LEADERSHIP: NO MORE ABSTRACTIONS, PLEASE

Published: 2009-08-17   please add a comment below

Politicians talk in abstractions - about future growth, long-term sustainability, equal access and so on.  And, voters love it.  Why?  Because we each interpret their generalities to suit our own needs and desires.  For me, "growth" may mean a job; for you, more infrastructure; and, for the government, a higher tax base.  Sustainability and access: well, they mean a million things to a million people.  This may work well on the campaign trail.  But not day-to-day in business.  Your people need to know exactly what you have in mind: not only for the division but also for them.  So, how clear are you?  What would your team say?  I personally must own up to being too abstract in a recent Potshot.  Let me explain.

I focused on the need to answer questions and concerns holding your people back.  Then identify possible actions to address their concerns; and, finally turn these "possibles" into "specifics" - creating a Leadership Action Plan.  But I left out what you're trying to achieve with your followers - as opposed to the organisation.  So, let me fill that gap by inserting a middle column in the table I used.

Obviously, the words above are shorthand. But, the key message (which the middle column reinforces) is this: leadership is not about us, the leaders; it's about our followers. They're the "must-haves". We are often only a "nice-to-have". There are teams that work perfectly well, even better, when we're away. Do people smile when you're on the road? Happy they can make progress without being interrupted (at times that suit you, not them) or second-guessed (on things you taught them years ago)? And, so on.

As leaders, we're only valuable if every day we add new and unique value to our team. It's not about a 20-year track record but tomorrow's traction: lifting their sights (and our own!), firing them up, shaping their values and so on. That's why every few months, you need a new Leadership Action Plan: 100% applicable to what lies ahead. Particularly, what your team needs from you: recognising how they're travelling, helping with any new challenges and making sure they can perform to their best. That's your job. And, in this regard, our unique tool helps you to plan your unique value-add. At $US75 (and an hour of your time), it's not a bad deal. Uniqueness normally costs more.

Dr. Timothy Pascoe AM
PhD (Cambridge), MBA (Harvard), BE & BEc (Adelaide)
Creator, V|E|C|T|O|R Leadership^®