Leadership

***This article is inspired by chapter 16 of John C. Maxwell’s book Leadership Gold –
“People Quit People, Not Companies”***

Turnover is inevitable in any organization, but WHY people leave matters.

There are times when people leave for better opportunities that your organization cannot offer them.

There are times when people simply need a change of scenery because they’ve become stale.

There are various healthy reasons for people to move on.

Then there are reasons that are related to the leaders, which could be prevented.

Some sources estimate that as many as 65% of people leaving companies do so because of their managers. Ouch!

So, what are the characteristics of leaders that cause people to stop following them? Consider the following four:

1 – People quit people who devalue them

No matter what type of job people have, they want to feel valued. In general, people connect their self-worth in what they do for a living. People want to take pride in their work. They want to do a good job. They want to hear that they are being successful.

Leaders who devalue their followers quickly lose them. When a leader treats a follower as an object instead of a human being who has emotions, they break the connection. When a connection is lost, it is easy for the follower to look for “greener pastures.”

Show your people that you value them by the words you speak to them and about them. Address problems privately, but praise them publicly. Be their cheerleader. Help them succeed. This shows them that they matter and that you value them.

2 – People quit people who are untrustworthy

Trust is the foundation of leadership. When people trust their leader, they will follow them a great distance. When trust is broken, followers quickly look for someone else to follow. Trust is a component of integrity that leaders cannot afford to lose.

Trust takes time to build but can be lost in a moment. Leaders must guard their trustworthiness with their lives. We all have bad days. We say and do things we regret. While this breaks trust sometimes, apologizing and owning your error can often correct the problem. However, apologies must be sincere.

Make it your goal to be the kind of leader that your people can depend on. Make “trustworthy” one of your highest core values. It will take you far in your leadership.

3 – People quit people who are incompetent

People will initially follow “nice” people, but if you prove that you are not competent and don’t belong in a leadership role, you will lose followers eventually. When followers feel they have to work around their leaders, they will often look for a better person to follow elsewhere.

While leaders must recruit talented specialists around them, they must also prove to be competent in their leadership roles. You do not have to be an expert in what your team members are, but you must show them that you can lead well. Leaders shouldn’t be the smartest people in the room; rather, they should gather the smartest people together. This is a leadership skill.

Just as you expect your specialists to be great at their jobs, you must become great as a leader. Invest in yourself. Read personal growth books, go to conferences, listen to podcasts, hire a coach. Invest in yourself so you have plenty to give your followers. When they see you grow as a leader, it will inspire them to grow in their roles.

4 – People quit people who are insecure

Insecurity masks itself in a variety of ways. One way that has taken me by surprise the most is when a leader appears to be overly confident. When someone is trying to be impressive, watch out. Leadership is difficult. There’s no doubt about it. However, beware of your insecurities and how you try to cover them up.

Everyone is insecure in some way, but be honest about it. Don’t try to be someone you’re not. Don’t overcompensate by puffing up your chest and being over-the-top in your approach. Be real and authentic. Followers realize no leader is perfect. Own your shortcomings and delegate for the sake of the team.

Instead of trying to mask your insecurities, build a team around you that can complement your skills. You cannot pretend for very long before being found out. Be on guard against your insecurities or else they will become a factor that pushes people away.

People desire to follow strong leaders, not perfect ones. If you will guard against these four negative characteristics of leadership, you can go far. If you fall into any one of these traps, prepare to lose followers and your leadership credibility.

You can be the type of leader that others want to go the distance with, but it will take intentional effort, humility, and authenticity.

You can do this.

I believe in you.

Until next time…make today GREAT!

***If you need help developing a personal growth plan or implementing a leadership development program for your team, please contact me. I’d love to talk with you to determine how I can help!

***This article is inspired by chapter 9 of John C. Maxwell’s book Leadership Gold –
“To See How the Leader Is Doing, Look at the People.”***

Author Max Depree once said, “The signs of outstanding leadership appear primarily among the followers.”

That is really good news for you if your followers are doing well. However, if you are frustrated with the performance and quality of your team members, the first place to look is in the mirror.

