Ah, leadership… The thought of being a leader causes some people to conjure up images of the perks, the expense accounts, the company car, the company credit cards, and the fabulous salary.
However, leadership isn’t about easy days in the office and events at night. It’s about worrying about the team. It’s about finding out that someone just caused the company property and casualty insurance to increase by 46 percent. It’s about trying to accomplish work through others but finding that you have to satisfy the demands of customers, vendors, other departments, governments, and shareholders at every level.
Leadership is NOT easy. So here is an open letter from a TRUE leader to team members:
I’m positioned to be your biggest cheerleader. If you perform well
and help make us successful, I’m more than willing to promote you and to
recommend you for promotion.
Don’t let us or yourself down.
Bring your ideas to me. I truly want to hear them. But please understand
that many times my hands are tied by silly bureaucracies over which I
have no control.
If you don’t see your idea implemented, it isn’t
because you were shot down. I may be considering the long term
ramifications of how it will affect our team and the organization.
Occasionally, we will have differences of opinion. But in the end I have
to make the decision and I need your support. And we must own the
outcome together.
I know there’s a grapevine and I know it’s impossible to squash it
(smart leaders don’t even try). If there’s something troubling you or if
there’s some crazy rumor, ask me about it.
As far as I’m able, I will
tell you everything I know, but there are some areas where I’m required
to maintain confidentiality.
I don’t believe it’s my job to motivate you. You should motivate
yourself. My job is to provide you the resources to do good work, set
goals, establish expectations, and follow up.
I will make mistakes.
I will screw up. Please give me the same
understanding that you’d like me to give you when you blunder.
Forgiveness is a beautiful thing.
If something is going wrong, or about to go wrong, tell me as soon as
possible. Don’t wait around hoping it will get better.
Always tell me the truth. I can handle the truth and deal with whatever
happens. I cannot handle being lied to. Don’t force me to make a
decision about a situation based on a lie, a half-truth, an
exaggeration, or based on a situation where some little bit of
information was conveniently left out.
If you see me about to make a blunder. Tell me. Quickly. Don’t wait
around and don’t beat around the bush.
Part of my job is to set the targets, supervise what is being done,
obtain the required resources, and deliver the results called for by the
next level of bosses above me. All of that is political and I don’t
like it either, but I have to play the game to get anything
accomplished. Sometimes, even the targets that are set for me get moved
around.
Please respect my time by not coming at 5:30 PM with a critical issue we
could have discussed at any time during that day. Emergencies happen
but when they happen every day it’s not an emergency, it’s a way of
doing business. I may need time to consult with others about this
critical issue and raising it late in the day causes stress on both you
and me.
Don’t always be concerned about CYA. It’s a disgusting way to live and
your co-workers will not like you. I would prefer that, yes, DO cover
your bases, but please don’t try to spin everything in your favor.
So, still want to be a leader? Being a leader can be a scary proposition at times. It can be a frightening proposition to realize that your career is in someone else’s hands, namely your subordinates. That’s why the best leaders hire the best people, reward them well, and have a plan to retain them as long as possible.
