As leaders we do not think a lot about what we feel and I get that. Leaders are often action oriented and much of our attention is focused externally versus internally. The caution, however, is that not paying attention to our feelings, can lead to negative consequences. This got me thinking out loud about what leaders should feel and what they should not.
Whether you realize it or
not, as a leader you are constantly feeling things . . . frustrated,
triumphant, cautious, joyful, etc. and sometimes all at once! You see according to author
Bob Proctor; our FEELINGS eventually drive our BEHAVIORS which dictate our
RESULTS. Therefore, it follows if we feel the better things, we get better results
and if we feel negative things, we get negative results. Taking that to the
next logical step, there are some things we should feel that will serve us and
our teams better and some that will not.
In terms of the latter, I
believe the point of leadership is NOT to:
- Feel Important – the most effective leaders are ones that do not dwell on their own importance or position but rather focus on helping others feel that THEY matter! If the only thing you live for is yourself, in the end that is all you will be left with.
- Feel Entitled – it is easy to spot a leader who feels entitled. They usually demand perks and favors from others. They see team members as interchangeable tools versus valued individuals.
- Feel Satisfied – I know this will sound strange in that leadership can be very rewarding and satisfying. The caution is to avoid what leadership and personal effectiveness expert John Maxwell labels the “destination disease” where leaders feel that they have “arrived” thus no more improvements are needed or efforts required.
On the other hand, the
leaders I admire and believe are effective:
- Feel Compelled – effective leaders don’t just express concern about the state of affairs, they feel so moved that they actually want to DO something about the situation. This was the impetus of some of the greatest movements in history or group of students wanting to clean a park or a church that creates a clothes closet or food program.
- Feel Inspired – I believe that passionate leaders have the capacity to inspire both themselves but also others into action. Whether it is addressing a company merger or righting a wrong, we need inspired leaders because their energy and enthusiasm is contagious!
- Feel Responsible – I also believe that the most effective leaders don’t “kick the can down the road” and abdicate their responsibility to address issues and concerns NOW when they are in the position to do something about it. Truly effective and courageous leaders tackle the tough issues and make the hard decisions needed so that the problem does not snowball into something bigger.
So let me ask you, what do you feel COMPELLED
to change or improve? What does that compulsion
INSPIRE you to DO as a result? How far will you take a CHANGE ITEM due your sense of RESPONSIBILITY? Will you take it all the way to
the end or just stop when things get tough? I would love to hear your
answers to the above and feel free to email me and let’s talk it over!
As always if I can help you and the
people you associate with Get Better, Be Ready and LEAD OUT LOUD, I would
invite you to email me or to visit my website below and see if any of the
training or coaching experiences I offer can provide an impact! Also, as a
bonus, if you go to my Out Loud Strategies website (www.outloudinc.com) and enter your contact information, I will
send you a FREE guide to establishing a mentoring initiative program in your
organization! Such an initiative would be critical in order to add value to
your organization!
Yours in Leadership,
Bill Faulkner
Principal Consultant –
Out Loud Strategies
Independent Coach,
Speaker, and Trainer with the John Maxwell Team TM
Email = bill@outloudinc.com
Visit our website
at: www.outloudinc.com
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