It is very easy in the hectic pace of day-to-day work to neglect developing your people into high-quality leaders that will help your organization grow and advance. However, don’t let busyness be an excuse. In our generation, busyness is something that must be navigated. There’s always more to do. As leaders, we must become highly intentional with our time.

One key effort must be developing your people. If you want to have a high-quality organization, you must have high-quality people. You’ll only go as far as your team members will take you and they’ll only go as far as their leader(s) will take them.

In order to assess the state of your followers, ask the following four questions:

1 – Are the people following?

John Maxwell says it this way – “All leaders have two common characteristics; first, they are going somewhere; second, they are able to persuade other people to go with them.”

Are your people truly following you or are they simply going through the motions of doing their jobs?

Have you given them a clear vision of where you are heading so they can follow you toward that goal or vision?

Clarence Francis said, “You can buy a man’s time; you can buy his physical presence at a given place; you can buy a measured number of his skilled muscular motions per hour. But you can not buy enthusiasm…you can not buy loyalty..you can not buy the devotion of hearts, minds or souls. You must earn these.”

If you are going to grow and advance your organization to the level you desire, you must give your people a reason to follow you. Become the leader with whom they want to go after a big vision.

2 – Are the people changing?

Progress doesn’t occur without change. Change is often difficult. Most people hate change until it produces a result that they like or benefits them.

In order to see change occur in your organization, you must become a change agent. You can’t force anyone to change. You must give a clear vision, inspire your followers to go after the vision with you, and equip them for the task. People need a guide to lead them to and through the change process.

Commit to being an agent of change by helping your people understand WHY change is needed and HOW it can happen in a way that everyone wins.

3 – Are the people growing?

Dale Galloway said, “The growth and development of people is the highest calling of a leader.”

As a leader, your job is much like a gardener. You must consistently nurture your followers, pull weeds of weaknesses, fertilize their growth, and make sure the soil that they are planted in is healthy. If a plant or crop is left unattended, it will not produce its full potential.

If your people are the same today as they were a year ago, something must be corrected if you want different results. Too many leaders allow busyness to squeeze out their development time with their followers. Helping your team members grow should have a consistent designated place in your calendar.

If your people aren’t growing, it’s often a reflection of your lack of intentional effort. People must want to grow, but leaders must make it a non-negotiable and then facilitate the process. Invest the time to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your followers, then help them develop a growth plan that they can be held accountable to implement with your guidance.

4 – Are the people succeeding?

Success can be defined in a variety of ways for any organization. However, if your followers aren’t producing desired results, they are not succeeding.

Do they know what success looks like in their roles? Is it clear to them? Are they held accountable to achieve those results? Have they been equipped to be successful?

Many leaders expect specific results from their followers, yet never clearly communicate their expectations. It is unfair to your followers to expect something from them without them understanding what those expectations are.

Your followers want to succeed. Success is an internal motivator. When they are succeeding, they will have more energy, enthusiasm, and focus. When they are struggling, their production will go down and their motivation will diminish.

The success of individuals, teams, departments, and the overall organization is the leader’s responsibility. Think of this from a sports analogy – if a team struggles to win, who is fired – the coach or the players? Most often, it’s the coach! Yes, players must take responsibility for their performance, but it’s the coaching staff’s job to get the most out of those players. If your team is not performing at an optimal level, it’s time to take a hard look in the mirror and ask the following questions:

“What am I not doing that is holding our people back?”

“What can I do differently to help the team win?”

Leadership is not for the weak. Leaders must assume responsibility for their followers’ success.

Refuse to expect more out of your followers than you do from yourself. Refuse to expect from your followers what you have not equipped them to do.

Choose right now to be (or become) the leader that your people need so they can produce the results that you want for your organization.

You can become that kind of leader.

I believe in you.

Until next time…make today GREAT!

***If you need help developing a personal growth plan or implementing a leadership development program for your team, please contact me. I’d love to talk with you to determine how I can help!

***This article is inspired by chapter 6 of John C. Maxwell’s book Leadership Gold –
“The Best Leaders Are Listeners.”***

“Can you hear me now?”

This question became very popular with Verizon mobile phone commercials several years ago. It was a simple question that many of us ask when we’re in a spotty signal zone. Verizon capitalized on it to promote its expanding coverage.

