Three Minute Leadership: On Leadership – A Commitment to What Hasn’t Happened Yet

To:  The Great Leaders Who Have a Passion for Continuous Learning
 
An unknown author writes:  “The language we use to communicate with one another is like a knife. In the hands of a careful and skilled surgeon, a knife can work to do great good. But in the hands of a careless or ignorant person, a knife can cause great harm. Exactly as it is with our words.” These words are poignant reminds of the power and importance of the leader’s communication as they guide and give inspiration to their organization and the people they serve. Jill Rosenfeld in her article, Lead Softly, But Carry a Big Baton, shares symphony conductor Roger Nierenberg’s thoughts on how effective leaders bring people to new levels of performance.

“By giving direction, not criticism.  Direction points to the way things could be.  Criticism, on the other hand points to way things were.  It doesn’t enlighten people.  Direction tells people what to do, whereas criticism tell people what not to do.  Here’s a criticism:  ‘The percussion section is playing too loudly.  A direction is, ‘Make sure the audience can hear the woodwinds.’  It’s much harder to process a ‘do not’ instruction that a ‘do’ instruction, because the ‘do not’ means you have to locate a behavior, inhibit it, figure out what to replace it with, and then replace it.  The ‘do’ instruction means something more direct. ‘Do this.’  You’re offering a new vision, a different tool.  Leadership is about preparation.  It means actually inventing a whole new experience and then communicating it to the people you work with.  If your team executes your direction and the results improve, then people begin to put their trust in you.  That’s how you gain credibility as a leader.”

Nierenberg writes “No one wants to underperform, yet so many people do.”  To achieve a higher level of performance great leaders “communicate a sense of how things could be, and show people how to achieve that vision.”  Great leaders guide and inspire people to see greater possibilities within themselves.  John Wooden, renowned Ohio State basketball coach, reminds us: “Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” Re-energize yourself and those whom you serve this week with messages that focus on ‘doing’, what needs to be done and change the world. As William Shakespeare wrote:  “Things won are done, joy’s soul lies in the doing.”  And have fun doing it!

Have a beautiful day and a magnificent week!!!

Mike

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