Leadership Minute: Live Fearlessly

fearless

I have a lot of things to prove to myself. One is that I can live my life fearlessly. – Oprah Winfrey

Leadership is not for the faint of heart. And if you are going to live your life fearlessly then there are some choices you are going to have to make. The life of a leader is not characterized by avoiding fearful things or circumstances. It is however; living in the presence of fear without being afraid. It’s about choosing not to allow those fears to hold you back or control you. Living fearlessly is having a greater confidence in your faith and abilities than any threat that fear can pose. To be sure, fear is a motivator. As a leader it will push you to achieve and overcome seemingly great obstacles, or it will paralyze you. Living fearlessly is not the absence of fear but is the stronger belief that you are equipped to handle anything that comes your way. Are you living fearlessly?

 

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Leadership Minute: Don’t Be a Hater

hate

Throughout life people will make you mad, disrespect you and treat you bad. Let God deal with the things they do, cause hate in your heart will consume you too. – Will Smith

Being a leader can be tough. To be sure, it is filled with many wonderful opportunities to use your influence to make positive changes and do a lot of good. But along the way you will have to contend with people who will make you mad, disrespect you, and treat you bad. It comes with the territory. How you respond to those people is what will set you apart as a leader. Regardless of how civil and nice you are you will not win over everyone. Unfortunately, some people go through life being a jerk. But as far as it depends on you – be nice. You may not win over that difficult  person over today, tomorrow, or ever for that matter. But that’s not on you. Let God deal with the haters – let your focus be on doing good and not allowing hate to fill your heart. When you allow good to overcome hate you will always come out ahead.

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Leadership Minute: Learn From Your Trials

adversity

Trials teach us what we are; they dig up the soil, and let us see what we are made of. – Charles Spurgeon

No one likes to go through trails. I don’t; do you? But as leaders we are not immune from them. The truth is- bad things happen to good people and if you hang around in leadership long enough you will go through trails and testing. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s during trails and testing that the soil of your leadership is being dug up. It’s during these times that you learn what you are made of. Times of testing are not always pleasant but what you can learn from them can be invaluable. Granted, we’d prefer to learn about who we are in more pleasant circumstances than trials or difficulties, but if we did, our learning would be incomplete. Your trials will teach you what you are made of but most importantly they will help you put down deeper roots.  When you come through your trials you will be a stronger leader. Are you ready to learn?

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3 Things You Can Learn From Constructive Critics

positivecritic

To avoid criticism do nothing, say nothing, be nothing – Elbert Hubbard

A story is told of Winston Churchill who exemplified integrity and respect in the face of opposition. During his last year in office, he attended an official ceremony. Several rows behind him two gentlemen began whispering. “That’s Winston Churchill.” “They say he is getting senile.” “They say he should step aside and leave the running of the nation to more dynamic and capable men.” When the ceremony was over, Churchill turned to the men and said, “Gentlemen, they also say he is deaf!”

As a leader you will have your critics. It comes with the territory. While many are quick to tell you to not to listen to your critics and to disregard them, I will tell you – not so fast. Not all criticism is fatal just as all praise is not flattering. You must look at the motive.

To be sure, there will be critics who for no other reason than jealousy will oppose you and try to stand in your way while you are achieving your goals and dreams. If their motives are to harm you and not to help you, then yes, you need to ignore them. They are not running your race and they will not be a part of your destiny. Don’t worry about them.

But once in a while a constructive critic comes along whose motives are right and if you are receptive you can benefit from them. Leaders are not above correction and there is always room for improvement. What can you learn from your constructive critics? Plenty. Here are three specific things that might be helpful.

How to develop a thick skin

The sooner you develop a thick skin the better. As a leader you are exposed to a higher than normal amount of criticism from all sides. The decision you make today may anger one group in your office, while a decision tomorrow will have the opposite effect.

It’s easy for people to criticize decision makers when they don’t have to live with the responsibility of the decision. But the criticisms can still sting nonetheless. Developing a thick skin as a leader is a necessity for your longevity. It’s a way of life for you as a leader so get used to it.

