15 steps every Leader should take:
1. Follow.
Show me a stupid person and I’ll show you somebody who probably thinks they know everything. No matter who you are, no matter what you know, someone else is smarter than you. Somebody knows more than you. Go find ‘em and listen to ‘em. Nobody knows everything about anything. Real leaders are smart enough to know that learning never ends. They’re also humble enough to follow when the time comes.
2. Listen.
Listeners learn more than talkers. Leaders who listen become great leaders. So listen to your employees, your coworkers, and your environment. You’ll learn a lot more a lot faster.
3. Accept blame when something goes wrong.
Everyone screws up sometimes. Leaders take the heat when they do.
4. Share credit when something goes right.
Nobody wins alone. I don’t care how big or small the achievement is, when something goes right, share the glory with those who helped you get it right. Few things anger people more than having their contributions and sacrifices ignored.
5. Share information.
This isn’t the CIA; it’s okay to share info. Keep employees informed whether the news is good or bad. (“Because I said so” or “Don’t worry about it” only works on children.) Secret meetings and ignored questions make people suspicious; and no one works hard for people they don’t trust.
6. Hire people better than you.
There should be people under you who can step into your shoes and keep it moving when the time comes. You want people who every few years you have to ask, “How much will it take to keep you here?” You need thoroughbreds. Thoroughbreds grow companies.
Challenge: Right now you should be able to call your competitors and say, “I’ve got 3 people under me who are as good if not better than you.” If you can’t say that now or won’t be able say it soon, then you’re in trouble. And if you’re currently leading the pack, trust me, the comp is gaining on you, you just don’t know it yet. If you want the sky to be the limit for your department or company, you cannot be the ceiling.
7. Get Out the Way.
Why hire someone then waste your time and theirs by hawking (standing over their shoulders)? You hired them, now get out of their way and let ‘em work. Give them room to grow, succeed, and fail. Also, be understanding when they do fail. (Notice: I didn’t say “if” I said “when” because everybody fails. )Every person in every company in every industry will fail more than they succeed; the key is knowing someone’s got your back when you slip.
8. Don’t Reel People In.
You see this one a lot in the marketing and ad worlds—companies hire someone with a really left-field perspective, someone whose ideas seem original and risky. Then, they “reel them in”—tone them down. Make them conform to company culture or client standards and expectations. This is beyond stupid, not to mention a waste of talent and opportunity.
Creativity is uncomfortable. Breakthrough ideas don’t come in nice predictable boxes with pretty bows—they come from strange places and strange people. Remember, it’s called, “status quo” for a reason.
9. Hire some ‘No’ People.
A real leader understands the value of “no.” A real leader knows they’re not always right and that they need at least one person in their camp who’ll tell them so. Don’t confuse “no” with disloyalty or disrespect. Quite often “no” is just healthy criticism, a chance to reexamine a situation or a decision with a fresh set of eyes. Skeptics can be a good thing.
Egomaniacal celebrities, out of control athletes, and bad bosses tend to have one thing in common: Not one person in their camp ever told them “no.” Not family, not friends, not an agent, not an adviser… Not one person said, “No, this is a bad idea.” They were surrounded by folks who were too afraid, too indifferent, or too greedy to say anything but “yes.”
So hire a couple “no” people. And when they tell you “no” listen.
10. Lose the Attitude.
Leave the drill sergeant bit at home. You’re not Donald Trump. You’re not Bobby Knight. You’re a human being and this is just business.
If you have to yell or intimidate to motivate, then you don’t know how to lead. If you equate threats with power, you have no real power. Power is what people will do because they believe in you, not because they’re afraid of you. (And again, if you yell at the wrong person on the wrong day, boss or no boss, you just might “catch one.”)
11. No Superstar Rules
One team, one set of rules. If the grunts have to be in by 9 a.m., so should the execs. No double standards. Employees need to see parity. They need to know that as a leader, you’re looking out for everyone, not just a select few. Parity reflects equality. Equality reflects quality leadership. Quality leadership creates unity; unity breeds success.
