Leadership matters!

What our industry seeks are leaders that are intensely curious about their organizations and the circumstances under which people within them do their work. Their sense of self worth comes from the growth they foster in their subordinates rather than checking off each problem as proof that that the organization needs them. As leader, you are part of the team with the responsibility to continually build their ability to discover and solve problems. The leader also understands that the worker is the person providing the value to the customer and that their role is to optimize that function as much as possible

You can’t hire out your leadership responsibilities while you “work the bench”. Leaders have to emulate the manner in which they want their subordinates to operate. We see examples of leaders all the time saying they want the front lines to work smarter, but not actually doing it themselves. The results are almost always the same. Employees work to carry out the system to the best of their ability in the face of a prevailing opposing headwind.

No matter how much one believes in a particular way of managing and leading the organization day to day, interactions will wear away our convictions. People watch your feet more than they listen to your mouth, especially when things are not going perfectly. If you want them to react in a certain way, then you as the leader must demonstrate that. This responsibility can’t be subbed out, it’s up to each and every one of us throughout the ranks.

Whether you own the company or were promoted into your leadership position it makes no difference. We shouldn’t abdicate this responsibility by tying ourselves up excessively with other activities that take us away from the act of leading.

Leadership matters.