Above Average Leader – Step 1
In my over 30 years of frontline and senior leadership I have experienced working on teams at all levels from frontline to senior (experienced) leadership where at best striving for average was the benchmark.
Over the next while I will talk about some of these challenges and why what people believe leadership is all about and what it is (or needs to be) is a completely different understanding.
Organizational and/or family demise is rarely based on luck, or the lack of luck.as defined by of leadership guru John Maxwell “everything rises and falls on leadership.” And this rise or fall includes the family…leadership starts in the home and is influenced from there to the workplace and the community.
In workshops I have facilitated the discussion of average takes place defining average as ‘the best of the worst’ or ‘worst of the best.’ Average is easy to attain just be like those around you, not more, not less, just the same as next person. Ask yourself this question; did your parents want a just average outcome for you? And do you want a just average outcome for your children? I know the answer is a resounding NO!
Now it is time to get into our first step of leadership and this is the more difficult step and that is leading yourself. What you don’t do yourself, what you don’t model, what you don’t practice will set an example for others. There is that famous saying, “your children (or team) will hear what you say but model what you do.” Leading a team, whether professional, community or your family starts by modeling the way, by setting the example, and by developing daily. Your team will only develop to the example and level you set.
One more important consideration, what is slightly above average today, will be average tomorrow, and below average the day after that; if this path is not re-directed the end result will be irrelevance.
Ask yourself this question, what am I doing on a regular basis to know myself and to grow myself? What changes in my leadership do I hope my team, organization and family will see six months, one year and five years from now? How can I expect my team, organization and/or family to be above average without me intentionally learning, and leading beyond today?
“Leadership is too difficult and complex to be done by a committee of average people.”
John Maxwell
Sterling Martin
