How do you become a truly great leader? The short answer is it takes many things.
That's why there is so much variation in the kind of leadership we see in the world.
I will never forget the first time I led a team and organization. All of a sudden, I had to handle situations I had never even noticed before. Stories for another day!
In this post, we're diving into:
What makes leadership uniquely challenging, compared with all the other skills you learn.
The one thing you need most to be a great leader.
The unique challenge of leadership.
To be a great leader, the measure of your impact is not only the results you achieve, it's the perception people have of your results and the way you go about achieving them.
With virtually every other kind of skill, the measure of your success is black or white.
Your financial reports were correct, or they weren't. Your marketing campaign increased sales, or it didn't.
But as a leader, it not only matters what you did or didn't do. It matters how people perceive it and feel about it.
Perception is reality.
I'll never forget the first time I learned this lesson.
I was sitting across from a client to debrief his team's feedback on a project my company delivered.
I was the lead, and it was my responsibility to make sure it was a success. We achieved every milestone. Every project goal was met.
They still weren't happy.
Hearing hard truth.
Bert was relaxed and at ease in this space and company he had built from nothing. I sat in an oversized leather chair opposite him at the conference table and winced at his words.
"Sara, when are you going to realize that perception is reality?"
"The people on my team don't think this went well. They think they wasted a lot of time and didn't get nearly enough communication."
"Their perception is all they have. It's the only reality they know."
Where the disconnect comes from.
The disconnect between my perception and their perception was deep as the Grand Canyon.
Different priorities. It was January, tax season was in full swing, and they were already busy. It was about to get much worse and they knew it. They needed me to be quick and efficient every step of the way.
Different experiences. They were working 12-15 hours a day every day. Their work required deep, detailed focus. To avoid mistakes, they needed to focus without interruption.
I didn't understand their priorities, nor the season they were in, and I missed the mark:
I tried to build relationships
I called to ask questions whenever they came to mind
I asked them for ideas
I talked about the future
The measure of leadership.
To lead is to willingly allow yourself to be measured by how other people feel about you, the situation, and the results.
It can be hard to let go of being right. There isn't one way to see a situation. There isn't one measure of success.
Instead, there are many different ways to see and evaluate every single thing you do, or don't do as a leader.
The one thing you need most.
The one thing you need most is a community of peers. You need a safe space where you can:
Hear other perspectives
Learn to see from different vantage points
Disagree and find common ground
Be challenged by people who will tell you the truth
Put your strategies and approaches to the test
Leadership offers endless opportunities to learn and grow. But you don't have to wait for your boss, clients, or your team to dish up the tough lessons.
Why not learn and expand your capacity before you enter situations when it really counts?
All you need is the right community and the willingness to surround yourself with like-minded leaders who will help you see beyond your own perspective.
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