10.11.2011

The Inconvenience of Leadership.

It won’t be a rallying cry that gets you to start thinking about doing things differently. It won’t be a protest movement or a march down Main Street.

It’s more subtle. More likely it will be a quiet look to the left and to the right.

A look that inquires whether anyone else sees what you see.

A look that asks a question.

Who will fix this?

Who will volunteer to fix this situation?

That’s how leadership is born — of necessity.

And it’s never the right time. It’s usually not even the right place.

But that doesn’t mean it’s not the right thing to do.

Leadership has always been inconvenient.

It was inconvenient to walk through the bitter snow of Valley Forge, but we wouldn’t have our great country if men like George Washington hadn’t decided to leave their riches and lead a cause greater than their own prosperity.
It was inconvenient to try 10,000 different combinations of elements in order to invent a lighting problem that many people didn’t think they had, but Thomas Edison led us to a solutions that most of us couldn’t live without.
It was inconvenient to stop eating and starve himself out of protest, but Mohandas Ghandi understood that the cause of freedom and fairness was a mission that he was willing to die for.

There are no easy leadership assignments.

There is no perfect time and perfect place to start leading.

It’s always tough to lead.

Because in a certain sense of the word you’re the only one doing it. You are the only one who stands ahead of the crowd, boldly venturing were others only mock.

Make no mistake. It’s tough.

And we talk about part of the problem.

We focus on the fact that leadership requires a lot of effort — which is true. We focus on the courage that leadership demands — which it does. We focus on mental toughness and bold ideas and ruthless determination — which all matter tremendously.

And we many times forget that the greatest reason we choose not to lead is the simplest.

Because leadership is inconvenient.

It requires hard decisions and we don’t want to have to admit failure.
It requires focus when all we have is distracted attention.
It requires sacrifice and we think that that’s just not fair.
It requires investments and we want to spend our money in other ways.
It requires no excuses and we like to position things so that we can never come out a loser.

Leadership is inconvenient.

Doing something that matters will require you to give up other things in your life.

Things that might be fun.

But another inconvenient truth about leadership is that if you’re not leading, somebody else is.

If you’re not leading, you’re being led.

Which begs a bigger question:

“Isn’t it more inconvenient to not lead?”

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http://lookingtobusiness.com Daniel Wood

Leadership is a fun and interesting subject.
I do believe though that we attach to much mysticism to it. The best way to be a leader in my opinion is to be open with your employees, let them be a part of the decision process. Let them tell you what they think and let them make decisions.

When you make a mistake listen to their feedback and your customers feedback and make the necissary changes, don’t go around trying to prove yourself right.
http://lookingtobusiness.com Daniel Wood

Leadership is a fun and interesting subject.
I do believe though that we attach to much mysticism to it. The best way to be a leader in my opinion is to be open with your employees, let them be a part of the decision process. Let them tell you what they think and let them make decisions.

When you make a mistake listen to their feedback and your customers feedback and make the necissary changes, don’t go around trying to prove yourself right.
- http://www.DanWaldschmidt.com/ Dan Waldschmidt
  
  “Emotional Honesty” — that’s what I call what you wrote. Admitting when you’re wrong and caring enough to fix it.
  
  Wise observation. And very clearly stated.
  
  Dan
http://www.DanWaldschmidt.com/ Dan Waldschmidt

“Emotional Honesty” — that’s what I call what you wrote. Admitting when you’re wrong and caring enough to fix it.

Wise observation. And very clearly stated.

Dan
Anonymous

Dan, this is an interesting picture you paint, somewhat traditional in my view, which I would not have expected from you. ( Are you softening?…:-) just kidding). The way I see it, leadership is situational (much like sales!) and one style does not fit all. Another very powerful way to lead is i.e. “servant leadership”, will it work in every situation? Probably not. We could add a few more “branded” styles. Let’s not get comfortable with a black and white or wrong or right view of the leadership world. The answer is, it depends….
Effective leaders do not only lead and take the “burden” of being the one that stands in front making the tough calls, they also develop their people towards self leadership and support them to step up to lead.
The concept of the fearless leader that has to make all the difficult decisions and knows everything better than everyone else is in my opinion a myth. I call it dead on arrival.
I would not have thought I would ever express myself in such a controversial way, but there you go. I certainly like the “leadership space” and have strong convictions about it!
Good blog, as usual! Thank you for sharing!
Manfred
http://www.qli-international.com
Anonymous

