penalty of leadership
“Penalty of leadership: Leaders have to act differently than the others.”
–
Unknown
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I love this quote.
Supposedly it was first used in a Cadillac ad “The Penalty of Leadership” written by Theodore MacManus.
While it was a great advertisement (which outlines the challenges of being a leader) the line itself is awesome.
It is a great reminder for everyone in business.
And one I wish more business leaders and businesses would pay attention to.
Mostly because I find it nuts that leaders (I am referring mostly to businesses) forget they are the leaders when they actually attain leadership status. They seem to always stop in their tracks worrying about ‘the other guys’ (who quickly start pecking away at their business while the leaders are stopped in their worry).
They seem to forget that they didn’t really worry about the other guys as they worked their way to the top (they mostly worried about themselves and simply doing ‘the right thing’).
So.
The penalty of leadership is to ignore (that is a generalization but you get my point) everyone else and just figure out what the right thing to do is. And do what is right for you.
Oh.
And constantly change itself.
And by all that changing … you stay ahead. You, well, lead.
Yet.
Time after time I have seen business after business “come back to the market” in their actions out of fear of doing something different (“hey, let’s stick with what got us here” attitude). Oh. And “coming back” means only one of two things … going backwards or being stagnant. In either case, as others jockey for position (and trying to steal the leader’s share), the leader pays the ultimate penalty … they are no longer leading.
Sure.
Sometimes the fear is under the guise of “staying true to what made my customers join my family” (and the fear of losing them) and sometimes the fear is simple fear of change.
Anyway.
I imagine the last point to make here is … to become a leader you have to move to the front of the pack. And once there you have to understand that ‘worry creates stagnancy’.
And stagnancy means everyone else catches up.
Remember. The penalty of leadership is to be different.
So quit worrying and go back to leading and acting like a leader.
Be different. Shake things up on occasion.
Hey.
I know this isn’t easy (I am just bitching about the fact it seems like too many people/leaders are running scared).
Being a leader means that no one has shown the way. You aren’t following some path. There is some faith involved that the path you have chosen will lead where you want it to go. And all of those things are hard. Really hard.
But.
You have to remember the penalty of leadership (acting differently) is actually also your reward.
It actually makes you impossible to follow let alone be passed.
Oh.
By the way. If you aren’t passed it means you remain the leader.
I guess all this said suggests that the true penalty of leadership is you never get to relax.
Aw.
What the heck.
If you are leading who wants to relax anyway?
Great leaders never lose the nose for leading.
The penalty to many of us in the business world? There are not many great leaders in today’s business world. So if you find one reward yourself and stick as close to them for as long as possible.
A suggestions from the Tao te Ching:
If you want to be a great leader…
stop trying to control.
A great nation is like a great man:
When he makes a mistake, he realizes it.
Having realized it, he admits it.
Having admitted it, he corrects it.
He considers those who point out his faults
as his most benevolent teachers.
He thinks of his enemy
as the shadow that he himself casts.
The Master…sets an example for all beings.
Because he doesn’t display himself,
people can see his light.
Because he has nothing to prove,
people can trust his words.
And William Griffith Wilson suggests “lead by example; don’t drive by mandate.”
My experience is that I used to herd my family as well as my staff, and state: “here’s how you’re screwing it up, and here’s how you’re going to fix it.” And then I was shocked when others rebelled, or why my “successes” at getting “what I wanted” were short-lived. Today I seek instead to (help to) create an environment (at home, work etc) in which others Want to do what is their (and the whole) best interest. I allow others the right to be wrong. I self-inventory, self-observe (Is the unexamined life worth living? – Socrates), and demonstrate this in the presence of boss, employee, wife, child, friend, enemy etc. And the result is none of these longer threaten “me.” I have always led/exemplified, though punching my hand into a wall in front of employees exemplified something different that do today’s weekly “non mandatory” meetings (which seem to grow weekly, and we have the same kind of meetings at home now), in which all present – staff, managers etc – bring up the perceived problem from the speaker’s point of view, we then, as a group seek to clarify the problem, and then, as a group, we suggest solutions, and take action, action which we later assess. Thereby staff are empowered, take ownership, have a voice, and are free to screw up, and to learn from it. As are their supervisors. But also with the legal authority of manager (and, at home, parent), who have veto power if a “solution” is not legal or is not in accordance with the place of employment’s policy (made by other supervisors and Human Resources).
All that to say: I “follow” my guidance, my heart (for lack of better word). I act instead of react. Exept when I don’t. I no long have the desire to reinvent the wheel, and hold myself or my staff to no standard. I trust that my staff, managers, child etc will do exactly what they need to do, experiencing joy or suffer dependent on consequences, have the opportunity (or not) to learn and grow. So instead of “acting like a leader,” I lead by example, instead of driving by mandate. I am. And thus I am genuine (again, except when I’m not – did I mention the need for perfection/plateau/all-or-nothing falling away?)
I really love this one, it really needs to be stated in the next TED meeting. You have a room full of creative minds ready to pounce on the world scene and ULP!, someone freezes , WTF!… You either are or you aren’t gonna do it. Kick in the pant’s or Symbolic gun in the hand to pull the trigger is what you need to decide, and well this is THE BEST READ TO HELP MAKE THAT DECISION! Good take Bruce.