Apr 22, 2024
Professional Journey
I don’t know how many leadership books there are, but we can all agree, there are a lot. Too many, to be honest. Most of them have at least some helpful content. Some, however, are redundant and drone on and on, or they are more theoretical than practical. Leadership is key to any career, which is why there are so many books on the subject. No matter the position, growth inevitably involves leading others in some capacity, which is why there is such a big market for this topic. If your goal is to advance your career and make more money, you must develop leadership skills. There is no way around it.
Leadership is a complex subject that’s difficult to define. John Maxwell has the most minimalist definition I’ve seen: leadership is influence. While I love the simplicity of this definition, it falls short and isn’t that helpful in the end. An exact definition is difficult because every person should uniquely lead according to their personality.
So, instead of telling you exactly how you should lead, I want to give you a few rules that can apply in any situation. I’ll start with two broad principles.
If you can’t laugh at yourself when you make mistakes, or if you can’t receive criticism without being defensive, then your ego is getting the best of you. A big ego is a big problem for a leader. If your ego is the center of your leadership, you will stunt your growth and the growth of others. There will be no room for creativity. You will be wounded when someone doesn’t do what you say or follow your directions; you will want things to be exactly how you want them to be. You will not allow for variation, nuance, or innovation and will never learn from your mistakes. A big ego will ultimately stifle those around you, as well as, your entire organization. Instead of serving others in your leadership role, you will merely be a position leader, not a leader of influence. As David Gergen says, “Service and leadership are inextricably bound together.”
Don’t be like me when I was younger, confusing ego with confidence. I thought I was a confident person when, in reality, I was an arrogant insecure leader. I love how Steve Magnus articulates the balance between confidence and ego. He encourages leaders to create confidence by developing a quiet ego. To quote Magnus, “What you’re after is a dash of self-awareness and reflection, combined with a secure sense of who you are.”
People can be tricky. We all are. As a leader, part of your job is to offer corrections and reminders. There will never be a time when you won’t have to remind your team about what to do. That’s why you’re the leader. Your job is to cast the vision and give direction. Start by assuming people have good intentions most of the time. From a macro level, this rule may seem like it goes without saying. Certainly, we should believe in humanity in some sense. You can’t lead well from a cynical perspective.
However, for this rule to work, we need to apply it at the micro-level. In other words, we have to put an actual face to it – the individuals you are entrusted to lead. I remember when I was a young leader. I often assumed the worst. When someone messed up or didn’t do the job they were supposed to do, I would make a character judgment. I didn’t differentiate between behavior and character. Over time, I would view everything they did through a cynical lens.
As I’ve gotten older, and hopefully wiser, I’ve learned that people don’t wake up in the morning, eat breakfast, take a shower, jump in the car, come to work, and decide, “Today I’m gonna suck.” When someone on my team doesn’t accomplish what they should, I try to start with self-reflection. What could I have done better?
When someone is not fulfilling their responsibilities, it can typically be boiled down to two possible reasons. Either (1) they lack the knowledge or (2) they don’t have the correct tools to do the job. They certainly need to own their mistakes, but leaders should also own their part.
