Wannabe Leadership

05 Friday May 2017

Posted by in Leadership

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“Intimidation is easy.  Connecting, on the other hand , requires wisdom, focus, and humility.” – Dan Rockwell

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Unless we live in denial, the more we have to or are made to look deep within ourselves, the better the results should be when it comes to the belief of what we think we are as opposed to what we are.

Real leadership should take us to a different mindset. When we combine true, real, uncommon leadership that does not carry false intentions with a heart for leadership, we begin to model the true essence of what leadership should be.

Let’s not be a “wannabe” leader. There are way too many out there. They are pretty easy to spot. Usually, it’s all about them. “Wannabe” leaders have no desire to have an “others-centered” leadership mindset.

Remember…  THINK LEADERSHIP

©2017 J Clay Norton

Let’s Do Uncommon Leadership

05 Friday May 2017

Posted by in Leader

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“Insecure leaders feel entitled and are always unhappy.  Sure leaders show up each day with gratitude, knowing they’re owed nothing.” – Kevin DeShazo 

Common = Average? If so, we should have no desire to be that way. We want to be exceptional in what we do. As leaders, we must. If we are not, then we are common. Uncommon Leadership is where we need to gravitate towards. Let’s be and do leadership differently. Let’s do and be uncommon. Everyone involved will thank you for it.

An area that I find thought-provoking of leadership focuses on perpetual “bad” leadership. We lead as we were or as we are now being led. That can be either good or bad. But if it is bad, then the cycle must be broken, and that is done through leading by example by caring. Wow! Do leaders need to care? You bet they do. When leaders care, like serving, it is about others. Too often, people take the title or position of leader and stop right there. They have what they want, and they might not ever admit to it, but they are common leaders. Leadership is not a noun; it is a verb. It is action and doing. Are you able to recognize the difference between common and uncommon leadership? If you are fortunate to have uncommon leadership where you are, then you have an awesome concept to model.

Remember… THINK LEADERSHIP!

©2017 J Clay Norton

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Power

05 Friday May 2017

Posted by in Power

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“Absolute power corrupts absolutely”  – Lord Acton 

 

Here is a little history on this quote.  I thought it was pretty good.

“Absolute power corrupts absolutely” arose as part of a quotation by the expansively named and impressively hirsute John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, first Baron Acton (1834–1902). The historian and moralist, who was otherwise known simply as Lord Acton, expressed this opinion in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton in 1887:

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.”

Power is a funny concept.  Many leaders want it, few can handle it.  Power makes me think of dynamite.  A lot of leadership discussion is centered around power.  Dan Rockwell of LeadershipFreak has a post on Seven Powerful Ways to Enhance Your Power.  It can be found at:  https://leadershipfreak.blog/2011/06/16/seven-powerful-ways-to-enhance-your-power/

In the post, the idea is to give power away to become more powerful.  Seems the wrong way to go about it.  But… if we can use power as a strength for others, we are tied to that strength and the chain reaction begins…

Speak the Truth

04 Thursday May 2017

Posted by in Trust

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True leaders have confidence to stand alone, courage to make tough decisions and compassion to listen to the needs of others.”  General Douglas MacArthur

Great quote.  Which of the three do you think is the hardest? How hard is it for a person to have all three qualities?

 

Going along with the quote above, here is a really good post by Karin Hurt, http://switchandshift.com/why-leaders-must-say-what-they-mean

Do you say what you mean?  I know we have all been around that person who “speaks out of both sides of their mouth” or someone who is “two-faced.”  We never want to be that way as leaders.  We need to speak the truth.  How we do that says a lot about our leadership style.  When speaking the truth, it usually takes less words.  More is less?  You bet!

Hope you enjoy and can take something from it.

Remember… THINK LEADERSHIP

Why Leaders Must Say What They Mean

Positioning, spin, strategic ambiguity – why do so many leaders fail to say what they mean?

Leaders worry that if they say what they really mean…

  • Someone might panic
  • The truth will leak
  • Employees will make bad choices
  • They’ll become disengaged

Spinning the truth has all of those same side effects, only worse.  When humans aren’t told the truth, the stories they concoct to fill in the blanks are far more dramatic than the actual scene.

I’m always surprised by how surprised employees are when they’re told the honest truth.

  • “I’ve never heard that feedback before.”
  • “Thanks for respecting us enough to include us in the solution.”
  • “It’s refreshing to hear what’s really happening”
  • “Thanks for giving us advanced notice.”

When we are clear about our values, thought processes, and rationale, our teams get a behind-the-scenes view of our choices.

Why We Must Say What We Mean

Meaning It Creates Alignment

When we are clear about our values, thought processes, and rationale, our teams get a behind-the-scenes view of our choices. It is far easier for team members to align with a vision they fully understand.

Meaning It Builds Trust

Trust begets trust. When we trust enough to share a bit about ourselves, the relationship deepens. When we show we trust in the team, they are more likely to reciprocate. When there is less information available, people do what they can to fill in the blanks.  Usually the imagined future and actions are far more distasteful than the reality.

Meaning It Accelerates Change

In times of change and crises, people crave meaningful conversation.  Truth-telling reduces anxiety, speculation, and chatter.  When people are focused on the work, the change moves more quickly and smoothly.

In times of change and crises, people crave meaningful conversation.

Broader Development

People will learn more when they are on the inside.  They learn more from understanding the nuances and underlying struggles behind a decision.  Leaders learn from watching leaders.  By having more meaningful conversations, you will get more honest feedback and support that you can use in your own leadership journey.

Meaning Begets Meaning: When we treat people with trust, they trust us. When we mean what we say, others will say what they mean.

How to Say What You Mean

Speak from your Heart

Speak with confident humility.  Be honest with your thoughts and feelings.

Speak your Truth

Share your perspective and how you got there.

Speak with Compassion

Consider the impact of your words, and choose them well.

Speak what Should be Said

Speak about the difficult truths others avoid.

Speak with Confidence

Articulate your truth with energy and poise.

Call for stories. Please click here to share your experiences of when saying what you mean, made a difference.
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