As leaders, excellent decision making is paramount. The decisions you make will set the vision and action for your team. So how are the best decisions made?
There are many great resources but they all have one thing in common: Begin with a clear understanding of who you are and what you want.
While this seems like a simple and obvious statement you would be amazed at how many times this foundational step has been glossed over.
Our lives are busy, complicated, and require juggling multiple tasks and competing agendas. Have you ever felt like an air traffic controller trying to land multiple planes, watch the controls, calm your mind, and manage your colleagues all at the same time? Understandably, success is difficult! Amidst this chaos, it is easy to lose sight of the goal and get derailed. Unknowingly spending enormous energy on tasks that are not in alignment with your vision.
Don’t be a manager if you are the leader.
Management is the planning, organizing, and directing of processes and people. Leadership is the art of guiding, inspiring, and supporting the work that is being done.
Excellent leadership requires letting go, empowering others, and supporting from behind. Leadership is not about you, it is about finding the best in others and allowing them to develop their unique skills.
Why do I emphasize this? If you are in a leadership position but do not have a clear vision, how can you lead a team to success? Conversely, if you are a leader that is “managing” you have gone down the rabbit hole and are not providing the service your team needs. It is you who holds the hope, provides clarity, and embodies a vision that inspires others to lean in.
A few resources to get you on track:
Andy Stanley Leadership podcast on Self Leadership and another on What Motivates a Leader, an interview with Patrick Lencioni
Coaching for Leaders podcast: an outstanding resource to build your skills as a leader.
The 4 Disciplines of Execution: a tremendous book on how to focus and execute on what is most important.
Better Decisions, Fewer Regrets, a newly released book by Andy Stanley
My Challenge to You:
Are you leading or managing? If managing, what is the reason for this, lack of trust? Need for control? What are two things you can do to shift back into a leadership role?
Without judgment ask yourself, “Why do I want to be a leader?” Some lead out of service, to be an inspiration and mentor. Some lead for the optics, title, and salary. Whatever your motivation, how is that serving your team?
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