Leadership – Who Am I? Why do I do what I do?

Leadership – Who Am I? Why do I do what I do?

We are often such busy leaders that we operate on auto pilot. How often do you actually stop and review your progress and your operating program?  How do you interact in the world and how often do you ask yourself the question -  is what I am doing serving me?

I coach leaders and executives all the time and I only get to see one side of them. I have recently had the opportunity to observe some leaders in action and I was amazed at the learning.

I commonly see the following.

Failure to listen to others. They think they are listening but in fact they are not. 

Insisting on doing when they should be leading.

Not delegating.

Failure to inspire action.

When they fail I see acknowledgement of all the good when they should be focussing on what went wrong as a means to learn,  progress and move forward. We learn far more when we make mistakes.

Accountability when we win its us and when we lose its always due to someone else.

Consistently making the same mistakes or becoming complacent. We have done this before it is easy. 

Failure to action your objectives or not clearly understanding them. Missing the bulls eye. 

Not asking for help as you might look stupid. Leaders do not need to know everything and most certainly do not need to do everything. As Henry Ford said he just needs to know who can do what needs doing.

Not rewarding talent and innovation. Not appreciating the small things. 

Not allowing yourself to be vulnerable. Being humble and being authentic is vitally important.

Not taking a helicopter view being too involved to see clearly. Napoleon used to ride to the hill and watch the battle from great height. Better vision of what was happening on the ground.

Not holding crucial conversations. Not being able to discuss what needs to be discussed. 

Not managing their emotions and regulating same.

As GE Jack Walsh said “Set the vision then get out of the way”

Some leadership quotes –

Leadership is not about a title or a designation. It's about impact, influence and inspiration. Impact involves getting results, influence is about spreading the passion you have for your work, and you have to inspire team-mates and customers.

 Robin S. Sharma

The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.

Warren Bennis

And always remember as a Leader you are not there to be liked, your there to do a job. If you are liked it is a bonus.

We specialise in Leadership Development and Building of High Performance Teams.

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