Episode #338: Leading An Intentional Leader Life In 2020

Leaders are made not born. Yes there are some bossy types and charismatic types who bubble to the top and assume the mantle of leader, as their rightful place. For the rest of us, we have to learn about leadership in the angry fire of the real world of work, where the stakes are high, the competition fierce and the mood unforgiving. In Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull’s 1969 book “The Peter Principle” we all rise in the hierarchy to our to our level of incompetence. In other words, we get promoted to a point where the job requirements outstrip our capabilities. Well that makes sense, but we don’t have to be relegated to supremely low level though in the process. We can push ourselves to the highest height possible if we do a few things along the way. Here are some ideas for 2020 on becoming a more skilful leader.

1. Understand the difference between being a leader and a manager.A manager makes sure all of the processes are working correctly. Things get done on time, on budget, without error and with maximum efficiency. The leader does all of that, plus they invoke passion around the WHY, set the direction for the team and build the people. We can be very busy with the process and forget about building the people.

If we have no one to do our job, then we have nowhere to move to up IN the hierarchy. The big bosses will keep us where we are because they can’t replace us. Don’t worry about creating people who can take your job. We want that because if you become known as a builder of champions, then the organisation will give you more scope to build other champions, at a higher level in the organisation.

2. Don’t forget to work on your job as well as in your job.If you have ever cut down a big tree or cut up fallen branches with an axe, you notice it doesn’t take much for the axe blade to become dull and for the cutting to become more a bludgeoning, rather than cutting exercise. It is the same with our way of working. Being constantly busy in the business is just cutting and slowly seeping into bludgeoning. We need to sharpen the axe to keep the blade keen and we need to spend time in Quadrant Two of time management – “Not Urgent But Important”. That means time for studying about leading, spending thinking time about the business, planning and strategizing. In 2020, schedule appointments with yourself and protect the integrity of those slots, in the same way you would protect that time if it was for a client.

3. Delegate your work to your subordinates. This is a double whammy exercise because it builds capability in your future leader bench and gives you Quadrant Two time. When people are being considered for promotion, those higher in the food chain want to know they will have a safe pairs of hands at the wheel. They are looking for people with experience at that level, except how do you get that required experience, if you are busily working away at the level below? The answer is delegation. By delegating tasks to your successor group, they can speak about their experiences of doing their bosses job, when they are being interviewed for the post. When you sell it like this, your subordinates will welcome the chance, instead of being sullen and resentful about having to do the boss’s job.

4. Keep harping on about the WHY, long after you are sick of hearing about it.We tell people why we are doing what we are doing and that is that, or so we think. People just don’t get it, believe it, follow it, absorb it, integrate it or develop upon it from just one hearing. As the leader you need to build a culture where the WHY is front and center of the decisions being taken, the strategies being formed and the execution piece of how we do the business. You will get sick of hearing about it, but keep making reference to it. You need to drive it into people’s work habits and the fabric of their thinking about their tasks. One telling won’t cut it.

The new year is a fresh chance for some fresh thinking. Break free of the mental bonds we have enveloped ourselves in over the last few years. Let’s spend some time determining just what we want and how we are going to get there. Bring your “A” Game to 2020 and life as a leader will get a lot better.