A Leader's Journey

Jason Fried has a radical theory of working: that the office isn’t a good place to do it. At TEDxMidwest, he lays out the main problems and offers three suggestions to make work work.

Jason tells us that the main distractions from work at the office are mangers and meetings.  While I didn’t agree with everything he said, as a manager a few of his examples really hit home.  What are your thoughts on his diagnosis of workplace distractions and how he proposes managers fix the problems?

I think it is best to practice safe social networking and avoid complaining about your employer or co-workers online.  If you are blogging, tweeting or facebooking under your own name, it’s best to avoid posting something you wouldn’t want your boss or executive team to read.  On the other hand, if you are a leader you also want to avoid posting something that you wouldn’t want your team to hear you say in person.

What are your thoughts?

We often have to deal with conflict and disagreements in many areas of life.  Here are some great tips from HBR to make these encounters go more smoothly.

An interesting compliment to my recent post, It’s Not All About Me.

The other day I decided to take a walk on my lunch break.  I just wanted to get outside and enjoy some fresh air.  As I strolled along, I noticed piles of trash lining the walkway.  As I continued along, disgusted by my surroundings I began to think about how all that trash got there.  I started to think about the people who created the mess; the people who don’t care enough to keep their city clean.  I began to wonder what people had to say to themselves to make it okay to use their city as a garbage can?  Was it “Everyone does it, what difference does it make if I do?”  Or  “No one will notice?”  The truth is, people notice what you are doing.  They notice and make judgments on your actions, and decisions about their future actions.  It’s also true that in most cases you’ll never be made aware the impact your actions had on someone’s perception or judgment of you, whether it is positive or negative.  In the case of the garbage on my lunchtime route, the impact of the actions of individuals is big and on the global scale, it’s huge.

Whether you are a leading a team, a cause, or even a family, it’s your responsibility to understand the impact your actions or words can have.  I think the perception many people have that as someone in a leadership role you have more autonomy and fewer rules is incorrect.  The truth is, as a leader you are the required to set the positive example and be the one to do the right thing.   In most cases, those you lead are looking to you to show them what it takes to be successful and credible through your words and actions.  How much influence you can have over a team is a big responsibility. 

I remember a story I was told several years ago about a Manager who worked long hours, through lunch and most weekends, a complete workaholic.  Unknown to the team, this manager was going through a divorce at home and more than anything just needed somewhere else to be.  As time went on the rest of the team began to put in long hours as well, never leaving before 8:00 at night and working at least one of the days of the weekend.   This manager began to enjoy having the team around and never did anything to discourage their extra hours.  In reality, it was never expected that the team put in the same hours as their manager but this became the perception and eventually the reality.  In the end this team’s productivity went down, people started to leave due to lack of life balance and burn out.  To me, this is an example that most people wouldn’t think of when describing a leader who is setting a bad example but one that in the end had a very negative impact on the business and the team.

No matter your level of leadership your actions impact those around you.  You set an example, you show the rest of us what is okay and what is not.  This is a big responsibility that we all share.  If you lead people who lead others, they will emulate your leadership style.  If your expectations don’t match your actions people will notice and pass judgment.  Every action makes a difference.

You may never get formal recognition for positively leading by example, or the impact you have on the lives of others but believe that everything you do is noticed and sets the example for the next person.

I’m not saying it’s easy to always know what it is to do the right thing, set a good example and be consistent in your actions.  We are human, we make mistakes, we want the easy route, we have bad days and sometimes we say the wrong things.  It’s important to take a look inside and reflect on how we would perceive our actions if we saw them on someone else.  Sometimes, it’s just a matter of admitting when we’ve made a mistake and moving on.

Seth Godin argues the Internet has ended mass marketing and revived a human social unit from the distant past: tribes. Founded on shared ideas and values, tribes give ordinary people the power to lead and make big change. He urges us to do so.

I remember when I was first promoted to an official leadership role. I remember very clearly my need and expectation of myself to always have the right and best answer.  I put a lot of pressure on myself to be the smartest person in the room.  That’s what the team wanted from me right?  Wrong.  

I think a common mistake that leaders make is to feel like they always need to be able to provide the best ideas, solutions, and strategies.  The truth is that most teams are comprised of people with different skills, strengths and weaknesses.  It is very likely that someone on your team works more closely with certain areas of the business than you do and has more exposure to them.  Because of this, chances are they will know better how to proceed in certain situations.  Letting go and letting your team move forward with these ideas can build your confidence in their abilities as well as their self-confidence.

Another thing to consider is that your way may not be the only way to move forward.  Someone else on the team may have a plan that achieves the same objective, but is not exactly how you would have approached the situation.  If this is the case, review the plan and look at the potential risks.  If these risks are not of much consequence then let go and let them move forward. 

Here are some tips to help you let go and let those around you shine

• Stay quiet and observe.  Take time to see what happens when the group is not always interrupted with your insights and ideas.

• When asked what to do about a problem, turn the question around and then ask questions to help guide the team member to their own answer.

• Let it go.  Your way is your way and is not always the best way.  Weigh the consequences and let your team move forward with their plan.

• Coach and provide feedback.  If things go well for the team, then be ready to provide feedback and praise.  If things didn’t go as well as planned, be ready to provide coaching and ideas for future projects.

• Give credit where credit is due.  Don’t steal your team’s thunder for a job well done, sing their praises and let them shine.

It can be hard to let go of the spotlight.  Being the one of the smartest people in the room is probably what got you on the leadership track.  It’s important that a leader shines the spotlight away from them and toward those they lead. 

Personally, I still struggle with this.  I love to be right and hate to be wrong.  I like praise.  I like the spotlight.  However, I like the feeling I get when I see someone else succeed more.  This is what I need to constantly keep in mind.  I am not perfect, but I am becoming more and more self aware.

Photo by Landahlauts

Book Review from Leader Lab: Good Boss Bad Boss

Sheila Lirio Marcelo of Care.com says that by moving to different desks each year, its employees can better learn from one another and build a sense of teamwork.  Read the article to find out more about this and other great leadership insights from Sheila.

An interesting idea for new and seasoned leaders.