Leadership Basics (2 of 3)
My goal here is to lay the cornerstones and build a solid working foundation from which one can always weigh things and align against, a true north.
I have broken this section into 3 sections, each to be addressed in an individual post.
1. Lead from the front, here
2. Know one’s charges
3. Expectations and Boundaries, the framework to grow
2. Know One’s Charges:
a. Who they are: life, dreams and goals
b. Strengths and weaknesses
c. Their expectations of being there
a. Every person that comes into the firm brings their life with them, the good and the bad. Each experience influences their behaviors and decision making. As a leader one’s job is to listen and hear what is and is not being said. These will be indicators one needs to utilize to construct a path to develop charges both professionally and personally. It is the leader’s job to meet them on their terms as much as possible as this allows for the greatest amount of buy-in.
b. One’s charges were hired with the intent of the strengths they bring to the table for the firm and team. The first goal is to stratify those in their entirety and how they feed back into the team and firm as a whole. This is accomplished by going degrees removed from the central strength and noting how the charge responds. The goal here is not to break but bolster confidence and tease out short comings (weaknesses); just enough rope to hang oneself but when it looks like toes are stretching stepping in to consult. One is teaching when to go left or right in the decision making pathway, explaining the constraints unseen and the consequence of each action or lack thereof.
**A note on weaknesses, these do not just encompass the “work” at the firm. One’s charges are human beings and one’s goal is to help guide them to be the best human being possible. This means they may have some larger challenges to climb. In addressing these, one at a time, one needs to determine which they are most able and willing to address. It is for them to decide, no one else, the hope is it will spur the flywheel of change for growth in them in all things. One’s job is to plant the seeds, and help lay groundwork for understanding.
c. Management of expectations can be a challenge for everyone. There is what one perceives and what is. As a leader from the above two one should have a slight understanding as to the leanings of their charge/s. Then understanding the limits for each charge to move forward in the firm or outside of it and life. Context here is important as there is only so much opportunity at the firm and it is not fair to take time, i.e. life from people that they could otherwise invest it more fruitfully.
It is the leader’s responsibility to have an explicit open conversation about what the charge’s expectations are for their time at the firm. Some will be able to describe their rise to CEO and others will need to be guided through the process. A key thing to remember, none of it has to be reasonable or logical. The leader’s goal is to listen and tease out details on how to be more impactful with their charges and set the framework for their development.
From this and in conjunction with their position details the leader layouts the expectation for each charge and how they impact the team. This ranges from becoming the best follower to leading tasks by, with and through subordinate and peer staff for the charge.