Simon Sinek – Doug Dickerson on Leadership

The Power of Resistance in Leadership

Posted May 8, 2022May 11, 2022
by admin

Only a mediocre person is always at his best.- W. Somerset Maugham

I came across an interesting story not long ago about how our muscles grow and develop. According to medical research, “muscle size increases when a person continually challenges the muscles to deal with higher levels of resistance or weight. This process is known as hypertrophy. Muscle hypertrophy occurs when fibers sustain damage or injury. The body repairs damaged fibers by fusing them, which increases the mass and size of the muscles.”

Did you catch that? Muscles build when there is resistance. The process actually includes the tearing of muscle fibers. It sounds like a painful process but it is necessary for the bigger picture; gaining muscle strength and growth.

When it comes to our personal growth and our growth as leaders, we tend to stay away from things (or people) that cause us pain. And often, the very thing that will move us in the direction of more growth and development, is the very thing we try to avoid. Why? Because it’s painful or because we are unwilling to pay the price for that growth. It’s the ultimate catch-22.

In The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth, here’s how John Maxwell defines the Law of the Rubber Band, “Growth stops when you lose the tension between where you are and where you could be.” There are many uses for a rubber band, but it’s of no use or value until it’s stretched.

As a leader, how willing and open are you to being stretched for the sake of growth? What sacrifices are you willing to make to become a better leader tomorrow? Unless you are stretched you will never reach your full leadership potential.

Your physical muscles grow as they are challenged to deal with higher levels of resistance. What does that look like in leadership? Let’s consider these two ways.

You grow in your leadership as you resist your comfort zones

When you begin moving out of your comfort zones – those familiar places where you routinely operate with a great degree of predictability, then you will begin to feel resistance. It’s akin to the feeling you had when the training wheels came off when learning how to ride a bike, or when learning to swim and you took the plunge into the deep end of the pool. All of your training and learning up to that point have prepared you for the next step. In order to grow, you must be willing to move in the direction of the things you’ve resisted the most up to this point. Click To Tweet

In the book Originals – How Non-Conformists Move the World, Adam Grant quotes John Kotter who sheds additional light here stating, “Without a sense of urgency, people…won’t make sacrifices. Instead, they cling to the status quo and resist.” Perhaps in your leadership, this is where you find yourself – with no sense of urgency. Here’s what you need to know – without embracing resistance that will develop you as a leader, you will stay right where you are. Without a sense of urgency, you will be at the same place a year from now as you find yourself today. Click To TweetYour personal growth and development will only happen when you are willing and prepared to make the sacrifices to get there.

You grow in your leadership when you embrace the tension of growth

Developing your leadership mettle happens when you embrace the tensions of growth. I’m not talking about the tension that arises due to strained relationships or conflict in the office. The tension that I am referring to is the tension that’s created when you recognize that your comfort zone is no longer serving you well and it’s time to get out of it. It’s the tension that takes place when you move from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset and from a negative attitude to a positive attitude. It’s the tension that takes place as John Maxwell says when you are willing to give up security for significance and addition for multiplication.

Ultimately, by embracing the tension of growth you will develop a new set of leadership muscles and fortitude you didn’t have before.

Simon Sinek remarked, “Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress. Working hard for something we love is called passion.” And passion is the ultimate difference-maker when it comes to how you lead. It emboldens you with confidence and confidence is contagious.

Final Thoughts

Your personal growth and development and that of your leadership occur when you embrace the tension and put resistance to work. As you embrace the tension, you will grow as a leader. This is how you put resistance to good work.

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Let Others See The Boss In You

Posted August 11, 2017
by dougdickerson

“He who tends the fig tree will eat its fruit, And he who cares for his master will be honored.” – King Solomon (Proverbs 27:18)

I read an article on CBS News Money Watch about the Top 40 Bonehead Bosses. There you can read the accounts of some the most boneheaded bosses you can imagine. Here’s one just for fun:

I worked as a secretary for a large metropolitan hospital. My son was in daycare at a local church. One day a co-worker ran into the office and screamed: “the church is on fire, the church is on fire”. Immediately, I ran to the church, where I could see the smoke, the fire, four fire engines and people everywhere. I was in a panic. I lost my shoe, tore my dress and dropped my purse looking for my son. After finding him (Thank God!), I returned to work frazzled and disheveled. When I made it back to my desk, my Boss approached me and said “You left your station without permission. You will be disciplined for this!”

Boneheaded boss? I’d say so. And this highlights the age old love/hate relationship people have with their bosses. As a leadership speaker, I hear the stories. And I hear the stories from the bosses about their employees because that relationship cuts both ways.

In his book, Creative Followership, Jimmy Collins, the former COO of Chick-fil-A, outlines his powerful followership principles. Principle 12 states: Let others see the boss in you.

In explaining Principle 12, the underlying philosophy he says, “was to present unified purpose and action. When the people in the organization see management in unity, they are more confident in their own roles.” Creating a compelling vision and mission statement is only as powerful as the people’s ability to have buy-in it and execute it.

