Comments on: Personal Leadership is a Choice

By: Jimmy May @aspiringgeek

Jimmy May @aspiringgeek — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 17:56:22 +0000

Ah, yes, I’ve heard countless times people blame their circumstances on their management. Sure, it’s ideal to have great leadership. Yet to behave helplessly, to flounder, & worst of all to make excuses for not performing optimally is an example of learned helplessness. It’s an inside job to reach inside–to be brave–to succeed & excel in spite of circumstances–whether it’s management or anything else. Thanks for the great reminder, J.D.

By: JD

JD — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 12:43:11 +0000

@ Patricia — I commented to a friend the other day that I wish “The Little Engine that Could” was required reading. I think linking self-reliance with effort and internal reward are important to “make it” in today’s world.

One of the keys to inspiring and leading others is leading with your “why.” For example, when I lead folks down some new paths, I share a sharp picture of the future, anchored to drivers and trends. I draw my vision on the whiteboard. This helps people “see” how and why the future can be compelling.

I also listen for key concerns. If I can embrace the concerns, and take away the threats, this helps others follow.

As Dr. Rick Kirschner says, “resistance is a result”, and it always leaves clues we can use to tailor our approach.

We only fail if we give up … otherwise, we are learning, responding, and adapting.

By: Patricia

Patricia — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 02:47:53 +0000

I am working on living my values and modelling the behavior that I think represents the values I live by. I am so often aware that others are opposed to my behaviors and that I must include ways to assist folks with trust in what I am doing and in what they find inside themselves to act upon.

Practicing trust in the self and in others is quite a bit deal.

I am worried that much of the style of teaching our children these days by parents and schools involves co-dependent regimes for success.

I am an introvert, and often become aware that the “others” in my life assume I am responsible to doing all the work. This is no longer a compliment, just exhausting, and then I feel that I have failed in leading or inspiring others

By: JD

JD — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 01:56:49 +0000

@ Aaron — I like your example and introspection.

That’s actually part of the trick … defining what “the right people” are, and what a “better company” really means.

As one of my mentors puts it, “Do you know what you need to be successful?” It’s a great question to help identify and make explicit what the criteria really is. And when we know and assert our criteria, it’s easier to fulfill it.

@ Alik — It definitely sucks the life force out.

My most effective managers always put people first. At work, our team has the mantra, “People before business. Business before technology.”

It makes a difference.

By: Alik Levin

Alik Levin — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 19:41:50 +0000

JD,
Being managed as things – bad, bad, bad. I developed very think skin for that yet it still strikes me when I am exposed to talks around “heads” and “resources.” Inspring it is not. No inspiration no leadership.

By: Aaron Johnson

Aaron Johnson — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 18:50:45 +0000

Reading over all of this, I keep coming back to how much this is all made easier when you get the right people on your team.

I created a cycle of codependency on a project recently when the company we contracted to do some work kept dropping the ball. Because the deadline was approaching so quickly, I picked up the ball to make sure the fallout was avoided. But it really fueled the problem. My attempted solution ended up being my real problem Digging deeper, I began to see that the real solution would have been confrontation. And an even better solution would have been to hire a better company to do the work.