When you become a leader you will feel exactly the same way as you did before, but those around you will begin to see you differently. One of the things that you need to know is that your words and actions have more power than you realize. People will watch you and take their cues from you, simply because you are in a leadership role. They will believe that you have more information about what is going on in the organization. This may be true in some cases, but in reality you may not have as much information as everyone thinks. Remember that perception becomes reality for those who don’t know any different.
People also have a tendency to go along with their leadership whether or not they agree with the decisions. They will agree with you, because they don’t want to rock the boat. This will create a team of people who only say “yes” to you without raising the issues or objections that you may need to hear. This is not a good way to create a strong organization and enable you to make good decisions. Hearing the good news, the bad news and what potential impacts there could be is what leaders need. Leaders need to know what is going on so they don’t get blindsided by things.
You need to be a leader that has a strong perspective of what is really going on around you. To do that requires you to create a team of trusted advisors. A group of people that is diverse in their thinking and experience. Provide an open forum for them to express their thoughts and opinions to you. Set the tone with this team and ask them for feedback before you provide your thinking. Ask questions about their ideas so they can see that you are interested in what they are sharing and you are open to dissenting opinions.
Having different perspectives and ideas will help you build a team that is more balanced. Be inclusive of people who think very differently and don’t allow any one person to have too much undue influence on your decisions. This is a big challenge for a leader. It will require you to admit that you don’t know everything and that you are open to listening to those with more expertise. After all the input is received you will need to use that information, trust your gut and make the best informed decision that you can.
Want to make an informed decision? Learn more about the ReVISION Program and get signed up!
February 20th sessions begin at Noon (CST) and 7:00pm (CST).
February 21st session will begin at 8:00am (CST)
If you haven’t heard about the program yet or would like more information, you can click on this link!