Beyond a funny commercial, this is a question that followers are asking of their leaders regularly. Most of the time it’s internal, though. People want to be heard. Being heard makes them feel valued. If you want to quickly devalue someone, ignore them. Pretend they’re not talking or not in the room.

Author and pastor Andy Stanley once taught five powerful words that leaders should say regularly – “How can I help you?” When you ask questions like this one and then truly listen, you are able to better serve your followers, as well as, gain greater buy-in and credibility.

Are you a good listener?

Or are you a person who is thinking about your rebuttal while the other person is talking?

If you want to become a better leader, become a better listener.

In chapter 6 of Leadership Gold, John Maxwell shares 5 reasons why good listeners are more effective leaders:

1 – Understanding people precedes leading them.

If you don’t listen, you will lack a deeper understanding of your followers. To lead best, listen more. Ask more questions about who they are, not just about what they do. As Stephen R. Covey taught in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, “seek first to understand, then to be understood.”

2 – Listening is the best way to learn.

The best way to discover challenges and opportunities is by asking questions and listening. When you choose to listen more than speak, you can learn about the goals, needs, and challenges that your team is facing. You can also become wiser as you realize you’re not always the smartest person in the room. You simply need to bring the smartest people together.

3 – Listening can keep problems from escalating.

Many times people simply want to be heard. They don’t need you to fix their problems. They may just need to vent and process their thoughts out loud. I’ve heard it said that even if a person just speaks to a lamp post they can often feel better. When leaders listen, problems can be kept at a minimum or solved much more easily. Sometimes just being a sounding board allows your followers to come up with their own answers.

4 – Listening establishes trust.

When you listen, you show your followers that you care about them. Concern for their wellbeing establishes trust. When they feel heard, they begin to value you more in return. Trust is the foundation of leadership. Without it, you may have a title but you won’t necessarily have authority.

5 – Listening can improve the organization.

As you listen, you will hear about problems and opportunities more frequently. As you rise in leadership, it becomes more difficult to hear deeply into the organization. You will need to depend on others to be your ears. When you listen to your followers, you will become more aware of what is going on throughout the organization. Then you will have the opportunity to make things better from your position.

Listening is not always an easy task. In fact, it can be the most difficult task of leaders. People look to you for answers, but the best leaders understand that they should ask insightful, clarifying questions before giving an answer. The more information you have before making a decision, the better.

Make the choice today to focus more on listening than speaking. When you feel the temptation to speak up, take a deep breath and count to 10 so you give the other person more time to share.

You can become a better listener.

I believe in you.

Until next time…make today GREAT!

***If you need help developing a personal growth plan or implementing a leadership development program for your team, please contact me. I’d love to talk with you to determine how I can help!

***This article is inspired by chapter 25 of John C. Maxwell’s book Leadership Gold –
“You Only Get Answers To The Questions You Ask.”***

Leaders always want better results, but they are not always achieved.

Why is that?

It’s been said that the definition of “insanity” is doing the same thing over and over while expecting different results. Many times, leaders dig in their heels and work harder and longer. In our typical American culture, it’s easy to fall into this trap. We are a nation built on the backs of hard work, determination, and “pulling yourself up by your bootstraps.” We like the stories of “self-made” men and women.

But what if that isn’t what really made us successful? What if there was something else behind the scenes that caused the success of our great nation?

Innovation and ingenuity came before hard work and determination. Yes, we’re a hard-working society, but someone had to think up the ideas first. And those ideas came in the form of asking better questions than others were asking.

Henry Ford didn’t invent the automobile, but he did figure out the assembly line. He had a curiosity about how to mass-produce vehicles and found a way with his team to make it happen.

Thomas Edison became a famous inventor by asking thousands of questions and experimenting.

The list goes on of famous inventors who knew that in order to become better and find creative solutions, one must ask better questions.

Where do you need to be better? How does your organization need to be better?

