or you can learn to use it to your advantage. But one thing is unavoidable as a leader – you will deal with it. But one thing is unavoidable as a leader – you will deal with it. And in those moments when it really counts and so much is on the line – you will need to determine whether it’s a lion or not.

Next week in part two of this series, I will outline some practical steps you can take in your leadership to help those around you by not allowing anxiety to paralyze your organization or your leadership.

Please follow and like us:

The Priority of Time

Posted August 29, 2022
by admin

Guard well your spare moments. – Emerson

If you’ve ever taken one of those long international flights you know a thing or two about how changing multiple time zones messes with your body clock.

A few years back, I spent my summer in China. My departure out of the U.S. was on a 16-hour non-stop flight from Newark to Hong Kong. The adjustment during the first few days in China was not that difficult all things considered. But it took me about a week to get fully adjusted once I came home. Crossing back all those time zones, the loss of sleep, and reacquainting myself with my normal routine was challenging.

Time is our most precious commodity. It always has been and always will be. And in leadership and management circles, we hear a lot about “time management”. But, quite honestly, “time management” is a myth. All we can do is prioritize it.

Concerning time management, author Myers Barnes writes:

“Time management has nothing to do with the clock, but everything to do with organizing and controlling your participation in certain events that coordinate with the clock. Einstein understood time management is an oxymoron. It cannot be managed. You can’t save time, lose time, turn back the hands of time, or have more time tomorrow than today. Time is unemotional, uncontrolled, and unencumbered. It moves forward regardless of circumstances and, in the game of life, creates a level playing field for everyone.”

As a leader, how you “manage” time or better yet, set the priorities of how your time will be invested is of great importance. Jim Rohn was correct when he said, “Either you run the day, or the day runs you.” And this is your challenge as a leader.

I’d like to share a few things that I’ve learned over the years on this topic in hopes that they will add value to you on your leadership journey.

I had to learn the myth that everything matters equally

I learned this principle from Gary Keller’s book, The One Thing. In it, he writes: “When everything feels urgent and important, everything seems equal. We become active and busy but this doesn’t actually move us any closer to success. Activity is often unrelated to productivity, and busyness rarely takes care of business.” And this is such a necessary thing to learn in leadership.

Keller makes the case that a to-do list can easily lead you astray. More times than not, it’s simply the things you think you need to do; which often is nothing more than the first thing you thought of. Keller adds, “If your to-do list contains everything, then it’s probably taking you everywhere but where you really need to go.” In short, the most menial thing on your to-do list is not equal to the most important thing. Stop buying into the myth that all things are equal. They’re not. As Keller recommends, in place of a “to do” list, make a success list. It will change your mindset and your focus.

I had to learn that I choose my life by how I spend my time

I learned this very important principle from John Maxwell. In his book, Today Matters, he writes, “If you’re over the age of twenty-one, your life is what you’re making it. To change your life, you need to change your priorities.”

The playing field with time is level. We all get the same amount regardless of who we are. The priorities you set determine how your time is used. Changing our approach to our days makes all the difference between time well spent or time wasted. Maxwell framed it in three questions that are quite useful.

What is required of me? When ordering priorities, always start with the requirement question and give it careful thought before moving on to the next question.
What gives me the greatest return? As you grow as a leader, you will discover that there are some things that will give you a greater return than others. What are they?
What gives me the greatest reward? If you only do what you must and what is effective, you will be highly productive, but you may not be content. It’s important to consider what gives you personal satisfaction. But don’t get these questions out of order.

Final Thoughts

As leaders, we have to understand that we can’t, and shouldn’t, do everything. And this is why establishing your priorities is so important. You have to be your own timekeeper. Your time is too valuable to relinquish to someone else.

Please follow and like us:

Focus On Choices, Not Conditions

Posted August 22, 2022August 22, 2022
by admin

May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears. – Nelson Mandela

“When I was a young boy, my father, a baker, introduced me to the wonders of song,” tenor Luciano Pavarotti relates. “He urged me to work hard to develop my voice. Arrigo Pola, a professional tenor in my hometown of Modena, Italy, took me as a pupil. I also enrolled in a teacher’s college. On graduating, I asked my father, ‘Shall I be a teacher or a singer?’ “Luciano,’ my father replied, ‘If you try to sit on two chairs, you will fall between them. For life, you must choose one chair.’

“I chose one. It took seven years of study and frustration before I made my first professional appearance, and it took another seven to reach the Metropolitan Opera. And now I think whether it’s laying bricks, writing a book-whatever we choose- we should give ourselves to it. Commitment, that’s the key. Choose one chair.”

The lesson from Pavorotti is timeless. In life as in leadership, we must be focused and choose our one chair wisely.

