If You Struggle With Motivating The People Around You, Then Read This

Is this you?

(Or someone you know? Hint: It used to be me)

1. You are the leader
2. You have boundless energy and positive enthusiasm
3. You work harder than anyone you know
4. You have a fanatical zeal for what you do
5. Your eye starts to twitch when you see someone doing a bad job
6. You cannot figure out why everyone around you does not feel or act with the dedication you have
7. You wish that your colleagues, peers, and subordinates would just STEP UP and be more like you!
8. No matter how hard you try, you can’t ignite the spark in those around you

Sound familiar? Then this article is your you.

Here is the good news:

You can fix this problem.

Here is the bad news:

The reason YOU can fix this problem is that you ARE the problem.

I know that hurts. But if it makes you feel any better, I know how you feel – I am guilty of the above and lived through it.

Here is why you feel alone and can’t seem to get the spark you in your colleagues.

You ARE a good, strong leader. As a result, you have created followers – and that’s the problem. You have FOLLOWERS, but you are now realizing that what you need is more LEADERS.

The first time I realized I was not a “Leader of Leaders” is when I read about it in Turn the Ship Around by L. David Marquet. The biographical story describes Marquet’s experience as a naval submarine captain, taking the worst performing submarine in the Navy to the best. If you have time to read the book, I highly recommend it.

I’ve spent a lot of time using the Leader of Leaders model in my business and with my family and the results have been tremendous. Every day I go to work and I am energized by the leadership I see all around me. When I go home, my wife and kids and I engage in all kinds of wonderful projects and I see a great spark in their eyes as we do things we all enjoy. But it has not been easy to make the transition.

I would like to offer some of the practical examples I have used in my own non-military life that have helped me make the transition from a Leader of Followers to a Leader of Leaders.

First, I’ve realized that becoming a Leader of Leaders is not an instant, overnight switch you can flip. While you can immediately emulate the behaviors, it will take time to foster the leadership in your (former) followers. There is a lot of science behind this phenomenon, but have faith and trust me on this one point – the leadership is there inside EVERYONE, you just need to let it come out. It will. Be patient and give them time to adjust.

If you are like me and what to make the transition to a “Leader of Leaders” model, then here are some principles I have used to make my own transition.

1. I turned my organizational chart upside down. As the leader of my company, that means I am at the bottom of the chart, not the top. When I first presented this organizational chart to my team it was a humbling experience, but I charged through it. I joked with my direct reports “I am down here at the bottom, supporting all of you. Here is the bad news . . . all of you are right down here with me. Welcome to leadership at Motiv, may you continue to sink lower.” That got a laugh.The reason an upside-down organizational chart matters is that it sends a subliminal message to my team – you are the tip of this spear, not me. I expect you to lead and take charge. It is a constant reminder and it works. It also is a constant reminder to me – I am not here to lead followers, I am here to lead leaders.
2. I started writing everything down. Instead of telling people what I wanted them to do (Leader/Follower) model or going to a whiteboard to draw up ideas, I have written up projects with objectives. This takes a lot of time and energy, but it is so much more effective and it ultimately saves me tons of time. Every one of my projects starts with a background (which can be a surprising amount of content!) and why the project is important. I’ve found that in my justification for why the project is important, I end up changing the project a great deal. From there I usually outline the definition of victory in the form of clear objectives and/or metrics and if I can think of any resources, I put those in there too.I admit that occasionally I will indulge myself and write a few things about how I want the project done, but much to my chagrin, my best people usually override this section and offer better ways to accomplish the goals then the ones I had written down. Over time, I have resisted this temptation more and more. I know it is a mistake, but I am recovering from the leader/follower model and old habits die hard.
3. I make a space for others to lead. This is the HARDEST part for me. To “make a space for others to lead” means I let go of the reigns and tell my new leader when and where I am going to follow them – even when I disagree or know they are making a mistake. I try to think ahead to the things that I will want as one of their “followers” and make sure they know that they are in charge. There is an important piece of psychology here. If I can make sure the person knows they are leading me, the shift of responsibility can be invigorating. It stimulates independent thinking. They also feel supported and I know it contributes to their development. The best part is that if I am patient, they will gain better judgment from their mistakes.