In his insightful chapter 25 in Leadership Gold, John C. Maxwell gives us 9 questions to consider:

1 – Am I investing in myself? – Personal Growth Question

2 – Am I genuinely interested in others? – Motive Question

3 – Am I doing what I love and loving what I do? – Passion Question

4 – Am I investing my time with the right people? – Relationship Question

5 – Am I staying in my strength zone? – Effectiveness Question

6 – Am I taking others to a higher level? – Mission Question

7 – Am I taking care of today? – Success Question

8 – Am I taking time to think? – Strategic Leadership Question

9 – Am I developing other leaders? – Legacy Question

If you want to become better, block off intentional time to ask yourself these questions and write down your thoughts. Define specific action steps to implement. Then, build it into your weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual rhythm to ask these questions over and over again. Encourage your team members to do the same.

If you want to become better, start by asking better questions.

Think of specific questions that relate to the problems or opportunities that you are facing.

Reflect on this ancient Chinese proverb – “He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask is a fool forever.” 

Set your ego aside and begin asking more questions rather than telling people what you already know. You might just be amazed at what you learn that can take your leadership and organization to a whole new level.

Until next time…make today GREAT!

***If you need help developing a personal growth plan or implementing a leadership development program for your team, please contact me. I’d love to talk with you to determine how I can help!

***This article is inspired by chapter 13 of John C. Maxwell’s book Leadership Gold –
“Don’t Manage Your Time – Manage Your Life.”***

Peter Drucker wrote the following in his classic management book The Effective Executive – “Nothing else distinguishes effective executives as much as the tender loving care of their time.”

Time management has been a hot topic for decades, but as the world speeds up through technological advances, it becomes an even bigger issue for leaders. There are many expert opinions and perspectives on the tactical side of time management, but few truly get to the core of one of our generation’s greatest challenge. There is no shortage of activities to do, but adding more to your schedule isn’t the wisest or most effective way forward.

In order to maximize the limited time you have each day, implement the following three actions:

1 – Value your uniqueness by doing what you do best, not what others want you to do.

Determine and prioritize what you uniquely contribute to your team and organization. Protect your calendar to do the things that only you can do or are best equipped to do. Delegate the tasks that others can do 80% as well as you can. This will free up your time to focus on your most important action items and give others the opportunity to contribute more.

2 – Focus on doing truly important activities and cut out (or delegate) the rest.

Your time is limited. You only have 24 hours each day like everyone else on planet Earth. There are things that you love to do that others hate and vice versa. There are things that you’re doing that should be someone else’s job. Determine what those items are and adjust your daily schedule. Do a time study for at least two weeks to evaluate where you are spending your time. Reflect on the activities you are doing, then determine if you are the best person to be doing those items. If so, block time to focus on them more. If not, delegate them or dump them altogether.

3 – Grow into your potential by investing in coaching and training.

You have much more potential than you are currently exhibiting. Even if you’re excelling, you can always become better. If you want to perform at peak levels, invest in yourself through hiring a coach and/or go to training workshops. Once you’ve identified the few things that you should be doing, double down on your development in those areas so you can become world-class.

Rather than simply implementing time management tactics, look beneath the surface. Study what you’re doing and evaluate if you are focusing on the best things. Good is often the enemy of great. You will only excel at a few things in life. You can only reach your full potential in your life and work by doing what you do best and delegating other items to others who can excel in those areas.

Before developing a good time management system to help you be productive, take action to manage your life by embracing your unique contribution to your team and organization. You and those you lead will be glad you did.

Until next time…make today GREAT!

***If you need help developing a personal growth plan or implementing a leadership development program for your team, please contact me. I’d love to talk with you to determine how I can help!

***This article is inspired by chapter 11 of John C. Maxwell’s book Leadership Gold –
“Keep Your Mind On The Main Thing.”***

We live and work in a complex world full of options. This can lead to frenetic living trying to do it all or it can create “analysis paralysis.” In order to be most effective, you must keep the main thing the main thing. And to do that, you must first know what should receive your energy and attention.

You’ve most likely heard of the “Pareto Principle” which says that 20% of your efforts produce 80% of your results. The problem is that most people never define the 20% to focus on and, therefore, the 80% receive too much of their attention.

John Maxwell asks three good questions to help you determine what the main thing should be:

1 – What gives me the greatest return?

2 – What is most rewarding?

3 – What is required of me?

If you will designate time to answer these questions, you will be well on your way of identifying your main thing.

