Three Things Strong Leaders Do
One: Keep it simple:
Harry Kraemer explained in a world of complex challenges and opportunities strong leaders keep things simple. He made me think of something I love saying, “Any fool can make something complex. It takes real wisdom to simplify.”
Check out Harry’s book
Simplicity isn’t easy so I was interested in Harry’s insights.
- Simplify complexity by breaking things down into smaller components.
- Determine what really needs to get done.
- Decide which opportunities have the most potential and follow them.
- Create alternative solutions and rank them.
- Keep the team focused on real issues rather than speculations.
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Complexity destroys passion and progress.
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Two: Start A.S.A.P.:
Lily Tomlin said, “I always wondered why somebody doesn’t do something about that. Then I realized I was somebody.”
Harry explained that strong leaders:
- Don’t wait for titles. They act now.
- Uncover opportunities and issues without being told.
- Don’t let the organization get in the way. Isn’t it sad that organizations frequently hinder rather than help progress? Harry explained that strong leaders skillfully work around organizational charts.
- Say, “I’m going to do something.”
- Convince others to do something.
Harry spent some time explaining that strong leaders reject command and control systems and convince others to act because, “it makes sense.”
“Stop trying to be right and start trying to do the right thing.”
Three: Know leadership is a journey:
Harry explained that strong leaders don’t wait until they have it all together to lead. The more you learn the more you realize how much you need to learn. Act now and get better as you grow.
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Part 1 of my conversation with leader, author, and teacher, Harry Kraermer: Journey to Silence
Review of Harry’s book: Leading a multibillion dollar company
What do strong leaders do?
Which of these ideas most interest you?
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One of the things I love that Harry said is, “Leadership is a journey.”
You might feel you have so much to learn that you should wait to lead. If you think that way, chances are you’ll be waiting a long time.
All growing leaders give testimony to the fact that the more they learn the more they realize they need to learn.
Leadership is a journey should free us to get out there and do something.
I love the idea of learning as you go.
Sadly Dan, many leaders (broad definition of the word) think the journey ends at reaching the door of that corner suite and all the accoutrement that accompany it. True leaders (concise definition of the word) know that the corner suite is not where the true work gets done. Certainly it can be a brief respite…and that door should always be open anyway.
The journey can/should lead to learning and continuously improving connections with all served, staff and customers. That’s when it is really fun!
Just to say thank you for this post. Have to put this to practice to influence my life.
That is one of my biggest problems, thinking I’m not skilled enough to lead. On a journey who does not pick up things as needed. Thanks for the insight.
That is one of my biggest problems, thinking I’m not skilled enough to lead. On a journey who does not pick up things as needed. Thanks for the insight.
I especially like “Leadership is a Journey” It provides endless opportunities for personal along with professional growth.
Hey Dan, great post, very true. It connected for me my desire to be a better leader with my admiration for entrepreneurs. The entreprenuerial credo is ‘Ready, Fire, Aim’ And that I think is the challenge thrown down here, and proabbly why when I do lead I sometimes get thought of as entreprenurial, when I never regard that I am.
Can i further challenge all your readers that to start practicing leadership they could more freely comment on your blog. Unitl you are prepared to hang out your washing nobody can judge how well you are dressed. I know you have thousands following but only a small quorum of regular contributors, the contributors are the winners, for others it’s time to stop practicing and start leading.
Dan – please accept my apologies in advance I don’t mean to steal your blog or dictate it’s content. This thought has occurred to me so often, i had to let it go sometime.
Regards
Richard
Remember Croadie, after you reload to check and see where your ‘aim’ landed…adjust accordingly….lather, rinse, repeat… 😉
Aside from the piece about the journey, “Keep the team focused on real issues rather than speculations,” has also caught my attention.
I am in the middle of the Oz Principle and keep thinking a lot about the line of accountability. A leader who continually is transparent, open to honest feedback, and hold their team and their selves accountable is on the right path. To steal a quote I read from @gcurous “I want you on the path. I don’t care where you are on the path, but I want you on the path.”
Lifelong learning is a goal I set for myself in college, and I make it a point to try to learn three new things every day: one professional, one related to the arts, and one related to something someone important to me is interested in.