12. Don’t make them ask for what they’ve earned.
A big reason many employees enter salary negotiations with chips on their shoulder or come out frustrated is because they feel like they’re asking for what they’ve already earned. There’s nothing worse than working hard to help grow a company only to have to beg for a bigger piece of the pie. It makes people feel disrespected and undervalued. (And we all know how hard folks work when they feel like that.)
So don’t make employees beg for rewards and raises. As a leader, you should already know who’s producing, who’s earned what, etc. and just give it to them. Don’t make them come to you; go to them.
13. Leave your drama at home.
Sorry the wife is mad at you. Sorry your hubby/boyfriend cheated on you. Sorry you’re in debt, too. But recognize: your drama has nothing to do with your employees, so don’t bring it to work. That’s soft.
If you’re having personal problems, take time off and work it out. Or pull your employees aside, tell them what’s up and ask them to be patient. But boss or no boss, leave them out of it. Employees are not punching bags.
14. Promote from Within.
Too many companies choose outsiders over homegrown talent. Too many employees spend years slugging it out in the trenches only to watch outsiders reap the rewards of plum positions. Sure you want the best person for the job, but sometimes the best fit is already right under your nose. So give your own employees a chance before looking elsewhere. After all, why should anyone work hard for you knowing there’s a permanent glass ceiling over their head?
15. Go To The Bottom.
If you want to see how good or bad things really are in your company, go to the bottom of the food chain. Why? Because crap flows downhill. People at the bottom are the ones who see the results of policy more so than anyone else. They have to; they have no choice but to.
So if you have stores, go to the stores. And don’t talk to the manager, talk to the lowest kid on the totem pole. Talk to the stock boys, the secretaries, and the folks who get paid the least. Find out how your policies and strategies are affecting their ability to do their jobs. You need that frontline perspective in order to find the holes and the opportunities. (And don’t just do it once; make it a routine, monthly, if possible.)
And that’s that. Regardless of company or industry, these tips are sure to turn any boss into a leader and any good leader into a great leader.
Show me a stupid person and I’ll show you somebody who probably thinks they know everything. No matter who you are, no matter what you know, someone else is smarter than you. Somebody knows more than you. Go find ‘em and listen to ‘em. Nobody knows everything about anything. Real leaders are smart enough to know that learning never ends. They’re also humble enough to follow when the time comes.
2. Listen.
Listeners learn more than talkers. Leaders who listen become great leaders. So listen to your employees, your coworkers, and your environment. You’ll learn a lot more a lot faster.
Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.
—John F. Kennedy
—John F. Kennedy
3. Accept blame when something goes wrong.
Everyone screws up sometimes. Leaders take the heat when they do.
4. Share credit when something goes right.
Nobody wins alone. I don’t care how big or small the achievement is, when something goes right, share the glory with those who helped you get it right. Few things anger people more than having their contributions and sacrifices ignored.
5. Share information.
This isn’t the CIA; it’s okay to share info. Keep employees informed whether the news is good or bad. (“Because I said so” or “Don’t worry about it” only works on children.) Secret meetings and ignored questions make people suspicious; and no one works hard for people they don’t trust.
6. Hire people better than you.
There should be people under you who can step into your shoes and keep it moving when the time comes. You want people who every few years you have to ask, “How much will it take to keep you here?” You need thoroughbreds. Thoroughbreds grow companies.
Challenge: Right now you should be able to call your competitors and say, “I’ve got 3 people under me who are as good if not better than you.” If you can’t say that now or won’t be able say it soon, then you’re in trouble. And if you’re currently leading the pack, trust me, the comp is gaining on you, you just don’t know it yet. If you want the sky to be the limit for your department or company, you cannot be the ceiling.
Everybody around me is smarter than me.
—Russell Simmons
—Russell Simmons
Why hire someone then waste your time and theirs by hawking (standing over their shoulders)? You hired them, now get out of their way and let ‘em work. Give them room to grow, succeed, and fail. Also, be understanding when they do fail. (Notice: I didn’t say “if” I said “when” because everybody fails. )Every person in every company in every industry will fail more than they succeed; the key is knowing someone’s got your back when you slip.