A Real World Example

Let’s compare and contrast a simple leadership exercise and see how one might lead as a leader of followers versus a leader of leaders.

Suppose you and another adult (spouse, sibling, friend) are going to take two kids (your kids, someone else’s kids, go with me on this one) on a hike. How will you lead the hike?

Option I – Leader of Followers

If you are a leader of followers, it will go like this:

You carefully select a location for the hike – not too far, not too difficult and filled with sights you think everyone will like. You prepare for the hike by printing a map or marking the location on your phone, bringing the water, snacks for the kids, etc. Then you drive everyone to the hike, park and show everyone where the trail head is located. You make sure the kids go to the bathroom. Finally you navigate the hike and make the decisions at each fork, navigating the group perfectly. When someone scrapes a knee, you are ready with the first aid. You patch up the kid and then take some pictures at the destination. You all head back and get back in the car and go home. Mission accomplished! You led all your followers on a great hike. Everyone thanks you for all that you’ve done and you are pleased that it turned out well.

Not bad, but how would this simple hike look if you were a leader of leaders?

Option II – Leader of Leaders

First, you would realize that the LAST thing you are going to do is do any of the things above. Instead, you start by writing down a plan that includes the following:

The plan starts with creating spaces where others can lead. You invent three or four more leadership roles. You create a “trail planner”, a “safety officer”, a “navigator” and even a “social media director.”

Preparation # 1: Days before the hike, you ask one of the kids to be the trailer planner. You show them the written paper of the plan and the role of trail planner. Assuming the kid agrees and depending on their age, you might provide them with resources like a book of hikes or a website and you give them the ability to choose the location, subject to some basic parameters (distance from your house, length, and difficulty, etc.) but they you resign to their choice of location. You ask them questions about why they chose the location they did and even if they choose one that you would not have, you roll with it. (Remember, you are on the bottom of this org chart.) You also ask this kid to be the safety officer, in charge of ensuring everyone has enough water for the hike and that there is a first aid kit. Perhaps your plan also includes a mock first-aid drill that will occur along the trail.

Preparation #2: Next you repeat the process for the second child and ask them if they would like to be the navigator. This means they will be responsible for getting to the hike, making the choices along the way and getting you all back to the car and home. Again, depending on their age, it might be a great way to teach some map reading skills and navigation.

Preparation #3: Finally, there is the other adult. If you know this person is not a big hiker and knows little about kids, but she loves social media, then you watch with delight when you ask her if she will be the social media director. This will give her a way to interact with the kids and do something she loves.

In the written plan, you communicate expectations. For example, when everyone gets in the car, the safety officer will report on the status of water, first aid and snacks. Then the navigator will pull up the map (or phone) and navigate the driver (ideally the other adult so you can sit in the back seat) to the location.

The Big Day: This is where it gets fun. The spark will come out and so will mistakes. Watch as you trail planner helps the navigator get to the destination. As the hike begins you give the nod to the navigator and resign yourself to the fact that finding the trailhead is going to take a bit longer . . . and some of the turns will be wrong . . . and when someone scrapes a knee the bandage won’t be perfect. The social media officer will take pictures that are not the same as the ones you would have taken.

But you know what is happening? Your leaders are gaining experience.

After today, your kids will have improved in decision making. They will have a taste for leadership. They will be used to making decisions. Best of all, you, as the leader of leaders, will have a stronger team that is more capable and has more talents. Isn’t that what you want?

It Only Looks Easy

Of course, you worked like crazy to get there and no one really realizes it! Heck, your ego has to ride in the back seat . . . literally! But now the team is taking charge. The spark you wanted to pass is there and it is all because of your leadership style.

You can do this. When you do, you will be AMAZED at the results. Every one of your people (and your family) will step up and take charge. You will go so much further as a unit and the bonds of comradery and esprit de corps will grow quickly as people gain confidence and trust. I have made this transition and it is leading to results I never dreamed of – you can do it too. And when you do, drop me a line and let me know.

David Ewing is the CEO of Motiv, a company dedicated to customer experience solutions built on next generation Oracle CX technology. More information can be found at www.motivcx.com