I was hit by the statement “Stop trying to be right and start trying to do the right thing.” – hugely important! Connellan’s Law states “There is no point in doing well, that which you should not be doing at all.” Good performance only matters if you’re doing the right thing to start with. This is one of my hardest things, because there’s always more to do than day to do it in, and it’s easy to be seduced by things that are fun or urgent or easy.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
This post means so much to me today and leaves me feeling inspired. I’ve been struggling lately with some internal/external challenges and this message resonates so deeply in my soul that I can’t even begin to express how it will impact my life today, and every day going forward. You’ve helped me have an “Ah-Ha!” moment and understand so many things that challenge me regarding my role in the organization where I work.
The statement to “Stop trying to be right and start trying to do the right thing” makes me realize that ultimately, I want to be in an environment where that concept is embraced, not that we follow political structures just because they are there. Allow people to have the opportunity to try something new. Maybe it will fail, but maybe it will be a blazing success. You’ll never know if you don’t try. Let your team help be part of building and delivering the vision. Lead by actions, not by words. Have passion around what you do; what are you if you don’t have passion?
You leave me feeling fired up, in a good way. So, for that I say “thank you”….
And, Croadie is right. There have been so many days where I think your message is very poignant and I have wanted to respond, but hesitated. I’ve forwarded the post to friends, chatted with them about it, but not personally responded here. At the suggestion of a friend (who is a blogger), I’m posting this response. Please continue with these great posts. I’ll keep responding. Again, thank you!
I feel great about that, even a single call to action is the beginning of all that follows. Thank you. Richard
Way to be…”Inspired”, glad you jumped in the deep in (water’s fine btw).
Creating an environment where people thrive to strive and have fun making mistakes is a great challenge/opportunity and probably more fun than most humans deserve! We each can play a role in creating that environment whether live or online!
Simple.
Straightforward.
To the point.
I love it.
My favorite: Break complexity into conquerable components. Then start the war.
Love it Scott…’then start the war!’…or at least the first of many battles.
Thanks for a great post, Dan. Cuts right to the chase!
My favorites were:
#3 Decide which opportunities have the most potential and follow them.
#4 Create alternative solutions and rank them.
And I’d add #4.5, don’t be afraid to stop doing what isn’t working and do something different.
I think the tendency to “ride out” rough patches by doing more of what we’re already doing is very strong. Leaders know when a change of course is necessary and don’t get trapped by past decisions. They make the best choice given what they know at the time, conscious of the fact that they may know more later and may re-direct the team as needed.
Great point – I’m struggling right now with a leader in another department who is too invested in a decision that needs to be reversed. Everyone can see it but him and his credibility is eroding by the day. 4.5 is going on my list – thanks.
Dan,
“What do strong leaders do?” – They learn from others. It’s a rare individual that has all the characteristics and qualities built into their DNA.
Your posts sometimes do me more harm than good. 🙂 The pressure to lead a team well is so enormous. Digesting these suggestions to the point that they become part of me versus mirroring someone that I am not can be a struggle at times.
I would say that strong leaders know when to “push away” and refresh and reflect on what makes them a uniquely strong leader.
Thanks for challenging us to keep growing.
Van
Dear Dan,
Complexity destroys passion and progress. I absolutely agree to the point. Complex culture or leaders make goal unclear and invisible. They do it because they think it as a strategy to survive and move up in the ladder. Compexity makes everything complex, for example information, interaction, and processes. Where leadership style is complex, honest and hardworking people usually suffer and those who believe in flattery, look busy, enjoy and survive.
Strong leaders make complex things simple. They make it achievable and support people to achieve that. I love the idea of making things into small component. I think when things are broken into components, it becomes easier to allot time for each task. However, when things are complex, it becomes difficult to allocate time even if the task is easy.
Making things complex arises out of organisational practices. When practices do not question making things complex, people do it and think it is desired. Authentic leadership at top, can discourage these kind of practices and actually make the practices reverse. On the other hand, autocratic leader can make things more complex to benefit self.
What do strong leaders do?
Which of these ideas most interest you?
Another interesting post with so many great takeaways. It’s hard to pick just one “most interesting” idea. The post brought to mind a former board member for my organization. She was fond of saying “Life’s a Journey” and basically turning every process into a “journey.” We sort of ridiculed that behind her back but now with about 15 years’ worth of experience behind me, that sentiment seems a lot less deserving of ridicule and more deserving of honor.
I think the ability to “Stop trying to be right and start trying to do the right thing” really depends a great deal upon organizational support. I have seen time and again (and I am guilty of) fighting to within an inch of dignity over “being right” while the “right thing” languished on the back burner. It seems like email compounds the problem – as parties exchange emails back and forth covering themselves and documenting when various instructions were sent – these situations can often be resolved by putting everyone in a room FACE to FACE and figuring out how to do the right thing (and, ideally, keeping a climate of teamwork alive as well).