Elaborating more, Collins says, “Your work should mirror the quality and character of the boss. Do things in a manner that will meet and even exceed your leader’s personal standard.”

These timely principles are as important now as they have ever been. So let me ask you:, do your colleagues, customers, and clients see the boss in you? Do people see in you an accurate reflection and representation of your organization’s core values and beliefs? Do you back it up with your words, actions, and ethics? As you reflect on these questions, here are a few important reminders for your consideration.

You are the face of your organization

Don’t make the mistake of believing that it’s only your boss who is the face of your organization. Regardless of where you are in your organizational structure, if you are on the payroll, you are the face of your organization. If you can’t proudly be the face of your organization then it’s time to either change your attitude or change your address.

You are an extension of your boss

As an extension of your boss, you carry a great deal of responsibility on your shoulders. How can you rightfully be an extension of your boss if you do not respect your boss? How can you passionately represent your organization in public if you are undermining it in private? As an extension of your boss, make it a priority to develop trust and be in unity with him or her. Develop your consensus in private, articulate your unity in public.

You are part of the ‘why’

Simon Sinek says, “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” It’s a simple and yet very profound statement. Think about the implications of it for just a moment. You are the reason why customers keep coming back or decide to go elsewhere. You are the reason why clients trust you and choose to keep giving you their business or move on. You are the reason why your organization runs efficiently, has a strong work ethic, and has strong morale or you are a part of the reason it doesn’t.

What is really the message of letting others see the boss in you? It’s about raising your own personal standard of excellence. It’s about stepping up as a leader in your own right regardless of your title or position. It’s about ownership and being a standard-bearer for your organization and being a part of a cause greater than yourself.

What are people seeing in you?

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On Becoming a Relevant Leader

Posted October 29, 2015
by admin

There are times when a leader must move out ahead of the flock, go off in a new direction, confident that he is leading his people the right way. – Nelson Mandela

When Irving S. Olds was chairman of the U.S. Steel Corporation, he arrived for a stockholders’ meeting and was confronted by a woman who asked, “Exactly who are you and what do you do?” Without batting an eye, Olds replied, “I am your chairman. Of course, you know the duties of a chairman–that’s someone who is roughly the equivalent of parsley on a platter of fish.”

The pretense in Irving S. Olds answer may have satisfied the inquisitive woman, but it is a relevant question for leaders today. Understandably, the people you lead need to know who you are and what you do. If not, they will not follow you. But beyond that, it’s imperative that you know the answer.

The fact is, every leader wants to be relevant. I’ve yet to meet a leader who did not want to be at his or her best and make an impact. The issue of relevance however is not about satisfying your ego or building yourself up at the expense of knocking someone else down.

The measure of your relevance as a leader may be open to subjective interpretation by some people. That being said, the measure of your relevance is not about how others see you but how you answer these four questions. It’s not an exhaustive set of questions by which to gauge your relevance as a leader but it’s a good place to start.

Do I know my “why?”

Simon Sinek popularized the idea in his book, Start With Why, and it has revolutionized the lives of many with the discovery. So the question is, “Why do I do what I do?” Put another way, “What drives and inspires you?” It’s a question every leader must answer.

Until you know the answer it will be hard to lead and consequently it will be hard to be relevant. Until you know the “why” of your life in leadership it will be difficult for others to know why they should follow you. Being relevant in the lives of the people you lead begins by being honest with yourself. Know your “why”.

Are my values clear?

Having a clear set of values is what keeps you grounded as a leader. When your values are clear then decision-making becomes much easier. Values-based decisions are made not by what is expedient or popular but by a governing set of principles.

Unfortunately, some leaders fall into the trap of confusing being popular for being relevant. The two could not be more different. If you want to be relevant as a leader in the 21^st century then be a leader with a clear set of values and stick to them. If your values are not clear then your leadership will be uncertain. Relevance begins with clearly defined values.

Am I building relationships?

Leaders are busy people. I get it. But the day you become too busy to connect and build relationships with your people is the day you become irrelevant in their eyes. Building relationships is time consuming and is hard work. But consider the consequences if you don’t.

Your relevance as a leader is tied to your ability and desire to build relationships with the people you lead. The greater the desire and effort the greater relevance and impact you will have. It’s not complicated. I realize you will not have deep personal relationships with everyone on your team, but as a leader you should always remember that people are your most appreciable asset. How you connect and build relationships will make a world of difference. If you want to be relevant to your people get connected to them. There are no shortcuts.

Am I still growing?

Your ability to connect and be relevant with your people hinges on your growth and development as a leader. How are you growing the leader within you? The simple truth is this: you can’t give what you don’t have. If you are not growing as a leader your relevance as a leader will suffer

Be proactive and intentional in your growth as a leader. Make reading good leadership books a priority, find good leadership podcast to listen to, subscribe to good magazines to read such as Success. Your growth and development as a leader will set you apart as a leader. Your relevance as a leader depends on it.

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