Last Week's Leadership Lessons - April 17, 2023

Lessons From The Week of April 10, 2023

This Week:?Success / Toxic Forgiveness / Obstacles

Reader Beware:?If you were here last time, you know the drill. Please feel free to jump right on ahead to the list of stories. If not, read from here on to understand what I'm trying to capture in this series.

Talking about leadership can be repetitive and boring as hell!

We're always seeing and hearing the same old definitions, constructs, and formal tips related to and regurgitated about the leadership field, every so often punctuated by a perpetually rotating door of the latest industry buzzwords.

Even with all its great energy and intention, the themes and hopes of the leadership discipline, admittedly, can become a little monotonous -- without great stories and living examples to wake them up.

(Granted, I post about them as well. Guilty. So I guess maybe I mean "overkill." The?overkill?of your run-of-the-mill leadership ideas is what I'm trying to supplement -- and maybe unlock -- here through more unique takes and lenses.)

Hence why I launched this series.

In this series, I want to capture themes and ideas for leadership -- while being particularly cautious that they not be necessarily conveyed as leadership lessons in the articles or sources I cite. I want to find examples that demonstrate more lessons about HUMANITY than the usual script of clichéd leadership building blocks.

The way the world is going, I think it's essential to think about and take in more lessons on humanity in general than leadership specifically. And it's not like I'm forsaking one for the other; the former should inform and be the foundation for the latter. (That's just me. That's just my take.)

And to be clear, these valuable lessons, as I express them, aren't carved in stone. My translations aren't absolute. They can't be. It's not that simple. I think that's what gets us in trouble when it comes to learning (or not) about society and each other: Most issues are typically seen as black and white, left and right, up and down, one side or the other. But again, it's not that simple. Not everything can be. We force it to be that way. In most instances -- not all, but in most -- there is room for interpretation and different ideas and views to be exchanged somewhere on the middle ground. More nuance exists than we typically see -- or will admit.

And in that nuance there's beauty. Because in that nuance we can learn from each other. And because of that nuance, each of my interpretations is just one option for consideration in that middle ground of learning.

All that being said, below are three stories I came across last week that have valuable lessons for leadership, purpose, and expression. In reading these articles, you may find the lessons for leadership may not immediately stand out or reveal themselves -- and that's because lessons can range from the loud, obvious, and obnoxious to the subtle, unassuming, and hidden.

And although the source materials are not all leadership-related per se, they can all apply to leadership -- in terms of how you present yourself, navigate through life and work, and move, impact, inspire, and appreciate others.

Even if you feel you've already crafted your leadership to where you want it to be and the results clearly show it -- where others can get behind them and vouch for you -- it never hurts to continue learning from your fellow human beings, whether you know them or not.

Gestures, speeches, action, inaction, decisions, announcements, etc. They all tie in.

So bear with me. Some of them might seem like a stretch. But have some faith that I may be crazy -- but not?too?crazy.

This practice is merely effort to learn about ourselves, where we can improve, and how we can evolve.

Lessons are everywhere.

1. What YOU Need To Succeed

Caveat: Success means different things to different people. I always say most things aren't cookie-cutter, but success, it really isn't cookie cutter. Keep that in mind here. If it makes sense, include what's below in your journey toward refining what your path to what your own defined success looks like.

Success goes so much further beyond the reach of just working hard. It's a combination of so many different things. It doesn't fit beautifully into the scripted path of going to school, studying, getting a good job, putting in the hours, networking, and impressing people. It can include any and all of those pieces, yes, but just that set of prescribed steps doesn't guarantee anything. Success isn't just about hard work but about being intentional and tactical in planning your steps, risks, and connections.

Success isn't just about hard work but about being intentional and tactical in planning your steps, risks, and connections.

Leadership Lesson:?As it can apply to leadership, this is a masterful list. So many, varied considerations are listed here to be taken into account. This goes beyond the technical nature of your work and your formal title, whatever they may be, and calls on you to step back to both assess yourself and the overall environment. First and foremost, though, the self-awareness here is key. Please take the time to look at these options and consider how you might be able to incorporate them into your leadership work, presence, and example.

Check Out The Article HERE!