I advise my team to never allow anything or anyone slow to get in their way; own your mission and see it through!
It may not be a case of ‘keep it simple’ but make it simple.
We live in increasingly complex and amazingly interwoven (sometimes tangled) connections. Look at the array of immediate information inputs that we have now that we did not have 10-15-20 years ago. Look at the number of ways we can connect.
The challenge for the leader is to see the colorful weaves (honoring them) and see through them to hold fast to the vision that is the entire picture…then share and compare and keep on keepin’ on. (Croadie, no Gary Wright references….)
Love this statement “Stop trying to be right and start trying to do the right thing”. Many years ago my daughter called to tell me that she had had an “aha moment”. She said, and I quote ” He doesn’t have to know I’m right, or tell me I’m right, as long as I know I’m right. It isn’t about him ( or ‘them’) it’s about me.” I was so proud and so tickled that she had figured it out. ( needless to say, as she had been growing up I’d had these kinds of conversations with her and her brother) “Right” is right! You don’t need to be affirmed, as wonderful as that is, you just have to “do the right thing.” Always! Not always the easiest thing to do, not always even the best thing for your career ( if you’re in the “wrong” working environment), but ALWAYS the way to lead and ALWAYS the way to grow.
Awesome Blog!
I do think the leadership is a long-term process! Leaders can never give up because there are many eyes on him/ her. Leader is a guild line in the company.
“strong leaders reject command and control systems and convince others to act because, ‘it makes sense.'”
Good advice – and a good corollary to this is that good leaders listen to and are open to input from their teams “because it makes sense” rather than viewing input/discussion as questioning authority.
I find all this blog inspiring, but the part that resonates with me most is Lily Tomlin’s quote. “I always wondered why somebody doesn’t do something about that. Then I realized I was somebody.”
All too often people wait for somebody else to do something and it is something that I have been guilty of myself on too many occasions than I care to remember.
Thank you for the reminder
Beverley
http://www.accelerated-training-consultancy.co.uk
I was struck by Lily’s quote as well 😉 Scary to be the “somebody”!
Sometimes its too easy to just do nothing and blame others at the same time.
Wonderful post, Dan. This is incredibly helpful! I recently had a conversation w/my mentor and one of the most important things he said to me is, don’t wait for a manager title (I’m a VP, but not a manager). He said, flex those leadership muscles. Put forward what you know is the right thing to do, regardless of who else is involved..junior or senior. Long story short, start ASAP really does resonate with me!
organizations frequently hinder rather than help progress? Harry explained that strong leaders skillfully work around organizational charts.
a truth i’m pursuing …
What amazing post!!!
The concept of #2) start asap really sticks with me – and lily tomlin’s quote makes so much sense. It is so easy to stand and expect others to get into action, and yet so bold to get the ball rolling, create new possibilities based on ‘why not?’ and enroll others in the project.
This is a great piece-keep it coming!
Great help right here. I found this information inspiring change as well as pointing out some things that really have to change in me and the way I present things.
thanks
Bob,
Thank you for your encouraging words. I wish you the best.
Dan
Sounds like a great book. I work in a fortune 500 company that wields complexity like a hammer to enact red tape, policies and rules in a seeming attempt to stop action and progress. Here is another soldier to help me fight the fight.
“5. Keep the team focused on real issues rather than speculations.”
Interesting advice, I think it is important to add that a good leader does not ignore the speculation. They investigate, evaluate risk and then act accordingly. Easily said, difficult to practice.
Great post. Read it. Copy it. Post it. Live it. Teach it.
Great summary – from I my experience Harry us right on target! My favorite us that leaders always simplify and convince other to join in the “fun.”. I’ve been overwhelms with volunteer request just because they need these skills.
Dan, thank you for your wonderful article. The more I read, the wider my smile grew. Why? It aptly describes my journey through life and career. Most of my leadership skills have been acquired in “volunteer” positions, those that others evade due to their “low” stature. But as I navigated through these assignments, they horned my leadership skills.
Simplifying has always been my gospel, although many think it is synonymous with “stupidifying”. It has been a joy to see people come to my side after they experience the reality and joy that simplicity brings.
What interests me most is A.S.A.P. For the longest time, I have procrastinated starting off my blog. And finally this month I started! It is work in progress, but 3 posts later, the sky is the limit! The blog can be found here [http://leadbychoice.wordpress.com]