Halfway Leaderhsip
Mary T. Ricketts
Executive MBA Candidate Rockhurst University | Trustee at Kansas City Kansas Community College|Board Member| Transformational Leader| Keynote Speaker| Avid Reader|Moderator
Who wants to be known as a halfway leader? First of all, how would you describe a halfway leader? Let me share a few thoughts with you from both observance and personal experience.
I recently had a meeting with several leaders at my church, my bosses in ministry, LOL. Really, they are. When you are a leader, under leadership, one of the first things you must do as a leader is learn the flow of the house. We are not the CEO of every situation and often we are a mini-ceo of a team, project or committee. This time I was ready. I came to this meeting well prepared, folders and documents in hand with an agenda ready to walk them through. This time I had a flow. Why? Because I know what the flow of the house is. I know that I have to bring my “A-game” with a spirit of excellence. This was not a brainstorming meeting, this was a meeting the I had to present my plan for a program that I want to spearhead.
At the end of the meeting, they complemented me and thanked me for putting in the work. Wait for it…they could tell that I put some thought and time into preparing. Hint: yes, others can tell when you don’t put in quality. Quality in-quality out! You choose.
So, what is a halfway leader. I hope that you already have a thought in mind. It’s the leader that doesn’t put all of the pieces together. Don’t get me wrong, we’re not always required to come to the table with a 20-page report, PowerPoint presentation and with every step included in the process. (There’s a reason that we have team members.) But, often, we are required to build the framework, the foundation for a project or a big picture outline.
What’s funny, is that as a business & leadership coach, I expect executives and leaders to come fully prepared with the same excellence that is expected from their teams. And, this is what I have to expect of myself every time, every meeting, every situation!
Take a brief self-examination of how you’ve showed up in the past 30 days or even last week. Did you come to the meeting halfway, half prepared and decided to just wing it because you’re the boss!
Remember that halfway leadership can come across as incompetent and mediocre. It’s time to shift to the top and become the leader that others want to follow and be a part of your team. (Profit or non-profit doesn't matter. Come with excellent preparation)
#Leadwell
Mary Ricketts-CEO
Turning Point Training & Development, LLC