Why perceptions matter

Most people’s opinion of you as a leader is based in part on perceptions. Some people’s perceptions may be positive while for others it’s negative. Many factors can contribute to this viewpoint. A person with frequent interaction with you will see your leadership style one way, while a person with limited exposure will see it another. The question is: are you aware of the perceptions others have of you?

You want to give the perception that you are approachable, likable, competent, and that you have your people’s best interest at heart. And if you will allow them, your critics will let you know how you are doing. Though they may be few in number; keep your constructive critics close. In the end they will be more valuable to you than a room full of “yes people” ever will.

How you can improve

Leaders need constructive critics. They will give perspective that you may be lacking, insights you need to know, and will stand with you when times are tough. As a leader there is always room for improvement. You never stop learning. But how can you improve when you have blind spots that are not being brought to your attention?

Your growth and development as a leader is proportional to your desire and ability to learn. It’s a process that involves many components that are traditional in nature but also those that are very personal. It’s one thing to shrug off and dismiss a critic who has no interest in your success. But your best learning will occur when you ask for constructive critics who share in your success and will give you honest feedback.

Final thoughts

As a leader it’s important to differentiate between the critics who oppose you out of their own insecurity, jealousy, or ulterior motives and those who are your constructive critics. It’s not too hard to figure out. One group will stab you in the back while the other group will have your back and support you. One group will stand with you through thick and thin, the other group will cut and run – you get the picture.

Your responsibility as a leader is to discern between the two and align yourself with the right people. Your success as a leader will occur when you are not too proud to listen to your constructive critics and smart enough to ignore the others.

What do you say?

 

© 2014 Doug Dickerson

 

 

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Leadership Minute: Reign in Your Ego

ego

You need enough ego to believe you matter but not so much that you ignore others. –Dan Rockwell

One of the dangers of your leadership is that of an over-inflated ego. If not careful, leaders who achieve a certain level of success can make the mistake of believing that everything revolves around them. The danger worsens when you believe you matter more than you do and by ignoring others in the process.  While it’s good to believe in yourself you should not be writing your own biased headlines. Strive to make a difference and be grateful for your success. Your accomplishments matter but not nearly as much as the people around you. Don’t let your ego be the stumbling block as it relates to your growth as a leader. Remember, it’s not about you. You will keep your ego in check when you seek to elevate those around you and serve with humility.

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Leadership Minute: Learn All You Can

learn

I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn’t learn something from him. – Galileo Galilei

Leadership is a life-long learning process. Class is always in session; it never ends. As leaders we have the ability to tap into many streams of learning opportunities. Be it a book, a workshop or seminar, or webcast. The point here is simple and direct –learn all that you can from as many sources as possible. Working around you are many people from whom you can learn. Some may be more beneficial to you than others, but from everyone you can learn something. A little humility is in order as it relates to what you can learn from your peers or others in your circle of influence. If you come across as a “know it all” then it might be a challenge to think you can learn from those around you. The question is – are you willing to learn? Don’t try be so above everyone around you that you can’t learn something new. You can. A smart leader realizes he doesn’t know it all and is humble enough to learn.

 

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Leadership Minute: Taking the Bad with the Good

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Bad things happen; how I respond to them defines my character and the quality of my life. – Walter Anderson

One of the certainties of life and leadership is that bad things will happen. That doesn’t make you a bad person; it just means you are normal. How you respond to the bad things that happen defines your character and your leadership. Anger, frustration, and disappointment are common reactions. But you can’t let those emotions linger or control you. In addition, your people are looking at how you respond. Your reaction sets the tone others will follow. When bad things come your way why not use those experiences as stepping stones to developing your character and leadership? You are not immune from troubles and how you handle them will set you apart. Taking the good with the bad is about growth and development. No matter what comes your way, keep looking up. You are never more than just one reaction away from a response that can change your life for the better.

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Leadership Minute: Nicer Than Average

nice

The average dog is a nicer person than the average person. – Andy Rooney

Be nice. It’s a simple enough concept and is one that we were taught from an early age. The beauty of the idea is that once it’s developed it will serve you well in all areas of your life. Enter your role as a leader. Being nice as a leader does not mean that you have to be a pushover and not be firm. It doesn’t mean that you are naïve and are not business savvy. Being nice is a reflection of your character and how you treat people is important to you. Being nice is a matter of respect for those around you even if you don’t happen to like them. Let’s face it; some people are just jerks and being nice to them can be a challenge. But being nice is not about them – it’s about you. You can be better than average by being nicer than average. Give it a try!

