Leaders rarely work in absolutes

August 10, 2015 by Joshua
in Leadership

If you find yourself thinking someone else is wrong and you have to convince them what’s right, you probably aren’t leading that effectively. Once they sense you trying to impose your values on them, you’re probably motivating them to debate you, which is not getting the job done. Successful leaders motivate people to get jobs done.

When you view the object of leaders’ work as people, you realize you have to work with what you have—their beliefs, perspectives, habits, and so on, just like a plumber has to deal with the pipes in the building, not the pipes he or she would have put there.

This perspective leads you to start by understanding the beliefs, perspectives, habits, and so on of your team, not trying to impose yours on them.

I find this perspective leads to productive conversation, not trying to convince, followed by surprise and frustration at people’s resistance, not realizing your behavior led them to resist.

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