Leadership is not easy, and not always
fun. Good leadership can feel like a constant weight on your shoulders. The
successes can be exhilarating, and the accomplishments awesome, but it is hard
work.
Leadership requires intentionality, and
if you are good at, it is a burden!
“If leading and serving people isn’t
both your greatest gift, and your greatest burden, you probably aren’t doing it
right.”
-
Craig
Groeschel
As we celebrate Presidents’ Day,
I found myself thinking about the role of the President as a leader. The President of the United States is the
official leader of our country and the ultimate leader of our military. He is also referred to as the leader of the
free world. Those roles are true and
fitting. By his elected position, responsibilities
and power that come with the position, he is a leader by title. However, holding a position in title does not
make one a great leader of people.
Regardless of your political affiliation, I think that most will agree
that we have had presidents from both parties who were in fact great
leaders. Furthermore, we have had even
more who were leaders in title and never mastered the art of truly leading
people.
Happy Presidents’ Day. Enjoy
the quote below…
“Associate yourself with men of good quality,
if you esteem your own reputation; for ‘tis better to be alone than in bad
company.”
Do you live intentionally? Do you act with intention? Do you plan your day with intentionality? Often, I find myself just allowing the day to come to me. My business discussions may have a hopeful direction, but maybe not an intended goal. Conversations with family are not always the teaching moments they should be or result in firm decisions. I know people who are very intentional about what they do. Those that are good at being intentional are thoughtful and purposeful about every action they take and every decision they make. Intentionality is powerful. It increases our influence as leaders. It leads to greater productivity. It can lead to a healthy lifestyle and better personal habits. Be intentional. Influence what happens to you and around you.
Misunderstandings in communication take place when intent differs from interpretation. Good communicators strive to clarify their point to avoid misunderstandings. It is easy to assume that our intended message was understood. Since we understand what we are saying, we believe that others will understand as well. That is just not the case. Our individual minds work differently, and we all listen and interpret differently. Never assume that your message has been properly understood. The first step in resolving any misunderstanding should be to clarify the message. To avoid misunderstandings all together, strive for clear communications without room for misinterpretation.
As leaders and managers, as well as parents and spouses, it is critical that we communicate clearly. Doing so can eliminate conflict before it ever gets started. Just put yourself in the shoes of your intended listener, who does not have the benefit of knowing how you are thinking. Would you understand the message being delivered? Avoid misunderstandings by clarifying your message. Consider the quote below.
“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”
– George Bernard Shaw
What happened last week at the capital of the United States of America was appalling and disheartening. The violent and lawless acts that took place there do not represent the values on which this country was built. I felt like I was watching news coverage of a foreign country, much like I felt during the violent riots last summer. We are all are entitled to our own opinion about the causes and political aspects of this incident. We are also entitled to voice those opinions and peacefully demonstrate in support of them.
As
leaders, how do we respond to this? It
is critical that we lead against the divisions that are being perpetrated in
this country. The national media feeds upon us being a divided people. It makes
great news to depict drastically different viewpoints, develop momentum behind
both sides, and exaggerate our divisions.
It is too easy to get caught up in the spin! This just results in people jumping on one
side of a polarizing topic and spewing hatred and accusations. It is so easy to hide behind the keyboard and
ride a wave created by media. Social
media content that serves no purpose other than expanding the divide is all too
common. We can control the breadth and
depth of our divisions.
As a
people we are reluctant to take the time necessary to learn all sides of an
issue, much less the facts. I know that
facts can be hard to find and I am not suggesting that we all sing Kumbaya
together anytime soon. I am merely
suggesting that we need to be careful of letting the media drive the narrative.
It is possible to maintain your own viewpoint while still respecting another’s
opinion. It is also possible to
formulate an opinion without referring to, or posting on, social media. Disagreement does not have to lead to
expansive divides, accusations, or hateful behavior. As leaders we must
encourage education, objectivity, and the understanding of all sides of issues.
I have
a great friend whose beliefs about national politics vary greatly from my own.
We respect each other’s opinions, listen to one another’s thoughts, and take
the time to learn why we feel differently about political topics. Our first response is not hatred. It is not a
verbal attack via social media, and it is not a line in the sand that defines
our relationship. Our friendship has
grown because of our ability to respectfully discuss our viewpoints without
divisiveness, even though neither of us has changed our position. Differing
opinions do not have to lead to hatred.
Listening to others’ beliefs does not have to result in name calling,
accusations, and ridicule.
Leaders
are purveyors of hope. I have said it before, a responsibility of leaders is to
provide hope. That could not be truer than it is today. Those we work with, those we lead and those
we love, all need to be hopeful. There
are plenty of reasons for hope, but that hope must look past our media driven
divisions. That hope requires
objectivity and open mindedness. It
needs great leaders. America is still
the greatest country in the world.
Wherever
you are today and wherever you lead tomorrow, lead with hope, lead with
objectivity, lead against divisiveness, and lead with love.
This MMM is a fresh repeat from just March of this year. I have found myself still in need of the reminder that it is okay to not be okay. When I first wrote this in March, I had no idea that I might feel the same way at the first of November, yet here we are eight months later and still in the middle of a pandemic. Take the time to remind yourself and your love ones of the challenging times that we are facing, and that the frustration and overwhelming feelings we may have are acceptable and maybe even necessary to help us get through these times.
It’s okay…
It is okay to not be okay. These are crazy challenging times. You would be unique if you were perfectly fine. Our lives, families, businesses and finances are all being impacted by this virus. We are in uncharted territory and none of us really know how we are supposed to handle this. We need to instill hope for our families, employees and organizations. We know it is important to continue to lead. We will get through this!
It is okay to not be okay. Don’t fret if you feel worried. Who isn’t somewhat depressed? I know I feel overwhelmed. Business owners are facing tough decisions. Uncertainty is prevalent and none of this is comfortable. It is okay to be frustrated, even angry, by these feelings. You have permission to breakdown occasionally. A good cry might be a healthy thing. However, you can’t let it overtake you. Yes, we need to be strong for our kids, but we don’t have to be strong 100% of the time. Crawling in a deep dark hole is not an option. We need to be realistic without constantly succumbing to the negativity. Acknowledge your feelings; respect the challenge you are facing and get back at it. Don’t let the negativity overwhelm you.
Have you ever heard the saying, "Life is a journey not a destination"? It is a great concept to keep in mind every day. All too often we want things to be all finished, resolved, and complete. More often the events of our lives, including our business lives, are a part of ongoing change that makes us who we are and leads us where we are going. It is in fact a journey, not a destination. Sometimes we need to be reminded to enjoy the journey!
"One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon—instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today."
- Dale Carnegie