The most common problem that many of us have when things go wrong is that we tend to focus on the wrong thing. By nature, we tend to look at the conditions around us. And the more we focus on the conditions around us – the problems and the circumstances, we lose focus on what matters most in those moments – choices.

When we are focused on the conditions around us, we tend to be reactionary. When we focus on choices, we tend to think in terms of values. Click To Tweet It’s when you respond to conditions on the ground through the lens of your values that you demonstrate your leadership skill.

In your leadership, you will regularly face the decision to focus on choices or conditions. John Maxwell put it this way, “Those who focus on the external expect conditions to determine whether they keep their commitments. Because conditions are so transitory, their commitment level changes like the wind.”

In contrast, Maxwell adds, “People who base their actions on the internal usually focus on the choices. Each choice is a crossroad, one that will either confirm or compromise their commitments.” And he identifies three ways to recognize when you come to that crossroad.

A personal decision is required

When you come to your crossroad, you will have to make a personal decision as a leader. Every leader does. And at this moment you must choose to make it based on commitments or conditions.

Know this: Conditions change but commitments remain. Your leadership will ultimately be defined by the choices you make.

The decision will likely cost you something

Every crossroad and every decision carries with it a cost. You will pay a price for your commitments and you will pay a price for your comforts. One is about your short-term benefit, the other is the long game. Click To Tweet

Know this: Each choice you make is a reflection of the maturity of your leadership.

Others will likely be influenced by it

There’s no question that every choice you make will influence others. As a leader, there’s no way around it. With this in mind, think in terms of not what is best for you but how your choice will impact those around you. Every choice has a consequence and every choice is an opportunity to add value to those around you.

Know this: Each choice you make is a reflection of your influence and ultimately your legacy.

Final Thoughts

Choices or conditions. Every day you will be confronted with them. Where’s your focus? Are you consumed with the problem or are you leading with choices that provide solutions? This is not a new thing to leadership, but if you’re new to leadership, you will need to get this figured out. Choose wisely.

Please follow and like us:

The Measure of Your Leadership

Posted August 15, 2022August 15, 2022
by admin

If we’re growing, we’re always going to be out of our comfort zones. – John C. Maxwell

Humans have long used rulers to measure distances accurately. The oldest ruler we have is from Egypt, found in the tomb of King Tut’s treasurer, Maya. This wood instrument from the 1300’s B.C. marks out precise distances, not unlike the modern ruler.

Since that time, we have relied on the accuracy of the ruler in countless ways such as in carpentry, roads, engineering, math, geometry, drafting blueprints, and more.

In leadership, it’s important to understand the measure of your leadership. While a ruler serves a valuable role, at the end of the day it’s still an inanimate object but its function is timeless. While the function of leadership has changed, the foundational principles have remained.

When you think of the measure of your leadership, what comes to mind? What are those must-have qualities that not just define you, but the ones that will outlive you? This is the essence of what the measure of your leadership is all about.

In order to help you narrow down how you define the measure of your leadership, allow me to pose it to you in the form of some questions. Of course, the answers are uniquely yours but you’ll never discover them unless you are intentional about it. Reflect on these questions as you consider the measure of your leadership.

What is your motivation to lead?

Your ‘why’ about leading will always be your motivation for leading. While you may possess leadership qualities that could be beneficial to you and those around you, until you figure out your motivation for leading those qualities will never serve a greater purpose.

Have you identified your passions?

While understanding your ‘why’ and tapping into your motivation is essential, it’s your passions that will give your leadership direction. It’s all about making the transition from knowing your why to discovering your one thing. Once you know these two things the measure of your leadership will begin to make sense and your purpose becomes clear.

Do you understand what leading is not about?

Leadership means different things to different people. Is it about having a title or position? Maybe perks and prestige? Here’s what every leader needs to know: it’s not about you. Neither is it about the trappings of leadership that so many thinks are important. Until you learn this, the measure of your leadership will always come up short.

Are you adding value?

The measure of your leadership is found in the value that you bring to others. While misguided and misplaced “want-to-be” leaders think in terms of taking from others for their own personal gain and ultimately subtracting from others. True leaders think in terms of adding value to others, serving others, and ultimately moving from a leadership style of addition to one of multiplication. Click To Tweet

What will outlast you?

The measure of your leadership comes down to what you did for others. How did you serve others and causes greater than yourself? Who did you lift up and who did you hold the ladder for? Leadership is not about the notches in your belt, but the seeds you planted and the lives you touched that will follow in your footsteps.

Final Thoughts

Mark Twain said, “The two most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why.” And the measure of your leadership comes down to understanding the measure of your leadership.

Please follow and like us: