The first lie you’re told about leadership
Today’s topic is part 1 of 4 on the lies you’re told as a leader.
This first part is about the most pervasive lie I see wreak havoc on hopeful leaders. You’re running around giving it a whirl and yet there is stil at least one person giving it right back to you:
Lie 1: You can achieve success as a leader solely through motivating and developing others
LIE! While I HEAVILY believe that you MUST motivate and develop people where possible, it’s simply IMPOSSIBLE to use this effectively for everyone. Here are just a few of the characters/scenarios in which this simply doesn’t work and would leave you feeling beaten and defeated (don’t worry, I’ll offer advice further down):
The Sabotuer – I don’t care how awesome you are as a leader, some people are simply b@stards. The Sabotuer will undermine you, screw up your plans and recruit members to their cause. They love the shadows, it’s where they do their nepharious deeds. No amount of motivation will upend their joy for destroying those they seek to destroy (you!).
The No Show – This one is pretty straight forward. No matter what you do, say, offer or provide they simply are inconsistent and don’t show up (literally or metaphorically). They are consistently inconsistent and no amount of carrots will fix their absence (and reasons for absence). They aren’t around for you to lead, let alone motivate.
The Eeyore – We all know one of these. Eeyore (from Winnie the Pooh) was classically known for always being somber and believing everything was terrible. His tale just keeps falling off and 99% of the time, it’s his own fault. He is unwilling to see any possible alternative to this grim view of reality. Even worse so, his presence destroys the morale and energy of those around him (the rest of your team). Not good.
The one tip you don’t want to hear (and no one ever tells you)
Today there are no grand strategies, no motivational speeches and no BS tactics from leadership gurus (so many of which have never led a team or run a business). Instead, I offer you one single piece of advice:
TURN UP THE HEAT
One of the things our client’s tell us makes us different is we call it like we see it. We fix who we can and support those who want to be amazing, but we let leaders know (just like I’ve shared with you) that SOMETIMES, motivational strategies fail and the person needs to feel the heat.
Apply pressure, make it uncomfortable for their behaviours to continue, and ensure they know that you are in it for the long haul… and not afraid to step into the arena and protect the greater good. They either bend to the standards or they get managed out. Either way, you lead you and your team closer to your goals.
Do not be afraid to manage these people!
Don’t be afraid to make the hard calls.
You owe it to yourself and to your team.
