Position, status, and success don’t magically make you superior to others.
Know-it-all leaders become less than they could be.
The 7 seductions of leadership:
- Knowing ‘about’ is the same as knowing ‘how’.
- Position is contribution.
- Compliance is respect. Compliance is fear, not respect. People don’t believe in you; they’re afraid of you.
- Individual talent is the answer. High performance is about teams, not individuals.
- The good things people say about you are true.
- Lack of disagreement indicates agreement.
- The problem is others. The seduction of success is the illusion of superiority.
Don’t settle-in because you have position, rank, or title. Prioritize the acquisition of practical know-how.
Neglect self-development; pursue complacency.
Overcome the seductions of leadership by persistently developing practical know-how.
The 12 sources of practical know-how:
- Finish things. Many people speak of their plans. Wisdom speaks of accomplishment.
- Embrace and enjoy the successes of others. Jealousy stunts growth.
- Get up. Ability increases when you get up after falling down. Don’t beat yourself up – pick yourself up.
- Action ignites growth. If you aren’t sure what to do, do something that won’t make things worse.
- Know-how emerges AFTER you press through adversity. Those who wait to feel competent remain incompetent.
- Notice what’s working. Let others point out wrongs; you point out rights. It takes insight to identify behaviors that sustain and enhance success.
- Find clarity and simplicity by leaning into confusion. Clarity and simplicity are harder than confusion and complexity. Pretending you know propagates ignorance.
- Learn from the mistakes of OTHERS. Accelerate your journey by avoiding what doesn’t work.
- Follow positive energy.
- Close your mouth and open your ears.
- Act as if higher ups are watching, even when they aren’t.
- Seek instruction. Affirmations don’t increase practical know-how. Skill development requires instruction, correction, and constructive criticism.
Which of the 12 sources of practical know-how seem most important to you?
What other sources of practical know-how come to mind?
