Are you in the middle of a Cultural Tug-of-War?

"Cultural Tug-of-War" is no fun!

Leaders can't stand the status quo. They don't lay in bed and dream of how things are. They dream of how things could be. ~ Andy Stanley

High Impact leaders that want growth, change, and progress are pulling on one side.

Low level leaders (bosses/managers) that can't let go of the status quo are pulling on the other side.

And torn between the two sides are all of the hardworking people that are being pulled back and forth constantly because of the lack of real leadership at the top. They don't know who to follow, when to follow, or why to follow, and they get blamed constantly by one side or the other for not following. It's painful. I know. I spent a lot of years in the middle. No wonder there is so much turnover, missed time, low morale. Who would want to show up for this every day? Not me. Not anymore.

That's why I left the corporate world. I don't like being in the middle. I wanted to play at a high level with people that want to make a difference with others that want to make a difference doing something that makes a difference. People that want to help others have a better life. I call these people, High Impact leaders.

Those in the middle will always be paying the price of the ineffective leadership at the top that is allowing the "Cultural Tug-of-War" to go on in the first place.

If you've read very many of my blogs, you've heard this before. Leaders are either making it happen, preventing it from happening, or allowing it to happen. Leaders are always responsible. Although they may not always want to be, they are.

I've witnessed the "Cultural Tug-of-War" many times: from the middle as an employee for many years, as a high impact leader within organizations later in my career, and now as a high impact professional leadership trainer/speaker/coach. Without a doubt, the toughest and most difficult position to be in is in the middle...day after day after day. Wondering if it will ever stop? It will never stop.

But, there is a better place than the middle, a place with hope for a brighter future and a better tomorrow. Not only for you, but for others. Where is that? On the side pulling with the high impact leaders. That's where we want to be. That's where our world needs you to be!

Each day you should ask yourself three things: What am I doing? Why am I doing it? and Where do I fit in? ~ Andy Stanley

Let's first look briefly at the options.

Bad Option #1: Join the low level leaders that are not only playing tug of war with the high impact leaders, but that are also playing tug of war with each other and with us, stabbing each other in the back on a regular basis, and pulling in their own direction with their own self-interest driving everything they do, day in and day out. They come in every day to be served by us, not to serve us. The company would actually be better off if these people were paid to stay home. Those in the middle already know this truth. There's one word that describes the character of these low level leaders: SAD.

Bad Option #2: Refuse to invest in yourself. Refuse to grow yourself. Stay in the middle and coast with our future resting on the shoulders of others in the middle and the low level leaders trying to hold us back. They don't want us to break free and get on the other side of the rope. We already know this too. We even think the low level leaders are holding us back. They aren't. They can't. You are the only one that can hold yourself back. So, the middle is like a dead zone. We may be there, but we don't need to be there. And, we don't want to be there.

The Best Option #3: Choose to become a high impact leader. High impact leadership is not about position. High impact leadership is about serving people. We do not need a position to serve people. We only need to be around people and want the best for them, regardless of your position. "I don't have a position" is not a reason to not become a high impact leader. It's an excuse to continue to point the finger of blame for our circumstances at someone else. The only thing that has to happen for you to become a high impact leader is for you to choose to do so. You can do it today. For FREE! It's all about the choices you make.

For those that want to be High Impact Leaders:

I'm offering you a FREE download of the entire leadership-principle packed Chapter 11, "Get Out of the Way and Lead" from the first book in my Demystifying Leadership Series: Defining Influence. In this nearly 20 page chapter, I share about:

• 3 Key Reasons People Follow a Leader
• Managing vs Leading
• Scarcity vs Abundance
• Formal Authority vs Moral Authority
• The 5 Types of Leaders
• Compare/Contrast 17 Manager vs Leader Perspectives

Click here to access the FREE download, or click here for a sneak peek of the chapter from a previous post.

FREE downloads available:

Click here to access Chapter 11 “Get Out of the Way and Lead” from my book, Defining Influence.

Click here to access the first 5 chapters of “Blue-Collar Leadership: Leading from the Front Lines.”

Note: I encourage you to be a river, not a reservoir. Please share my blogs with others if you find value in them. I believe in abundance and write them to help others become more effective, successful, and significant.

Make an impact!

Mack Story

My passion is to help you live with abundance, achieve success, choose significance, and leave a legacy. In other words, I want to help you make a High Impact !

Popular posts by Mack:

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Mack’s story is an amazing journey of personal and professional growth. He began his career in manufacturing on the front lines of a machine shop. He grew himself into upper management and found his niche in lean manufacturing and along with it, developed his passion for leadership. He understands that everything rises and falls on leadership.

Mack is the author of Blue-Collar Leadership Series, Defining Influence, & 10 Values of High Impact Leaders. He's an inspiration for people everywhere as an example of achievement, growth, and personal development. His passion inspires people all over the world! Order signed copies here.

Mack’s experience as a John Maxwell Certified Leadership Coach, Trainer, and Speaker includes an international training event in Guatemala with John as part of the Cultural Transformation in Guatemala where more than 20,000 Guatemalan leaders were trained.

Contact Mack at 334-728-4143 or [email protected] for Keynote Speaking, Corporate Training, Professional Leadership Development, Cultural Enhancement/Transformation, and Process Improvement.