“Thinking Out Loud”
By Wendell Jordan-Brangman
Radient Pearl Contributor
Your Intentions Shine Through
Do you think that you are trusted by those whom you lead? Do you think that you are trusted by those whom you follow?
Would you follow someone you do not trust? Hopefully not! Neither should you expect others to follow you if they don’t trust you. As a leader, you’ll likely be tasked with taking people somewhere they haven't been before and doing things they haven’t done before. That’s a scary prospect for them and having someone they can trust is paramount to their willingness to follow you down uncertain - and often scary - paths. If you don’t have right intentions, that trust will be difficult to build and impossible to maintain over time.
"Managers do things right; leaders do the right thing." Paraphrased from PMI (Project Management Institute)
A person's true character is revealed in situations where it is easier (more convenient) or more natural to do the wrong thing. It is easy to do the right thing when we know that people are watching or we feel that our actions would be visible, but what about when we think no one is watching or that we won’t “get caught”? In other words, are you authentic - the same person both in private and public - or are you just “putting on a show”? It’s the authentic leader that people trust most because authentic leaders demonstrate proactive self-awareness, relational honesty, balanced decision making, and earnest integrity.
Proactive self-awareness: Knowing what you’re good at and where you need improvement leads you to consistently ask for feedback and practice self-reflection.
Relational honesty: Don’t have hidden agendas, give constructive feedback, and operate with a sense of fairness and sincerity. Even when delivering bad news, actively share your thoughts with your team and don’t unnecessarily withhold information.
Balanced decision making: Before making a decision, solicit input from your team, demonstrate willingness to listen to opposing viewpoints, and remain open to discussion before deciding a direction.
Earnest integrity: Have a clear value system and know what you stand for so that you always aim to “do the right thing,” even when faced with situations in which doing so could negatively impact you or your objectives.
“Leadership is not a position or a title, it is action and example.” Unknown
Leadership is more about influence and less about power or authority. It’s often said that you shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover and never is that more pertinent than with leadership. In this context, the ‘book cover’ is a position or title and the ‘content of the book’ is the tangible evidence of actions. No matter how engaging or enthralling the cover is, if the content does not match or does not meet the expectations of the reader, the book will be a failure! In other words, if you don’t influence others then you’re not a leader (you may be more of a manager, but that’s a topic for another day).
I’m sure we’ve all heard of the Ten Leadership Styles. In literature or talks about these leadership styles, you’ll likely read or hear that each of these styles has both merits and deficiencies and that no person is ever truly a single style. You’ll likely also read or hear that it’s preferable to adopt a combination of styles so that you can use the best of each to your different situations. Nevertheless, I submit to you that the servant-leader style is the most authentic and effective because of the intentions of a servant-leader: the well-being of people is the paramount, if not the only, motivation.
“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you.” Proverbs 23:7 NKJV
Simply saying that you are a servant-leader or even having a deep desire to be a servant-leader does not make you a servant-leader. It’s only through observing your impacts to people around you that will validate whether or not you are a servant-leader. As in many disciplines, there is more than one way to do this validation, each with its own strengths and shortcomings. I am suggesting to start this process with a few fundamental questions. These are not intended to be an exhaustive list but rather are intended as a way of initiating the process. Your honest answers to these questions, which requires earnest introspection, will empower you to make informed decisions about the next steps you may need to take to become an authentic leader:
Why do I consider myself a leader?
What is my vision as a leader?
To whom am I accountable?
What is my level of emotional intelligence?
Life is challenging enough as it is, so do yourself and those around you a favor by being sincere about your motivations for wanting to lead and experience the freedom of letting others see you for who you really are.
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