Dan, this is an interesting picture you paint, somewhat traditional in my view, which I would not have expected from you. ( Are you softening?…:-) just kidding). The way I see it, leadership is situational (much like sales!) and one style does not fit all. Another very powerful way to lead is i.e. “servant leadership”, will it work in every situation? Probably not. We could add a few more “branded” styles. Let’s not get comfortable with a black and white or wrong or right view of the leadership world. The answer is, it depends….
Effective leaders do not only lead and take the “burden” of being the one that stands in front making the tough calls, they also develop their people towards self leadership and support them to step up to lead.
The concept of the fearless leader that has to make all the difficult decisions and knows everything better than everyone else is in my opinion a myth. I call it dead on arrival.
I would not have thought I would ever express myself in such a controversial way, but there you go. I certainly like the “leadership space” and have strong convictions about it!
Good blog, as usual! Thank you for sharing!
Manfred
http://www.qli-international.com
Ann Larson

“And it’s never the right time. It’s usually not even the right place.”

So true! For over twelve years I have been in a leadership role because of my drive, desire and determination to lead. Very recently, I had the rare opportunity to sit on a Federal Jury for a lengthy, high profile case. Upon first being sworn in and through out the weeks of trial, I always had it in my mind to take the background and not express a desire to be the foreperson when the time arrived (I really didn’t want that role.) I wanted to be led. I watched quietly for natural leadership personalities to emerge. I went against every in born trait in me to lead. I did enjoy some of the fleeting moments of not feeling the overload of such a responsibility. It would be an inconvenience. It would require even more focus and certainly more judgement from my jury peers. When the time arrived, a jury member posed the question to all of us as to who “wanted” to be the foreperson. No one raised their hand. As the silence held for a moment, slowly, one by one jury members started saying that they thought I should be the foreperson! In my mind, I had that thought-”Please, no, this is not the right place for me to lead.” And then quickly thereafter, I realized that they needed me to take that important role. The necessity was there. I swallowed my fear of all the inconveniences and graciously accepted. It did make me wonder, though, what things I said or did that identified to them my ability to lead. Through the process of deliberation, I was very glad, after all, that I was leading and not being led. And at the close of it all, many jury members complimented me on the job that I performed.

I speak of this example because I am of the opinion that not one of us pursues a leadership role in our careers without the prior knowledge that there are many things that may inconvenience us. How often in our “non-career” life do we test or utilize our ability to lead? Sometimes the inconveniences of leading, in our career, almost make not leading, in our every day “non-career” portions of our lives, look appealing. It’s almost as if not leading then would be a soft ground to land on. Lingering in the back of our minds, though, is our natural born drive to succeed by leading-”boldly venturing where others only mock”. It is because we , at one time, figured out that the inconveniences of being led out weighed the inconveniences of leading.

It is tough to lead. No doubt about that. At the end of the day, though, I realize that the rewards are greater. It was the right thing to do, in the most inconvenient circumstances-being the jury foreperson. I am a better leader today because of that experience. I was reminded that being a leader is doing something that matters.
Thanks for the great post–

Ann ; )
Ann Larson

“And it’s never the right time. It’s usually not even the right place.”

So true! For over twelve years I have been in a leadership role because of my drive, desire and determination to lead. Very recently, I had the rare opportunity to sit on a Federal Jury for a lengthy, high profile case. Upon first being sworn in and through out the weeks of trial, I always had it in my mind to take the background and not express a desire to be the foreperson when the time arrived (I really didn’t want that role.) I wanted to be led. I watched quietly for natural leadership personalities to emerge. I went against every in born trait in me to lead. I did enjoy some of the fleeting moments of not feeling the overload of such a responsibility. It would be an inconvenience. It would require even more focus and certainly more judgement from my jury peers. When the time arrived, a jury member posed the question to all of us as to who “wanted” to be the foreperson. No one raised their hand. As the silence held for a moment, slowly, one by one jury members started saying that they thought I should be the foreperson! In my mind, I had that thought-”Please, no, this is not the right place for me to lead.” And then quickly thereafter, I realized that they needed me to take that important role. The necessity was there. I swallowed my fear of all the inconveniences and graciously accepted. It did make me wonder, though, what things I said or did that identified to them my ability to lead. Through the process of deliberation, I was very glad, after all, that I was leading and not being led. And at the close of it all, many jury members complimented me on the job that I performed.

