Principles for Leading Teams & Yourself

There are books and multi-million dollar businesses with the sole focus of developing leadership. Yet... there still seems to be a miss between C-suite and front-line. I'm not going to go into all of the theory, but I wanted to share the "11 Leadership Principles" that really helped me. They were taught to me as a Marine, and I've adapted them for corporate use below.

Before we get there, a few statements of context. Leadership is not a position, it's a behavior of one that is experienced by others. It is not exclusive to those 'in leadership' positions.

Corporate America still struggles with developing leadership. Not because 'they have it all wrong', but because it's sort of built to be lacking by design. An individual contributor becomes a manager based on their specific, technical skills (not leadership). They then become a Director (a manager of managers) based on the same premise (and maybe managing time reports). And just like that, you have an amazingly skilled, leadership-void section of contributors to your business. But don't worry, there's an L&D contractor that'll run a 3-day workshop for you. ;)

Without further delay, here are some applicable principles you can use daily. I've added more context/examples in brackets, just for this post.

1. Know yourself and seek self-improvement; It’s simple and always applies. [Does your company have a learning portal? Are you using it?]
2. Be proficient in the ways of your Organization and your trade; if you are not, see Principle #1. [If your immediate supervisor isn't great at sharing company goals or intent of your business unit, look for the voices in the company and 'follow' them. Company blog? LinkedIn? Twitter? The voices are out there, just seek them out]
3. Know your Direct Reports and look out for their welfare; You owe your success to them. The environment that promotes their success, is on you. That includes their development and building them as professionals, just as you build yourself. [The most simple example is, when you ask "How was your weekend?", really listen. Actively listen, and remember what they tell you. It helps understand how your team works and let's you catch on early, when there is something to address]
4. Keep your Team informed; Controlling information is not leadership, it’s manipulation that results in a net loss. Keep your team informed and empower them with the information they need to stay aligned. [This is simple, be able to tell your team what the intent of their work is. Controlling info is a quick way to lose trust and look unreliable]
5. Set the example; You are always an example to your team – on your best days, and worst days. Be the example you want them to see. [Nothing further to say]
6. Ensure the task is understood, supervised, and accomplished; you can delegate authority, but not responsibility. “Supervised” is not “micro-managed”. Give your team the tools they need to succeed and hold them accountable. Meanwhile you are accountable for moving obstacles that impede their success. [Tip: Let your direct report 'read back' what you've asked them to do and prompt them with "does that make sense? Any hurdles you think we might hit?"]
7. Train your Direct Reports as a team; a team will always have a greater impact than a collection of individuals [Also, nothing further to say]
8. Make sound and timely decisions. Practicing principles 1-7 will help you be confident in your decisions. You will have to make decisions with less information than you feel comfortable with. The world moves at the speed of life; there is never a fully informed decision. [You'll get some wrong. Own that without scapegoating and your team will appreciate you for it]
9. Develop a sense of responsibility among your Direct Reports; Success of your team and your organization relies on ownership. Ownership of the responsibility, experience and outcome. [Tip: describe asks and priorities with 'we'. 'We need to'; 'For us to achieve our goal we need to...']
10. Employ your Team in accordance with its capabilities; This is dependent on Principle 3. Give your team members opportunities to learn. Also, be sure to maximize their proficiency in their strengths. When Michael Jordan was on the court, the stats of the other four players went up – he knew how to leverage his team in their strengths while pushing them to be better. Be Michael Jordan. [ Stretch assignments outside of comfort zones are good, but should be tempered. Employ your team in their strengths].
11. Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions; You are a leader, even if only leading yourself. Own it. [own it.]