I do not believe that there is one form of leadership ‘style’ that we all need to have or be like. A situation may call for a certain style that may not be you. A true and confident leader will see this and at times step back to let someone else lead. This is what I call the Leadership Pass.
My office set up changed over time. I now try to have a round table in my office. The reason why a round table is important for me, is because a round table does not indicate who the leader is. At times when I cannot have a round table, I then ensure that I do not sit at the head of the table, unless I need to lead. We cannot, nor should not, lead every situation. If we do, our team will never grow. We cannot, nor should not, take credit for success. If we do, our team will never feel valued.
Behaviours drive the culture of the organization. It is not the words that the leader or leadership team states, but it is his, her, their behaviors that drive the culture of the organization. If behavior does not follow the words said, then future words become empty. I have seen both sides of these behaviors. The leader that sets the right behaviors, and the leader that passes when they can and should, is the organization and culture that I have enjoyed being at and thrived in.
Magic Johnson made the basketball pass exciting and a skill (‘behaviour’) future basketball players tried to perform (here is one video of Magic Johnson’s Most Memorable Passes). You as a leader can make Leadership Passing exciting and a behavior throughout your organization.
An Inc. article to share:
Great Leaders Share 3 Rare Behaviours. Most Bosses Skip All of Them
Powerful Ideas:
- “Don’t worry about the level of individual prominence you have achieved; worry about the individuals you have helped become better people.” – Clayton Christensen
- “Do not look to shine, look to make the guy next to you shine”, – France National Rugby team before a Six Nations match
- “There is no limit to what a man can do if he doesn’t mind who gets the credit” – Ronald Regean, a sign he kept on the Oval Desk
- “Be who you are and do what you do, as long as you’re here for the team.” – Pete Carroll
- “Think lightly of yourself and think deeply of the world” – Miyamoto Musashi
thought for the week 