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Don’t Do It!

There are a few things a leader should never delegate. One of those things is vision.

If you are a leader, the vision for your team or organization must come from you. If your team’s vision comes from someone else, your leadership will be bright to those on the team.

This doesn’t mean that you have to develop the vision yourself. It also doesn’t mean that only you can communicate the vision.

It does mean that you must embrace and live the vision that you want your team to aspire to achieve.

This is walking the talk. It is casting inspiration of the future. It must be done authentically, and with passion.

It cannot be delegated.

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There Is Always One or Two

When I am working on a project with a team, it seems that there is always one or two people that distract the group from their goal. It could be that they actively speak out against the plan, or they could silently disrupt progress behind the scenes.

Here are some strategies that will help you overcome the rabble-rouser.

  1. Focus on the majority. – The simple method is to just ignore the person that is disrupting the group. If you are able to move forward with the majority of the group, then you are able to gain momentum.
  2. Address the issue with the person separate from the group. – Confronting the rebel in front of the group will only justify their message. So pull them to the side and try to resolve the issue discreetly.
  3. Create wins to show the group the progress. – People want to be on the winning side. Get some small wins and you will begin to over come any opposition.

There is always someone that will stand in your way on your path to success. Find a way around and don’t lose too much time thinking about it.

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What Is Your Level of Commitment?

Commitment is visible to those on your team. You know what it looks like. It is the guy that never gives up. The person that keeps searching for the way to succeed. The woman that brings a positive attitude and a drive for the goal.

Are you as committed as you should be? Here are some things that you should consider if you want to be recognized as the person that was committed to the team’s success.

1. Set the example. Don’t wait to see if others are on board. Always bring your “A” game.

2. Increase your influence. Collaborate. Ask questions. Build bridges. Add value. Helpful participation increases your influence with the team.

3. Never stop learning. Finding success is usually accomplished by learning something new, or changing the way you do something. Keep a learning attitude to be ready for new ideas.

4. Have the persistence to succeed. Accept that success takes time and effort. If it was easy, the rewards will be less.

What does commitment look like for you?

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Strategic or Tactical

Great leaders are always working on strategy, but concurrently managing the tactical actions aligned to their strategy. It is a delicate balance. Too far in one direction or the other and you can find yourself off course.

One approach that has served me well is knowing the difference in each conversation. In fact, I think it is best accomplished if you can separate the two into separate conversations.

You can approach one of your employees or team members and let them know you want to talk strategy. Or you can let them know you need to review tactics, and then proceed to be very clear on actions and expectations.

If you are forced to speak to both in a single conversation, preface your comments to identify your thoughts. You could say, “strategically thinking…” or “tactically, we need to…”

Sometimes team members can be confused if we expect action but talk strategy. They may not feel empowered, or strategic concepts may not have the clarity they expect. If they cannot tell the difference, the team will struggle.

How do you balance strategy and tactics in your conversations? Is it clear to your team members which is which? Are expectations clearly defined?