Discovering the Opportunity in the Things that Worry Us Most

Dear friends,

This is a shortened version of a much larger piece. It concerns the urgent need for better leadership in our lives and the world, which feels enormously important to me right now.

It has long been clear to me that people need to better understand the link between the things we must manage well and how leadership is crucial to doing so. I think there is a distorted view of what leadership is and why it matters that has become increasingly pervasive in the world today - and is evident in how we choose leaders, report on them in the news - and believe about what it takes to create a better future.

To solve the problems we face, it is imperative that we separate problems with things from people's problems, endeavor to manage things better, and learn to lead people more effectively. Glitches are things we must manage against, but not being diligent in safeguarding the quality of our work is 100% a people problem that must be solved through better leadership.

While this is a much larger topic than we can tackle in 500 words, this is the start of what I hope to see evolve into a much larger conversation. Those of us who lead small and midsize businesses have an opportunity - and a responsibility to demonstrate the kind of leadership that can change the world for the better.

Wishing you a great week.

Phil

Discovering the Opportunity in the Things that Worry Us Most

When I think about the recent change of control in Washington, I see that the modern political landscape obscures the broader understanding of leadership and why it matters. Elected, appointed, or ordained leaders are examples of positional leadership. Placing the levers of governmental power in someone's hands grants them the authority to manage things critical to what governments must do. From managing the economy, public policies, and the functions that keep the things we depend on from governments to provide. Governments rely upon competent managers to get things done. But without equally competent leaders, like businesses, governments falter and eventually fail.

That is what keeps me up at night. But I have begun to think that there is an opportunity to make profound changes to improve the world for our children and their children.

The problem I see is that we fail to understand how the role of real leadership is critical to how well we manage things and that being a leader in position only does not suggest or even require that you demonstrate any level of leadership competence.?

Ensuring things are appropriately managed requires effectively leading the people responsible. Management is how we make things work, and leadership is influencing people so they are effective in the work they perform. It is why organizations, including governments, fail without competent leadership.?

We can manage things, but we must lead people. People cannot be effectively managed or controlled. Even prisoners and soldiers have the freedom to defy authority if they are prepared to accept the consequences.?

The only two ways you can influence behavior are through manipulation or inspiration.?

Manipulation ranges from offering incentives and small bribes to making false promises and bullying people to employing fear through threats. History is littered with sociopaths who find it easy to manipulate people to garner power and control – and psychopaths who do so without any capacity for human empathy. I've seen how manipulation can work for a while as a means to an end. But people eventually realize what's happening to them and take back the control they had ceded.??

In contrast, inspirational leaders have durability and latency. When people feel inspired, they are likelier to perform at their best. When people sense they are being controlled or manipulated, their performance drops when they discover what's happening and eventually leave.?

Leaders who generate enthusiasm and inspiration cultivate teams that work together with a strong sense of shared interest. The force behind driving high-performance shifts from being the leader's responsibility to those they lead who take responsibility for what they accomplish. Inspiration is powerful and enduring.

The power of inspirational leadership draws from a clear sense of purpose and an evolved level of emotional intelligence. There is overwhelming evidence that suggests when business leaders attain the same balance, their companies outperform. The great leaders throughout history were those who had access to the levers of power through their positions position – and the ability to inspire their people to change the world for the better.

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