To grow bigger, have a bigger influence, and get more meaningful stuff done, we need leverage. We have to make our time count in a bigger way. Prioritization is a master skill of high achievers.
Here is a great question we have talked about before that is worth talking about again.
“What one problem can you solve that would solve 1000 other problems?”
I was thinking about this last night and I thought I’d approach it in reverse.
I coach a lot of business leaders, and I try to get to the key problems in the business – maybe ones they can’t see, don’t want to admit, or know but don’t realize just how critical they are.
It’s my experience that some leaders have a problem that keeps spinning off lots of other problems, over and over. Until that or those problems get solved, any progress will be temporary.
Mostly what I am talking about is personal problems. It could be negative thinking, beliefs, character flaws, or low self-esteem. It could be bad people skills, how things are handled and what is said when things go wrong, impatience, or too much patience.
The business is a reflection of the leader. That’s why you need to work on yourself more than your business. Fix your thinking. Fix your beliefs and your health and your relationships.
Leverage is mostly about building a team and getting great performance out of them. The kind of person you are makes ALL the difference.
While you may be principally responsible for the success you have had so far, you are also the root problem as to why you aren’t farther along.
Once you get over the sting of hearing it, if you can, hopefully, you can get yourself fixed, if you can. You can also fill in for your weaknesses with another complimentary leader working with you if you can resist intervening at the wrong times and messing it up anyway.
Some will never progress because they are only leaders because they started the business, not because they were cut out for it, and their organizations will suffer and struggle forever.
But some will overcome themselves on purpose – and they will grow and succeed to new heights.
I recently gave my mangers a survey asking them to critique me, I learned a lot about me from my team. It was worth doing as it greatly improved how I communicate with them and it helped me with intention on leading them. People are different, but the one thing that is most important to me is making sure that my team understands where we are heading as an organization. Again, that boils down to communication. On the survey one of my team members asked for a few less “I told you so’s” from me when something didn’t go as planned. That was tough to hear, but very obvious at the same time.. I’m glad I took the time to find out about me! For me, the survey was definitely worth doing.
Good Morning Larry. Great post!
Following is something I wrote one Saturday morning a couple years ago, and I still find it to be true every day:
It occurs to me that ‘INTENTIONAL’ may be one of the most significant words in the language of Leadership… Intentionalism is the facet of a Leader’s persona through which all other skills, talents, and energies must shine. Nothing of consequence ‘just happens’ – intentionalism is the attribute that obfuscates apathy, lethargy, and procrastination; that moves ideas into action and concepts into reality.
Intentionalism is the ‘vehicle’ of a VISION WIDELY CAST and CLEARLY COMMUNICATED – its ‘DNA’ can be found in those who have captured the VISION and ENERGY of the LEADER, just as a parent’s DNA is found in their progeny. It shapes and defines the development of those who understand that ‘current state’ will not suffice as ‘future state’ if the Team is to succeed and flourish, and it creates a ‘felt need’ in those who ‘get it’!
The future state lives and dies on engagement and initiative in pursuit of a shared vision that’s valued by the Team.
Leaders must be intentional, and Leadership must be intentionally developed and strengthened.