Welcome to being a Leader! Maybe you’ve been doing it for a while? Maybe this is all brand new to you? Regardless, nobody said it was going to be easy. Rest assured you are going to have days from hell.
Regardless of your tenure, here are a few simple rules and realities that all leaders need to keep top of mind…I suggest thinking about this all the time.
On Being a Leader
This does not mean being an autocratic, micromanaging, iron fisted ruler…
This does not mean being a push over, laissez faire, or “don’t rock the boat” carefree employee
Being a Leader is Not a Popularity Contest
Being Their Friend and Their Leader (Boss) is a slippery slope – one you must navigate carefully on. It requires changing roles between “on and off duty”. And when you are on duty, it means…
Taking Charge – Taking Command (but in a shared leadership approach)
It also requires Managing Expectations
What is “Managing Expectations”?
Simply put, tell me up front what you want from me.
It is Positive Discipline – Rules, Regulations, Expectations, Policies understood up front
It is giving clear direction, managing expectations, and holding one accountable to these expectations.
You Manage Things – You Lead People
You do both. Depending on your role, you may be required to be more of a manager than a leader.
Management – Leadership Balance
You are both a Manager and a Leader
You Manage Things
You Lead People
Mistake Commonly Made is…
Treating People Like Things
This is Management
Policy
Rules
Process
Money
Systems
Standards
Measurements
This is Leadership
People
Context
Culture
Purpose
Principles
Inspiration
Preferred future
Leadership is about inspiring the preferred future through your people. It is hard to get inspired when you are micromanaged, and not trusted.
Here is my simple rule…
Go Hard With the Issues, But Soft on People
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