Monthly Archives: February 2013

Three Phrases for Leaders

As a leader, your people need a lot from you. Three things they need to hear regularly:

  1. “I’m sorry” – You make mistakes and that’s okay; we all do. But do you own them? Do you admit when you made the wrong call or didn’t handle a situation in the way that best serves them? Being willing to admit your own error creates a culture of trust and gives your team room to be honest when they do the same.
  2. “Thank you” – Your team serves you and probably does things all the time on your behalf. When was the last time you said “Thank you”? Do it for the little things and the big things. A few years back, my team encouraged me that I was good at this but that it would help them if we took a little time in between busy seasons to celebrate the win as a team. I would say thank you and immediately move on to something else. Take time to really give sincere appreciation.
  3. “You’re awesome” – #2 focuses on what someone does or has done, but you also need to celebrate who they are. I’ve found that people need to be recognized for both. If it’s only about what they do, they may get so caught up in doing that they don’t realize their own boundaries and work themselves to a pulp. Celebrating them for who they are, not just for what they do, will also encourage them to develop their skills beyond their current position, rather than focusing on their current to-do list only.
What’s on your list of top phrases? Do these help?

President’s Day – Famous One Liners

I have been fascinated for years with the role of the President of the United States. This has to be one of the most challenging jobs in the world and you have to spend years convincing the American people that you’re the right one to have it. Today, as a nation, we recognize President George Washington’s birthday and honor all the past presidents. In no order and with no recognition of political position, here are some of my favorite presidential one-liners:

  • “The Buck Stops Here” – Harry S. Truman: Leaders have to take responsibility for their own decisions and actions and for those of their team.
  • “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country” – John F. Kennedy: We must challenge ourselves to pursue selfless ambitions rather than selfish ones.
  • “All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent” – Thomas Jefferson: Leadership means speaking up when things aren’t right.
  • “Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?” – Abraham Lincoln: His decision to recognize the political and leadership value in his presidential opponents gave him one of the most unique Cabinets ever, and came in handy as he worked to heal a fractured nation. (Book recommendation – Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin, one of my favorites)
  • “Above all, tell the truth.” – Grover Cleveland: Leaders should prioritize honesty and integrity.
  • “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” – Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Diagnosing the hidden nature of challenges you’re facing is the first step toward resolution.

Lastly, a quote that I came across when looking some of these up. This isn’t one I had ever heard, but it speaks to our call as leaders: “Let us raise a standard to which the wise and honest can repair; the rest is in the hands of God.” – George Washington

What about you? Any other presidential quotes you appreciate?

Here’s a list of lots more: http://www.infoplease.com/spot/presquotes1.html

Defer or Initiate?: Tips from the MIddle

Many leaders find themselves in the middle of an organization. Depending on your past experiences, this can be a challenging place to operate. You are not the boss, but you also aren’t just taking orders. You are expected to lead the team of people you are responsible for in the right direction, while also being mindful of the guidance and direction set for the organization at the top.

In many organizations, this requires finding a unique balance:

  • When you look to the leadership of the organization, you are expected to defer. Simply, this means not focus on your own preferences, but work toward the goals which have been set for you. This requires less creativity, but can still be challenging if you would prefer to be driving on your own.  The way you honor and serve those ahead of you in the organization will set an example for your team; watch this carefully.
  • When you look to the members of your team, you are expected to initiate. You will rarely get 100% of the guidance for operating your sphere from the leadership ahead of you. If they had capacity to do that, they wouldn’t need you in the role you’re in. So you must identify strategies, create systems, and lead the team forward. You can’t wait for everything to work out and hand itself to you in a package with a bow. Solving challenges is why you were hired, and that means studying the situation, praying for wisdom, and experimenting with possible solutions in dialogue and in implementation.
In my experience, most people are more comfortable with either defer or initiate. Finding the balance of both in your culture and organization will create room for you to succeed.
A personal note: If you’re like me and prefer to defer, the balance will likely include a lot more initiate than you’re comfortable with. And yet, that’s the adventure!