Welcome to issue No. 071 of the Lever
If you want to become a great leader then the first step is defining what great leadership is.
But First... This is the first article in a new series I'm writing for my sister. We've been talking about leadership and I'm sharing what I know to help her succeed in her own career. I hope everyone takes something from this and welcome any and all feedback. What qualifies a person as a leader?Is it their position? Their title? Is it because they have a larger vision for the organization they are in? Or is it just that they tell people what to do every day? I've got a theory. Leadership means different things to different people. According to John C. Maxwell, leadership is, "Influence. Nothing more, nothing less." That's the best definition I know. Leadership is an ongoing journey of self discovery. You become a leader when you choose to lead. But to be a good leader you must also choose a path of continuing development. Because good leaders are developed in stages. Stage 1 - PositionThis is leadership by title alone. The authority comes from your position or role in the organization. This is the lowest level of leadership. Stage 2 - PermissionThis involves developing relationships with your people. You EARN the right to lead them. Gain influence through trust, credibility and likability. Stage 3 - PerformanceThis is leadership achieved through results and growth. You prove your ability to deliver outcomes that move the organization forward. People follow because of what you have done and what you can do. When you hear about implicit leadership within an organization it's usually because a person exhibits one of these levels. They might have Permission, but not Position (because they are charismatic). Or they could have Performance, but not Permission (because they get results but are hard to work with). The highest level of leadership combines all three. Level 3 leaders have positional authority that gives them a platform. They earn permission to lead through strong relationships and influence. And they cement their leadership through consistent production and results. Leadership development needs to focus on moving from: 🔸Position 🔸Position + Permission 🔸Position + Permission + Performance This is the pinnacle of leadership effectiveness. |
High leverage skills and mindset to help you become an effective leader
Too many monkeys Welcome to issue No. 080 of the Lever Obligations are like monkeys. They jump around, take up space, and need to be fed or they'll starve. And you take responsibility for your teams monkeys without even realizing it. But first... This post is inspired by an old HBR article by William Oncken, Jr. and Donald L. Wass. Link to the original down below. Let’s say somebody walks into your office with a question: “Hey boss, I need some help with this project,” they say, holding up a...
The Managers Toolkit Welcome to issue No. 079 of the Lever When I shifted careers from working offshore to working onshore, one of my new responsibilities was to write reports. Not just any reports; technical reports with specific criteria and guidelines that needed to be followed. I wasn't very good at it in the beginning. But I got better over time. Exposure and practice helped, sure, but the real key to improvement was the instruction and encouragement I was given by my manager. Before we...
The roadmap to success Welcome to issue No. 078 of the Lever How important is it to define your company's Mission, Vision, and Values? I believe it is the most important thing. But too often it turns into a cut & paste exercise, if it's even done at all. Here is what I've learned from leading successful MVV workshops: Before we start... Crafting a compelling vision means communicating it well. And clear communication follows the ABC's Accuracy Brevity Concise The best guide I've read on...