The world moves fast and slow at the same time. Most people when asked, “how are you doing?” respond, “busy.” Productive leadership is not about being busy. Instead, leadership is about exhibiting the right actions to ensure others are inspired, motivated, and aligned. Leaders are seen as the model for someone who walks their talk and talks their walk.
Effective leaders know the value of making the time to get out of the trees, to see the forest. They understand that someone has to be out looking ahead, connecting the dots, and consistently communicating where the company has been, where it is, and where it is going…keeping people aligned and enthusiastic about achieving their goals. To achieve this level of alignment, practice and activate these 5 productive leadership traits:
Realistic: Recognize Fires
The ability to discern the difference between what others consider “a fire” and what is truly “a fire” is a core skill to making sure your organization and team stays in the active and proactive area, vs reactive.
Strategic: Go to Pine Tree
In an old movie called “Twelve O’clock High” the captains of the base would go to “Pine Tree” to get out of their routine to discuss strategy, options, and situations that required a different approach. Sometimes they took assignments in Pine Tree when they were too much in the weeds, not delegating, and losing good decision-making capabilities. Getting out of the day-to-day on a regular schedule with your boss, mentor, coach or peers are the consistent practices of successful leaders.
Engaged: Leverage Meetings
Use any meeting you are a part of as an opportunity to further your personal growth, align others to the key goals, reinforce the qualities of peak-performing teams, and create a level of engagement with others. Understand that your potential negative actions provide permission for others to do the same.
Focused: Manage the “Ps” well
Leaders who make it to the top in an organization multi-task by constantly considering impact and communication to people, the plan, the process, and the profitability. While this is a very simple statement, it is extremely complex to execute since there are always moving targets, situations, systems, and opportunities that are impacting the management of the “Ps.” Yet by staying focused on the “Ps,” you maintain alignment, engagement, connection, and accountability while creating solid results.
Humility: We Not Me
Successful leaders realize business and organizations do not exist without people and they know that “we” are more important than “me.” Treat every individual you meet with dignity and respect regardless of title. This attribute is what creates an endearing, enduring productive leadership impact.
These words are easy to read and easy to do, so long as you don’t question their importance or stop doing it because it does not seem to matter to others. These attributes do matter to others, even if they often don’t tell you. If they matter to you, you will have a lasting positive and profound impact on others.
Take the lead and choose not to be busy, choose to maintain a cadence of exceptional leadership so others may follow and achieve their personal best.