Jim Collins wrote this in his best-selling business book Good to Great – “Foxes pursue many ends at the same time and see the world in all its complexity. Hedgehogs, on the other hand, simplify a complex world into a single organizing idea, a basic principle or concept that unifies and guides everything.”

Are you a “fox” chasing many things or are you a “hedgehog” remaining focused on the things in which you are most effective?

Warren Buffet once said, “The business schools reward difficult, complex behavior more than simple behavior, but simple behavior is more effective.”

The reality is that our world becomes more complex every day. Information is multiplying at an extremely rapid rate. It can be overwhelming. The most effective people in our world today and as we head into the future are those who focus on a few key items and do them with excellence. If you try to do too much, you will dilute your efforts. Busyness is kryptonite to leaders. Intentionality and focus are their superpowers.

So, how can you stay focused and productive?

Consider the following 5 decisions that John Maxwell recommends:

1 – Determine not to know everything.

Be an expert in a few key items and surround yourself with experts in other relevant areas.

2 – Determine not to know everything first.

There’s no prize for being the first to know. In fact, most of what you can know first isn’t worth knowing at all! Build a team that is paying attention to relevant information.

3 – Determine to let someone represent you.

You don’t have to be at every meeting or be present on every call. Build a team of individuals who can represent you well and then delegate the task of showing up on your behalf.

4 – Determine to stay with your strengths and not work on your weaknesses.

Do what you can do best and delegate the rest. Even if you don’t have a large team yet, there are ways to outsource your weaknesses so you don’t dilute your expertise.

5 – Determine to take charge of what takes your time and attention.

No one will protect your schedule or attention. This is YOUR responsibility. Make the decision right now to take charge of your time and attention so you can remain focused on what matters most.

Keeping the main thing the main thing is hard work. That’s why most people don’t do it. If you desire to become a great leader, build a great team, and lead a great organization, this is a vital task.

You can do it.

I believe in you.

Until next time…make today GREAT!

P.S. If you need help developing a personal growth plan or implementing a leadership development program for your team, please contact me. I’d love to talk with you to determine how I can help!

***This article is inspired by chapter 7 of John C. Maxwell’s book Leadership Gold –
“Get In The Zone and Stay There.”***

Samuel Johnson once said, “Almost every man wastes part of his life in attempts to display qualities in which he does not possess.”

Peter Drucker also said, “Organizations exist to make people’s strengths effective and their weaknesses irrelevant.”

Both of these men are pointing to the wise leadership principle of understanding your strengths and delegating your weaknesses. This is extremely important for you, the leader, and then your team members.

Do you know your strengths?

Many leaders rise in roles and responsibilities without truly assessing their strengths. Rather, they simply move forward intuitively. While this is natural, it can hinder understanding your greatest contributions to your team or organization.

Another factor that I often see is that organizations do not utilize the strengths of their people across departments. It’s very easy to remain in silos and lack awareness of who can help solve problems and capitalize on opportunities outside of their immediate circles. For instance, some people are visionaries who can see farther ahead than others and develop strategies to get there. Others are specialists who can utilize their strength in the details to make things happen. Both roles are needed but can be overlooked if leaders are not paying attention to the strengths of their people.

So, how do you get in your strength zone and stay there?

1 – Assess your strengths

There are various tools and assessments that you can use. The Gallup organization’s CliftonStrengths (the tool used in StrengthFinders 2.0) is a popular starting point. Also, map your life in 5-year increments to study what events occurred and what lessons you learned throughout your life that you now apply as a leader. The DISC profile, Meyers-Briggs assessment, and the Enneagram tools are also good to understand your personality type and strengths you offer.

2 – Ask others for insight

What do your co-workers see in you? Ask your supervisor and employees. Ask your family and friends. Get an outside perspective. We don’t often see our strengths so we need the help of others.

3 – Practice and assess your outcomes

As you work, reflect on what is working and what is not. What comes easily to you and what feels like a grind? Raise your awareness so you can begin to see what strengths you have, apply them, and take note of the outcomes that occur.

Now that you have a better way to assess your own strengths, it’s time to develop the strength of others on your team.

