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(2) Engage and Develop Others
Blanchard and Miller point out that you need to recruit and select the right people for the right job while creating an environment where people wholeheartedly invest themselves in achieving the vision.
Jim Collins coined the phrase “getting the right people on the bus” with his management classic Good to Great. This is a very similar idea. Bottom line is that you need the right people in the right places. I’ve watched organizations over the years and couldn’t agree more…when you have the right leader for an organization, results are significantly more impressive than when the wrong leader is in charge.
I remember several years back, there was a technical leader in an organization, who was particularly tough on people. One consultant noted that industry called these types of leaders “wrecking ball” leaders. They clear the decks and generate change…but if you leave the “wrecking ball” in place too long, the organization is unable to grow and flourish. So, “wrecking balls” are needed too in organizations…you just have to be careful when and where you use them and how long you leave them in place…
(3) Reinvent Continuously
Blanchard and Miller encourage a never-ending focus on improvement. They insist that progress is impossible without change.
Personally, improvement is one of my core values (along with Excellence and Integrity), so I agree that there is always room to improve and get better over time. If we don’t understand this principle organizationally, we’ll expire.
(4) Value Results and Relationships
Blanchard and Miller encourage leaders to generate positive, measurable results, and cultivate great relationships with those you lead. They point out that ultimate success always includes both people and performance.
I’ve long used Results and Relationships as a barometer for my success as a leader. As I approach performance reviews, I consider not only the results achieved but also the relationships built over time. Am I strategically investing in relationships required for our organization’s success and improvement?
(5) Embody the Values
Blanchard and Miller note that effective leaders live in a fashion consistent with stated values. They go on to say that people learn more from what a leader does than from what a leader says.
As a father to three kids, this principle is easy to grasp. No matter how much I “preach” good leadership, if I demonstrate poor leadership practices, that speaks volumes. That reminds me of a great quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson, who said, “Your actions speak so loudly, I can not hear what you are saying.”
Pick out one of these principles to focus on this week. How can you S-E-R-V-E, as you shoot for the stars?