I speak of this example because I am of the opinion that not one of us pursues a leadership role in our careers without the prior knowledge that there are many things that may inconvenience us. How often in our “non-career” life do we test or utilize our ability to lead? Sometimes the inconveniences of leading, in our career, almost make not leading, in our every day “non-career” portions of our lives, look appealing. It’s almost as if not leading then would be a soft ground to land on. Lingering in the back of our minds, though, is our natural born drive to succeed by leading-”boldly venturing where others only mock”. It is because we , at one time, figured out that the inconveniences of being led out weighed the inconveniences of leading.

It is tough to lead. No doubt about that. At the end of the day, though, I realize that the rewards are greater. It was the right thing to do, in the most inconvenient circumstances-being the jury foreperson. I am a better leader today because of that experience. I was reminded that being a leader is doing something that matters.
Thanks for the great post–

Ann ; )
- http://www.DanWaldschmidt.com/ Dan Waldschmidt
  
  It would be easy to lead if everyone with us.
  
  Unfortunately, the definition of leadership connotes a boldness (and courage) to distain the status quo.
  
  And it always comes with a “sigh”…
  
  Just like you in the jury room. Sometimes you lead because it’s just the right thing to do. It’s ugly and painful and requires focus.
  
  But if you make it out the other side of the task, you realize how amazing the experience has been for you.
  
  Dan
  
  p.s. What a great personal story. Thanks for sharing that.
http://www.DanWaldschmidt.com/ Dan Waldschmidt

It would be easy to lead if everyone with us.

Unfortunately, the definition of leadership connotes a boldness (and courage) to distain the status quo.

And it always comes with a “sigh”…

Just like you in the jury room. Sometimes you lead because it’s just the right thing to do. It’s ugly and painful and requires focus.

But if you make it out the other side of the task, you realize how amazing the experience has been for you.

Dan

p.s. What a great personal story. Thanks for sharing that.
Guillermomala

Hello Dan!
Have been extremely busy, working and laboring in this challenging times.
I guess it was the right time trying to catch up with some non working relating e-mails.
What do you suggest we do with your leaders are not leading?
When questions are not being addressed and responsabilities are not being carrried on?
What do you do, when answers are not answered and clients suffer due to a lack of leadership and imagination?
What do you do, when you have a leader and the vessel goes in every single possible direction, just like the wind?
guillermo
Guillermomala

Hello Dan!
Have been extremely busy, working and laboring in this challenging times.
I guess it was the right time trying to catch up with some non working relating e-mails.
What do you suggest we do with your leaders are not leading?
When questions are not being addressed and responsabilities are not being carrried on?
What do you do, when answers are not answered and clients suffer due to a lack of leadership and imagination?
What do you do, when you have a leader and the vessel goes in every single possible direction, just like the wind?
guillermo
- Ann Larson
  
  Just because someone has the title, doesn’t make them a leader. Sounds like it’s time to face the unpopular decision and “promote” them to a follower.
  - http://www.DanWaldschmidt.com/ Dan Waldschmidt
    
    Ha. I love it, Ann.
    
    I need to make you editor of this site. :-)
    
    Dan
  - Guillermomala
    
    thanks very much it is challenging working in this sort of situation as well as demoralizing to all of us.
- http://www.DanWaldschmidt.com/ Dan Waldschmidt
  
  Guillermo,
  
  I just sat down to catch up responding to blog comments and saw that Ann was answering with the brilliant answers that I wanted to claim as having thought up.
  
  Here are some of my thoughts:
  
  Leadership is an action (really an attitude). It’s not position or a title.
  
  What can you do when the person who is supposed to be leading doesn’t lead? You step up and lead.
  
  You aren’t disrespectful or mean. But you lead.
  
  Dan
  
  p.s. People notice, BTW. When you lead, they follow.
  - Guillermomala
    
    Dan,
    thanks for all your wonderful bright and insightful ideas, I do appreciate your blog, support and outrageous behavior.
    guillermo
    - http://www.DanWaldschmidt.com/ Dan Waldschmidt
      
      Well, stay close. Let’s make sure we we answer any questions you might have… ok?
      
      Dan