Follow the following four steps that John Maxwell suggests in Leadership Gold:

1 – Study and know the people on your team

If you don’t pay attention to your team members, you will overlook their strengths. Keep an eye on them and take notes for a while to evaluate what they do well and how they best contribute to the team.

2 – Communicate to individuals how they fit on the team

Once you are clear on team members’ strengths, tell them. Remember, we don’t often see our own strengths and hearing from a peer or leader what strengths they see in us is both affirming and energizing.

3 – Communicate with all team members how each player fits on the team

Take the time to make sure each team member sees how his or her fellow team members fit on the team. Every team is like a puzzle made up of many skills and experiences. Maximize the strengths of the team by making sure that each person understands how others fit together.

4 – Emphasize completing one another above competing with one another

Finally, leadership and success is a team sport. If you are to achieve your organizational vision and goals, you must value your followers and help them value one another. As the leader, you must monitor the state of the team, including how they interact with each other. Beat the drum of working together to achieve a greater vision.

Getting in your strength zone requires continual effort. However, if you want to experience optimal results and achieve high levels of success, determine to know your strengths and the strengths of your team members. Then, make sure the team sees the strengths of one another so they can be their best together.

Until next time…make today GREAT!

P.S. If you need help developing a personal growth plan or implementing a leadership development program for your team, please contact me. I’d love to talk with you to determine how I can help!

***This article is inspired by chapter 2 of John C. Maxwell’s book Leadership Gold –
“The Toughest Person To Lead Is Always Yourself.”***

We look into the eyes of the most difficult person to lead as we gaze into the mirror each morning.

Leading others is difficult, but leading yourself is the hardest task you’ll ever take on.

Why is that?

First, we don’t see in ourselves what others see. We struggle to see the good, the bad, and the ugly. It’s impossible to be objective with ourselves. Therefore, we struggle to define what we need to work on most.

Second, we judge ourselves more by our intentions than our actions. By doing this, we allow ourselves to drift and brush off mistakes that we wouldn’t accept from others. We give ourselves the benefit of the doubt more often than we should which hinders our ability to grow into better leaders.

If you are going to be a leader worth following, you must begin with the person staring back at you in the mirror.

Consider these 4 keys to effective self-leadership:

1 – Learn followership

In order to be a good leader, you must first become a good follower. No one starts out as a leader without first being a follower. If you do not follow others well, you will hinder your leadership potential. The best leaders learn from others. Imitate others early on and then innovate your own style as you grow and mature.

2 – Develop self-discipline

Do you know who has the greatest self-esteem according to various studies? PRISONERS! This proves that self-esteem does not always lead to good results. While self-esteem may make you feel good, self-discipline is what will make you successful. If you cannot control yourself and lead a disciplined life, you will not be able to lead others effectively.

3 – Practice patience

Self-leadership is hard. It is tedious work to improve your life and leadership. Becoming better as a leader requires daily work. It’s often taught that we should strive to become 1% better every day. At the end of a year, that compounding interest will show tremendous results. But on a daily basis, it doesn’t feel like you’re moving forward much. Stay with it. Be patient with the process. Keep moving forward.

4 – Seek accountability

In order to develop into a high-quality leader who is capable of leading high-quality team members, you need others to hold you accountable. Accountability can come from a supervisor, mentor, or friend. However, seek accountability from people who are unafraid to call you out if you are not progressing or if you begin to decline. Ask for and accept “tough love” so you can grow into a great leader.

While leading yourself is difficult, it is worth the effort. Strong, successful leaders begin by looking in the mirror each morning and commit to making that person better today than yesterday. You control your leadership potential by how you choose to lead yourself daily. You can become great, but it will take great effort.

Are you willing to do the hard work?

I hope so.

I believe in you.

Until next time…make today GREAT!

P.S. If you need help developing a personal growth plan or implementing a leadership development program for your team, please contact me. I’d love to talk with you to determine how I can help!

***This article is inspired by chapter 12 of John C. Maxwell’s book Leadership Gold –
“Your Biggest Mistake Is Not Asking What Mistake Your Making.”***

You’re going to make mistakes. You can’t avoid that.

However, you can avoid making the same mistakes by seeking help from your followers.

As a leader, you must set your ego to the side, be vulnerable, and ask those closest to you for help in exposing your blind spots.

