This will be the last blog post I do for the foreseeable future. I will not bore you here with the “why," but if you are interested I have included a bit more about my reasons at the bottom of this post.
I have distilled the essence of great leadership and management into five beliefs. Take on and act based on these beliefs and you will lead well. I promise! I have been observing and learning from the best leaders for 30 years, have held leadership positions for nearly 25 years and have written about management and leadership for 15 years. I have seen great leaders transform organizations and I have seen terrible leaders suck the life out of workplaces. I know you want to be transformative!
These five beliefs reside deep inside the very best leaders I have had the pleasure to work with over the years.
Five Beliefs at the Core of Great Leadership
1. We are highly talented and highly flawed. This belief should lead to two actions – greatness and tolerance. 1) You are amazing – so go BE amazing. Your organization needs that and you need it (don't be a Greyhound who never runs). 2) Chill out and be tolerant. You drive half the people around you a little nutty and others will irk you on occasion. Never let personality or style get in the way of working well with others. I am not suggesting you put up with abuse – but most of what irks us is just a clash in style.
2. Management is a social act – it occurs in conversation. Being able to cultivate and catalyze productive and progressive conversations is your currency for getting things done. If you are lacking progress, get people talking.
3. There is big power in small actions. Generating breakthroughs starts with tiny actions that reverberate, build, and then go BAM!! Almost every great outcome started with a tiny act. Take small actions every day in the service of your goals. You will make things happen. For more on this, see my post about the Butterfly Effect here.
4. Calm and persistent is the way to go. No one wants to follow a leader who runs around like his/her hair is on fire. No one wants to follow someone who does not follow through. Be strong, but don’t generate negative drama. Be like a redwood tree – strong, flexible, and a positive force.
5. Leading people is a privilege. You affect people’s lives every day – positively or negatively. Your actions can help people do their best work or send them to drink due to stress and boredom. Leading people is an awesome opportunity – act like you have won the job lottery every day (you have). Go forth and conquer with confidence and grace.
These five beliefs will help you with all the opportunities and challenges you face as a leader. These beliefs are the most important for us to take on and model, in my humble opinion. It all starts here.
Thank you for being a part of the Management Craft community. It is because of you, my dear readers, that being the voice of Management Craft has been a great experience.
If you would like to refer back to the very best posts from the blog, or share them with others, please consider picking up a copy of my “best of” book called, Never Ending New Beginnings. You can find it here and I really appreciate your support. This book brings together my best business writing.
Cheers and happy new year! Go 2013 and beyond!
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Why I am retiring the blog:
If you have been reading this blog for some time, you know I have incurable medullary thyroid cancer. Since my diagnosis and initial surgery, I have changed many things about the way I live and how I spend time. Top on my priority list was to stop the road warrior life of a global consultant and to focus more on health and balance. I loved the work but hated the stressful travel and the loss of leisure time.
I have returned to an internal organization development role for a large organization here in Houston. I get to do interesting work and do not have to travel. It’s just what I need. I will still do the occasional conference speech but will not be consulting any longer. And because I have a “real job” now, I am much more choosy about how I spend my nights and weekends.
Blogging about management is just not making it to the top of my list. I have not been giving this blog the attention any blog deserves.
I feel fine and am living an active life, but I have this “stuff” inside of me that could make things real crummy in the future. Hopefully not too soon, but there is no way of knowing and so in the mean time I am going to live like my life depends on it – diet, exercise, relaxation and enjoying the present. I get scanned at MD Anderson every few months to monitor what's going on with the cancer. Talk about test anxiety! :-)
Let’s stay in touch through email and Facebook, OK? I don’t want to say goodbye to you all, I just don’t want to feel obligated to keep up this blog.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your interest in my work through the years.