8. Don’t Reel People In.
You see this one a lot in the marketing and ad worlds—companies hire someone with a really left-field perspective, someone whose ideas seem original and risky. Then, they “reel them in”—tone them down. Make them conform to company culture or client standards and expectations. This is beyond stupid, not to mention a waste of talent and opportunity.
Creativity is uncomfortable. Breakthrough ideas don’t come in nice predictable boxes with pretty bows—they come from strange places and strange people. Remember, it’s called, “status quo” for a reason.
9. Hire some ‘No’ People.
A real leader understands the value of “no.” A real leader knows they’re not always right and that they need at least one person in their camp who’ll tell them so. Don’t confuse “no” with disloyalty or disrespect. Quite often “no” is just healthy criticism, a chance to reexamine a situation or a decision with a fresh set of eyes. Skeptics can be a good thing.
Egomaniacal celebrities, out of control athletes, and bad bosses tend to have one thing in common: Not one person in their camp ever told them “no.” Not family, not friends, not an agent, not an adviser… Not one person said, “No, this is a bad idea.” They were surrounded by folks who were too afraid, too indifferent, or too greedy to say anything but “yes.”
So hire a couple “no” people. And when they tell you “no” listen.
10. Lose the Attitude.
Leave the drill sergeant bit at home. You’re not Donald Trump. You’re not Bobby Knight. You’re a human being and this is just business.
If you have to yell or intimidate to motivate, then you don’t know how to lead. If you equate threats with power, you have no real power. Power is what people will do because they believe in you, not because they’re afraid of you. (And again, if you yell at the wrong person on the wrong day, boss or no boss, you just might “catch one.”)
11. No Superstar Rules
One team, one set of rules. If the grunts have to be in by 9 a.m., so should the execs. No double standards. Employees need to see parity. They need to know that as a leader, you’re looking out for everyone, not just a select few. Parity reflects equality. Equality reflects quality leadership. Quality leadership creates unity; unity breeds success.
12. Don’t make them ask for what they’ve earned.
A big reason many employees enter salary negotiations with chips on their shoulder or come out frustrated is because they feel like they’re asking for what they’ve already earned. There’s nothing worse than working hard to help grow a company only to have to beg for a bigger piece of the pie. It makes people feel disrespected and undervalued. (And we all know how hard folks work when they feel like that.)
So don’t make employees beg for rewards and raises. As a leader, you should already know who’s producing, who’s earned what, etc. and just give it to them. Don’t make them come to you; go to them.
13. Leave your drama at home.
Sorry the wife is mad at you. Sorry your hubby/boyfriend cheated on you. Sorry you’re in debt, too. But recognize: your drama has nothing to do with your employees, so don’t bring it to work. That’s soft.
If you’re having personal problems, take time off and work it out. Or pull your employees aside, tell them what’s up and ask them to be patient. But boss or no boss, leave them out of it. Employees are not punching bags.
14. Promote from Within.
Too many companies choose outsiders over homegrown talent. Too many employees spend years slugging it out in the trenches only to watch outsiders reap the rewards of plum positions. Sure you want the best person for the job, but sometimes the best fit is already right under your nose. So give your own employees a chance before looking elsewhere. After all, why should anyone work hard for you knowing there’s a permanent glass ceiling over their head?
15. Go To The Bottom.
If you want to see how good or bad things really are in your company, go to the bottom of the food chain. Why? Because crap flows downhill. People at the bottom are the ones who see the results of policy more so than anyone else. They have to; they have no choice but to.
So if you have stores, go to the stores. And don’t talk to the manager, talk to the lowest kid on the totem pole. Talk to the stock boys, the secretaries, and the folks who get paid the least. Find out how your policies and strategies are affecting their ability to do their jobs. You need that frontline perspective in order to find the holes and the opportunities. (And don’t just do it once; make it a routine, monthly, if possible.)
And that’s that. Regardless of company or industry, these tips are sure to turn any boss into a leader and any good leader into a great leader.
Leadership is not just a position…
Leadership is the capacity and the willingness to
respond to what is needed in a situation.
—Dr. Dorothy I. Height, President Emerita
National Council of Negro Women
Leadership is the capacity and the willingness to
respond to what is needed in a situation.
—Dr. Dorothy I. Height, President Emerita
National Council of Negro Women