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Leadership Minute: Keep it Together

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If you fall to pieces in a crisis, there wasn’t much to you in the first place. – Proverbs 24:10 (The Message)

One of your tasks as a leader is to model confidence in times of adversity and crisis. It’s during these times that your team looks to you for leadership and direction and you’ve got to deliver. But if you are falling apart and are unsure of yourself then it can quickly become a crisis in leadership. Now the problem is compounded. However, when you have it together your team can come together because they have confidence in your leadership ability. Be assured; times of testing and crisis will come, but it doesn’t have to defeat you. Keeping it together is the result of fine-tuning the fundamentals of your leadership – strong people skills, strong organizational skills, being engaged in what is going on around you, and a commitment to personal growth and development. In times of crisis there’s no need to fall apart; it’s the time to step up and lead.

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Leadership Toolkit: When the Visionary Leader Meets the Strategic Leader

toolkit

Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality. – Warren Bennis

About 350 years ago, as the story is told, a shipload of travelers landed on the northeast coast of America. The first year they established a town site. The next year they elected a town government. The third year the town government planned to build a road five miles westward into the wilderness.

In the fourth year the people tried to impeach their town government because they thought it was a waste of public funds to build the road westward into a wilderness. Who needed to go there anyway?

Here were people who had the vision to see three thousand miles across an ocean and overcome hardships to get there. But in a few short years were not able to see five miles out of town. They had lost their pioneering vision.

Visionary leaders (those who see the big picture) and strategic leaders (those who create the plan) are essential for the future growth and development of any organization. But can the two co-exist? It can be a challenging relationship but not an impossible one if you follow these basic rules of engagement.

Embrace your differences

Visionary leaders tend to be your charismatic type leaders who can cast the vision with great enthusiasm and confidence. They have a clear picture in their heart and mind of where they are going and why you should too.

But visionary leaders can at times be hard to work with. In his book, Rules of Thumb, Alan M. Webber writes, “Great idea people are rare- and also frequently hard to live with. They see things the rest of us can’t see, which is their gift. They can’t see what you and I see easily, which is their burden. Still, you need them and they need a home where they can contribute.”

Strategic leaders can be a great asset to the visionary leader by breaking down the vision into doable and measurable action steps which creates the vision. The strategic leader is the one who puts the puzzle together.

Leadership key: Your differences are your strengths. Embrace them and work together. You need each other.

Build a bridge

What strategic leaders and visionary leaders need is a way to connect. The divide between ideas and implementation must be joined. There has to be a way as Webber says to “build a bridge the great ideas can walk across from those who have to those who can make them real.”   For the vision to materialize this is a necessity. So what is a leader to do?

The vision needs a strategic plan. It has to be clearly communicated and thoroughly understood before the pieces of the puzzle can be created. From there roles can be assigned and teams put into place, and the execution can begin. The hard part will come later.

Leadership key: Before you build your vision build your relationships. The vision rises and falls on the strength of your communication and relationships.

Give each other space

The role of the visionary leader is not the same as the strategic leader, and vice versa. The relationship is one of isolation and interdependency. Boundaries must be set, observed, and protected while at the same time staying bridged with a unified goal and vision. It’s tricky.

The temptation of the visionary leader is to tinker, mettle, and tweak. Their greatest asset can now become their greatest liability. While they are excellent at creating the vision they can be terrible at designing the plan. As long as they keep interjecting themselves into the details of execution they will stifle the execution.

Strategic leaders thrive on creating the plan and seeing it come into existence. The visionary leader has to learn to give this person the space they need to work. It is a relationship of necessity, one of complexity, but most of all trust. The partnership will only survive if it’s built on mutual trust. The respective leaders have to know how to embrace a shared vision but then give each other the space needed to bring it to pass. When they do it can lead to overwhelming success.

Leadership key: Out of respect give each other space. Out of trust let each other work.

What do you say?

 

© 2014 Doug Dickerson

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