During my time with the National Managers’ Community (NMC), I was surrounded by incredible leaders. No matter what their title or position; whether they were public servants, executive coaches, or professional public speakers, they all shared one thing in common that made them incredible – they all practiced leadership.
In the same way that organizations cannot find team cohesiveness by sending everyone to a workshop, so also your leadership practice cannot be found in a textbook or in the latest facilitated course. As part of my professional development, I took courses to complete my Professional Leadership Certificate at the University of Regina. I learned a great deal about leadership, and that is all fine and dandy. But courses such as these are of no use if we return to our places of work and simply put the textbooks on the shelf and forget about them. True leadership is not an academic achievement. It only finds meaning when it is internalized and becomes a part of you.
To illustrate what I mean, I am showing this graphic that I came across some time ago. I believe it was in an article I once read on LinkedIn, or in a Harvard Business Review article or something like that. My point is, this graphic is not my own, but what I have done with it is completely mine. I have internalized the ideas portrayed in the graphic and turned them into practice. The danger of lists like this one is that they can end up limiting us. This one could have us thinking that it is the exhaustive list of THE ten things great leaders do. But it is merely a good starting point – these are all really good ideas. I have an 11×17 poster of this graphic on my office wall and add my own ideas to it on a regular basis.
Remember, even this list means nothing if we do not commit to daily practicing these things. Thus, we make them a part of who we are and what we do. As a result of my personal leadership practice, this is an iteration of my personal expansion of this original list of 10 ways of being.
Create the Space for Potential to Emerge
This is a mantra I learned from my dear friend and mentor, Karen Bonner. It is now a central part of my personal mission statement. As a trained counsellor, I have learned that the most meaningful thing I can do to help my clients is to create a safe and welcoming space where they can share their personal stories and gain insights. They often realize their own successful outcomes from within, not from any wisdom I have shared with them. This is a very humbling experience. Thankfully, humility is also on the original list of ten things great leaders do.
Fail Forward
Our best realizations come to us when we experience failure. The most successful leaders, inventors and explorers will tell you that their success comes at the expense of many failed attempts. I could keep an account of all my many failures, but that account means nothing if it is not accompanied by the things I have learned as a result. Whether you succeed or fail at something, ask yourself these three key questions. What went well? What was tricky? What can I do differently next time? I don’t care if it is after completion of a work project, learning how to play the guitar or cutting the grass – try it and you will discover very quickly that failures can add up to future success as long as we turn them into learning experiences.
Unleash the Potential in Others
If you want to be blown away by those around you, take away your expectations and demonstrate that you believe in them to succeed and exceed in their goals. Give them a potential to live into instead of an expectation to live up to. I learned this concept from Ben and Roz Zander in their thought provoking The Art of Possibility. In the process of doing this, all you must do is ask the most important question of leadership: “How can I help?” By supporting them and giving them the tools to succeed, you also give them the freedom to reach and exceed their full potential.
Remember the Power of Appreciation
Appreciating others does not always mean an award or a medal or formal recognition. Effective leaders show appreciation daily, in ways that are instant and meaningful to the recipient. Sometimes it is as easy as a gift card or a pat on the back and a “good job!” Other times, it might be simply telling someone you are happy to see them. I remember the most memorable expression of work-related appreciation I have ever received. I was introducing a leadership practitioner to a group of about 100 leaders and aspiring leaders, when my cell phone rang. It was right at the point when I was asking everyone to please silence their phones (I know, how ironic). My 13-year-old daughter and I had a morning ritual that included phoning each other before school no matter where I was. She was doing exactly what she was supposed to. With a live mic and unashamed, I asked for a moment and there, in front of everyone, took a moment to say good morning and “I love you” to my daughter. Years later, one of the leaders in the audience that day stopped me on the sidewalk and said, “you may not remember that day, but I sure do.” Then she retold it with clarity like it had just happened. She went on to say how much that moment meant to her and to so many others in the audience, and how I reminded them all in an instant what is most important to all of us. Taking the time to share how a person made you feel is a priceless commodity. We should do it all the time.
Let Go to Let Happen
Successful leaders embrace change and take calculated risks. Both traits require the letting go of our inhibitions and traditions and allowing change to naturally unfold. One of the most toxic organizational sayings is, “Because we have always done it this way.” Do this for me: Take something small, put it in your hand and make a fist. Consider now that I want to give you $20. But you cannot grab hold of it without opening your hand and letting go of the object to receive the money, right? The challenge is to open your hand and let go of what you have now and recognize that there are bigger and better things in store for us if we let go of what we have. What I have often found is that the object I was clenching in my hand was like a thumbtack and I wished I had let go a long time ago.
Embrace All Diversity, Especially Diversity of Thought
If I place an anvil in the middle of the room and we all gather around it, and I then ask everyone to draw the anvil, each person’s picture will be different, but each will be an accurate perspective of how you see the anvil. In the same way, for as many people you have on your team, so are the differing perspectives on any given topic – each perspective being correct at least to a certain degree. Effective leaders embrace differing opinions, because it is in hearing and respecting all opinions that best decisions can be made. Leaders do not press their own perspective or agenda. Rather, they massage the best possible solution out of the team by letting each perspective be heard. Teams who practice this process – these are the strongest teams.
Be Quick to Listen, Slow to Speak, and Slow to Anger
Managers tend to think they must know the answers and cut to the chase and make the decisions quickly. But as managers the best solutions are usually not our own. Our problem tends to be that we are too busy carrying on about our own ideas to take the time to listen to others. To summarize the wise words of the late Michael Nurse, former Champion for the NMC, “the best ideas are usually within ear shot, if I would just shut up long enough to listen.” This is not a new idea – we read similar wisdom from the likes of Confucius and New Testament apostles. The best leaders throughout history understood the importance of hearing from others first with humility and an open ear. This leadership characteristic is tandem to the next one. Take a look.
Listen to Understand; Not to Respond
We are narrative people – it is how we were created. Consider early historical accounts in ancient religions and cultures, and you will quickly realize that wisdom and heritage was first passed down by oral tradition before the written word. Storytelling is a dying art, in some respects, especially when we consider the work environment. I encourage you to stop and listen whenever you have a hunch that someone wants to tell the story – of a project, a file, or anything else. People have an inherent desire to tell the story of their experience. The beauty of listening to a story being told is that it connects us to the storyteller. This is just one way that leaders are also natural team builders.
Be a Part of a Community of Practice
Surround yourself with leaders who practice and demonstrate the same qualities you desire in yourself. When we surround ourselves with like-minded people, we are part of a community that will encourage and support each other. Stay engaged in communities and networks such as the Saskatchewan Youth Network and National Managers’ Community. Good leadership can be learned from being a part of these communities, and they provide fuel for the soul.
So, you see, strong leadership does not come from being book-savvy. Rather, it comes from practicing arts such as the ones I have mentioned. If you want to become a stronger leader, put these practices in front of you every day as a focal point for how you will “show up.” For me, the visual poster has been useful in helping me focus on my leadership edge, and I encourage you to consider what will work for you, and then do that. As a result, you will be one step closer to being the leader you want to be.
Donovan Mutschler, MA
For more information on the content or processes included in this article contact Donovan Mutschler at dw.edgewalker@gmail.com.
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