“The more strands it has, the stronger the rope.”
Required: Teamwork, Truth, and Honesty…
Without them nothing can move forward. Have you ever noticed the greatest of organizations are those whose focus is on teaming and building great leaders? Ever seen those who are promoted for skills we just don’t understand? How do these people in these positions add or subtract strands and what can we learn from them? Many times we don’t see an individual for all that they have to offer, we see them through our tented lenses we call eyes. Our natural ability to tent our lenses comes from our upbringing, and our life experiences.
In many cases we would hope to have the opportunity to team with others for the greater good. Unfortunately that doesn’t seem to be the case. Instead, we spend far too much time worrying about “what’s in it for me” rather than how can I learn and grow with others for the greater good of all! While we have learned it is “ALL ABOUT ME” it isn’t what’s in it for me. We are living in a sadly “disposable world” we consider ourselves over those around us-they just seem to get in the way of our goal. (Whatever that may be…and often times we can’t really claim the goal because we can’t define the goal) So we implore grandeur…forgetting however we are in the pursuit of “renewable and sustainable leadership” and working as a team IS a requirement.
Teams Can and Must Be Formed…
Sure we understand that “Suzy and John” don’t like working as a part of a team; however as a leader we must have assessed why, right? We’ve checked ourselves and found our leadership style is one build on trust, isn’t it? Or after looking at ourselves over the past several chapters have we found behaviors we wouldn’t attribute to truth and trust? Thinks such as “spin talk, not showing we care, failure to deliver, don’t listen first and speak last, are you breaking commitments or promises, or even withholding trust? If that was your leadership style up until now, let me be the first to tell you: you have been less than honest and you will never be able to build a team under your current management style. We must build a team based on truth and trust. Look deep within ourselves and find we are what we hate and begin taking the big steps to move forward. Not everyone will go with you and that is ok too, being aware and making decisions based on fact and not emotion will be the guiding force towards your sustainability as a leader.
Be a Difference Maker…
David Steward has taken great strides over the past 20-years to develop excellence…not only in product and or service but in his people. While some have come and gone, we see trust, teamwork, and accountability at the forefront of their excellence. How many of our organizations have reached the mark World Wide Technologies has reached in the timeframe they have? How did they do that when we struggle each and every day?
World Wide Technology is a “Difference Maker”. They make an effort to know and understand those on the team. The team and the dream play hand in hand in accomplishing the unbelievable. We all have the ability to see the world and our dreams through the eyes of the others on our team…IF and WHEN we choose to. By seeing ourselves through the eyes of another we are better able to see the endless opportunities for sustainable leadership.
It will all seem much easier to do after we talk about being a customer-driven company in Chapter 13. Taking this journey chapter at a time allows for the opportunity to make small, incremental changes in self…it also allows you an opportunity to build trust with those around you. Just because you make one large leap doesn’t mean everyone will follow you…you will need to be very consistent and aware of self before real change is seen and felt by all.
I’ve claimed my destiny! Now I work towards seeing the reality through those around me.
Bravo Ann. I like the way you think. Behind your opening comments lies the one huge human obstacle that we all must face in our journey. The thing we call FEAR – false evidence appearing real breeding mistrust, isolation and selfishness. The exact opposite of what you (we) espouse – trust, connectedness and yes, even selfLESSness. We begin to fear from childhood and for many, it is a difficult obstacle to overcome and one reinforced by the “traditional” notions of what it takes to succeed. And yet, I am with you in the belief that the time has come for a new breed of leader and new way to engage in organizations. Can EVERYONE win? Absolutely if we define success as fearlessly engaging in work that feeds our brain and our spirit. Absolutely yes if you know that you are surrounded by people that care as much about your success as you do theirs. Absolutely yes if you get the privilege of ever knowing that “work” and “happiness” are not required to be antithetical terms but we also have to provide practical ways to support others to not only understand that the possibility exist but to recognize it can also be a REAL possibility for THEM….
Thank you Valerie. Keeping the main thing the main thing through fearLESS leadership seems to be the challenge of most, not all. I do hope you will continue to follow me on this journey, together we just might reach the truth needed for sustainable and renewable leadership. “There are risks and costs to a program of action, but they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction.” -John F. Kennedy