When I on-boarded new staff as a General Manager I would tell them that we are a team and I am as accountable to them as they are to me. I said that if at any time they felt that there was a contradiction between my words and my actions they were encouraged to come and talk to me about it, and even challenge me. I would tell them that in the process one of two things would happen: either I would learn something or they would learn something. Either way we would become more effective as a team, by ensuring our words [understanding] our actions were aligned.
There is a reason why we have two ears and one mouth—the simple principle is to listen twice as much as we speak. Here’s why;
•Speaking engages us; listening engages others.
•Speaking demonstrates how much we know; listening demonstrates how much others know.
•Speaking shows how much we care about ourselves; listening shows how much we care about others.
Leaders understand that greater results can be achieved when people work as a team. No doubt they learned this principle by listening to other leaders who went before them and proved it to be true.
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There is an ancient parable about employees who were given varying amounts of money to invest—one was given a single piece of silver, another 5 silver pieces, and the third 10 silver pieces. Each was given an amount commensurate with their ability. The ones that were given 5 and 10 silver pieces invested those amounts and doubled their investment. Their employer praised them for their greatness (being “good and faithful”). The employee who got the single piece of silver did nothing with it and was rebuked [for squandering their potential].
Greatness is defined as the quality of being great, distinguished, or eminent.
Greatness applies to individuals and organizations alike and is a relative term that I believe describes the degree to which we fulfill our potential, regardless of what that potential is. Leaders recognize potential and focus their efforts on bringing out the very best in people and organizations in line with their potential. I see there as being five qualitative levels of potential fulfillment:
Poor: does nothing to develop themselves and lives a defeatist life
Mediocre: does little to develop themselves and is ok with that
Good: develops themselves well, but stops short of their potential
Great: develops themselves to achieve their potential (best they can be)
Exceptional: develops themselves, achieves theirpotential, and stands out amongst all others (best in a group at the time)
Leaders bring out greatness. Circumstance determines exceptionality.
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I had the opportunity to sit in on a collaboration between a group of staff as they discussed the best way to solve an issue. Each person around the table was highly intelligent and talented in their own right and the group should have been able to solve the issue within a short period of time.
Everybody was passionate as they presented their perspective.
The conversation became increasingly contentious as each person advocated for what impacted them or what they thought was most important. Since the perspectives were not filtered and focused to consider the ultimate goal, the session was not very effective. Instead, the group dispersed with heightened emotions and hard feelings.
What was missing from the session was a singular leader who could focus individual energy toward the common goal.
Best Practice: Don’t try to solve an issue without having the leader/decision maker present. Rather postpone the meeting until they or a designated and empowered delegate is available to provide necessary leadership [focus].
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Just because we end up in a different location than where we started doesn’t mean that we had anything to do with the result. True, treading water keeps our noses above water, and allows us to survive, but the results are a function of the current instead of our intentional actions.
In the car business, as well as most other industries, people have mistaken treading water for swimming. That is why when the end of month rolls around they create commentaries (a.k.a. excuses) for why they ended up in a different place than where they said they would 30 days prior.
Leaders swim [take action] and teach their teams to swim, regardless of what the current is doing. When the current is going the right direction the best teams take advantage of it; when it is going the wrong direction they swim against it and give it their best. In this way they guarantee better results than just drifting and more often get to where they intendedto go, or further.
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When I on-boarded new staff as a General Manager I would tell them that we are a team and I am as accountable to them as they are to me. I said that if at any time they felt that there was a contradiction between my words and my actions they were encouraged to come and talk to me about it, and even challenge me. I would tell them that in the process one of two things would happen: either I would learn something or they would learn something. Either way we would become more effective as a team, by ensuring our words [understanding] our actions were aligned.
Herb Mast is Leadership Coach and Employee Engagement Specialist. Learn how he can assist you in implementing the principles and concepts presented here.
