I’m not one who takes to social media to rant on a subject. On the other hand, I do strive to leverage social media to share knowledge, spread a positive message, empower people, impart wisdom and gain insights.
I have a passion to speak, write and share on the subject of leadership. Why? Because I believe that leadership is an underrepresented topic that is oftentimes overlooked, misunderstood and lacking in clarity. I have worked for and with some of the largest and most complex corporations and organizations worldwide, have held executive leadership roles within these organizations and do consider myself a respected authority on the difference between management and leadership and the qualities of an excellent leader. Don’t believe me? Well I did write the book. Go check it out on Amazon. “Moving From Micromanagement to Masterful Leadership – It’s a Control Thing” http://amzn.to/1LkNaF4
I am also a consummate student on the subject of what it takes to lead large teams of people and resources in order to bring out the very best in individuals as they work towards meeting and exceeding the agreed upon goals and strategies. In other words, I love the subject of leadership and want to share my findings and experiences.
I spend a great deal of time sharing my experiences on what constitutes a great leader and how to guide groups of people and turn them into a high performing team. It is an evolutionary process for the leader as well as the team. And it is often not an easy process. Much thought must go into developing the correct strategy that not only fits the organizations overarching goals, but the strategy must be properly aligned with the abilities of the team you are developing.
So how did I come to want to write about lazy leadership? And is this nothing more than a slam on some leader out there that I perceive to be inadequate? Last question first. This series of blogs is not directed towards any one person. As a matter of fact, I hope that in the process of delivering a number of postings in this area, I will not only help those in leadership roles, but my musings will assist someone to take a look at their actions, make the hard decisions and further invest in developing their skills. I choose to write on lazy leaders, not to bash anyone or to paint a negative picture. Instead I hope to educate my readers on what to look for to determine the reasons behind why leaders become lazy.
So let’s start with one reason why people become lazy leaders
- Magic Wand Syndrome. The person in the leadership role was never in the right role for their abilities, skills nor passion. Many corporations and organizations will place people in a leadership role not because they exhibit the appropriate skills, but instead because of past achievement. Maybe the person met their fundraising or recruiting target. Maybe they were able to deliver on the process of a smooth running event or program. While that is certainly cause for celebration and possibly even a bonus, it is not the criteria that should be used for promotion into a leadership position.
People should not be “poofed” into leadership. A magic wand does not a leader make. Instead, I will stick my neck out and say leaders are born, yes I said born and then they develop into greatness. And for that small minority of leaders who were not born with the abilities, but have the passion and drive and are willing to invest in themselves so that they develop the skills needed to go along with the role, they are not looking for the easy way to climb the ladder. It’s not easy being a leader and certainly a great deal of time, effort and professional development come with the evolutionary process. But being handed the role of leader, does not a leader make. If you were handed the role, then I would doubt you are ready to shoulder and carry that much responsibility. And once you find out that the skills required are not dispensed with the magic wand waving ceremony, you will find yourself in a tough spot having to face some difficult decisions.
Stay tuned for the next installment as I discuss 2. Asleep at the Wheel – maybe you need to take a nap from leading your organization.
If you enjoyed this post, please share it with others. I plan to dig deep, share years’ worth of experience, post a few videos, host a FB live session and even poll the audience