Here’s the deal…they already see them, so denying they exist won’t help anyone!

John. C. Maxwell wrote in Leadership Gold, “To get maximum attention, make a big mistake. To cause maximum damage, fail to admit it.”

When you lead others, you will say the wrong thing or use the wrong tone of voice or speak out of turn or…

You get the point.

So, how do you simultaneously learn from your mistakes AND gain greater leadership credibility?

1 – Admit when you are wrong.

You’re not perfect. Neither are your followers. No one needs to pretend they are. When you make a mistake, admit it. Apologize when necessary.

2 – Learn from your mistakes.

Regardless of how successful you become or what role you serve in, take the posture of a student who is willing to learn. Then do what you can to avoid repeating mistakes over and over.

3 – Ask for feedback.

Followers are often afraid to tell you bad news. Unless you solicit their thoughts, they will often let you continue making mistakes for fear of retribution. Ask for their insights periodically so you can develop a positive feedback loop that helps you and the organization get better.

4 – Allow for pushback.

You may have an initial idea, but ask for opinions to refine it. Ask what other ways your task or goal can be accomplished. Give your followers ownership by allowing them to speak freely so the end result is optimal.

5 – Be humble and approachable.

If you are arrogant and unapproachable, followers will never help you become better. They will hide, avoid eye contact, and refuse to be honest with you. Carry yourself in a humble, approachable manner that invites valuable feedback.

In order to grow as a leader and develop greater credibility with your followers, you must be intentional with the above actions. You will not drift into becoming better. You need the help of others, but it won’t come without you asking for it.

Leadership is a team sport, not a solo act. Include your followers in your development as you also seek to help them develop.

When you attempt anything worthwhile, you will make mistakes, but long-term success requires you to learn from them.

Followers don’t need perfect leaders. They don’t exist. Rather, they need leaders of high character who lead from a growth mindset.

You can be that kind of leader.

Until next time…make today GREAT!

P.S. If you need help developing a personal growth plan or implementing a leadership development program for your team, please contact me. I’d love to talk with you to determine how I can help!

***This article is inspired by chapter 10 of John C. Maxwell’s book Leadership Gold –
“Don’t Send Your Ducks to Eagle School.”***

Not everyone is a potential leader.

Some people have no interest in becoming one. Others may want to be, but don’t have the basic skills, character, or mentality to become one. Others may just never think about it.

Why is this important? Because you only have so much time in a day to invest in those who want to be mentored and developed. If you expend your time, talents, and resources on everyone for the sake of “fairness,” you will dilute your impact.

This is not about devaluing anyone. Rather, it’s about investing in the people who will lead your team or organization forward into the future. It is about investing in those who want to be leaders, who may have unrealized potential and those in which you see something special.

In Leadership Gold by John C. Maxwell, he addresses this topic in detail in the chapter titled “Don’t Send Your Ducks To Eagle School.” He calls those with leadership potential “eagles” and those who don’t have it “ducks.” Eagles and ducks are both important for your organization, but you must be wise in how you invest your time in developing next-generation leaders.

If you try to force a duck to become an eagle, you will frustrate yourself and the duck!

If you neglect developing eagles, you will frustrate the eagles!

Many people are ducks who want to do their jobs well without the responsibilities that come with leadership. That’s okay!

Eagles are the ones who want to be challenged and be given opportunities to step up and lead. Honor their desire.

Value your ducks enough let them be ducks.

Value your eagles enough to invest in them.

To be intentional with your leadership development, do the following four steps:

1 – Make a list of those whom you believe are “eagles” needing to be developed

2 – Develop a plan to invest in them

3 – Invite them to be mentored and trained

4 – Implement your plan by creating an intentional meeting and training rhythm

If you want your team or organization to move forward with strong leadership, you must begin now. It takes time to develop people. They say the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, but the second-best time is today. The same is true with leadership development.

What will you do today to begin?

Whom will you invite into your “eagle training”?

Take responsibility to develop those under your care and multiply your impact.

Until next time…make today GREAT!

P.S. If you need help developing a plan or implementing a leadership development program, please contact me. I’d love to talk with you to determine how I can help and partner with you!