2. Sorry For The Toxicity

I see the value in disagreements. I appreciate arguments. I welcome them. I welcome the friction, disconnection, and airing of grievances. To me, that's when the truth rises to the surface in some relationships. To avoid that tension, though, cultural norms would have you believe accepting someone's apology is the right thing to do. Be the bigger person! Right? Well, that depends on the situation. There's too much nuance and too many unknowns and scenarios to get into here. But make sure you yourself feel completely comfortable accepting an apology. Make sure you're not doing it for anything (or anyone) other than your own comfort, peace of mind, and relationship standards.

An apology is nothing until the subsequent actions back it up.

Leadership Lesson: As this lesson pertains to leadership, you just need to make sure you feel comfortable in accepting someone's apology when they've wronged you in some way. They don't need to bend over backwards. But we need to make sure we feel they are genuinely sorry for what they have said and/or done. And you should always be aware of who the repeat offenders might be. This isn't to keep score, but it is to make sure you understand who is being sincere with you in their commitment to do better. This is also what you should do in your own apologies. An apology is nothing until the subsequent actions back it up. Those handing out insincere apologies tend to deal in the ongoing toxic undercutting of others. That toxicity can undermine what you want in your life and work.

Check Out The Article HERE!

3. Obsess Over The Obstacle

We were never taught how to deal with adversity. All the years of schooling covered memorizing information, proper work etiquette, and the need to be accountable. But we were never prepared in any way for the challenges of life or the moments when things are difficult, go off the rails, and don't work out. And so when we come face-to-face with those real-life pressures and reach for the tool we were provided with to combat it, we find they never really gave us one.

What are you discounting or outright dismissing about yourself?

Leadership Lesson: What I like about this article is that it speaks to the voice we find in ourselves, who we really are. Too many leaders put everything they have into obstacles without stepping back to assess their strengths and weaknesses and how they can rethink their approach, to work smarter, not just grittier. They have a fixed mindset instead of going beyond to think more broadly. They keep themselves cornered by the limitations they've assigned themselves based on what they were never taught or prepared for. They interpret what they believe society needs without first considering what they can bring to the table themselves. What are you discounting or outright dismissing about yourself?

Check Out The Article HERE!

Honorable Mention

What's YOUR Problem?

Leadership Lesson:?Too often, we come to conversations, interactions, and situations with biases, believing and assuming we already know what's what and why it's happening. That automatic reflex gets in our way because we're trying to solve the problem with criteria we've already established before we've objectively surveyed what's taking place. What internal issue might you be giving into before actually approaching the external issue? What kind of assumptions are getting in the way of the objective thinking and analysis in your work and leadership? How big of a blind spot might this be for you? How might this discourage others around you when they realize that's your M.O.?

Check Out The Article HERE!

Honorable Mention

Checking On Others

Leadership Lesson: When asking people, podcast guests, and clients for an example of a great leader they've encountered in their career and life, most of them have responded with a leader who really got to know their people. Those leaders were great about encouraging others to get the work done with their best abilities and in the best ways, yes. But they also knew who was working for them. They were curious about their lives and what they were going through. They were committed to people's humanity, not just their productivity. Are you clueless about what's going on around you?

Check Out The Article HERE!

That's it! That's the list for this week.

What other examples of leadership lessons – maybe even those that aren’t so apparent and obvious – do you come across in your everyday life and work?

What have you read lately that offers some insight on being human and navigating life -- and yes, by default, leadership.

Reach out to me and let me know what you think of these. Please share your own if you've found articles or stories with great lessons or insights that can contribute to how we carry ourselves through our lives and work.

Covered In Previous Posts

April 10, 2023 - Self-Discipline / Wandering Minds / Power of Creativity

April 3, 2023 - Apologizing / Preparation / Bad Habits

March 27, 2023 - Procrastination / Confident Introversion / Thought Leadership

March 13, 2023 - Listen Up! / Anxiety Is Old News / Manhood Stuff

March 6, 2023 - Slow Down! / Hope & Happiness / Primitive Empathy

February 27, 2023?- Fear of Public Speaking / Being Interrupted / Sensitivity

February 20, 2023?- Communication / Doing Just Enough / Self-Compassion

February 13, 2023?- Self-Belief / Leadership Branding / Inner Child

February 6, 2023?- Happiness / Facades / Wisdom

January 30, 2023?- Legacy / Emotional Intelligence / Stupidity

January 23, 2023?- Leadership Vulnerability / Creativity / Respect