These are challenging times. It’s time to stop fooling ourselves. When things are tough, every enterprise needs a good leader.
What does it take to be a good leader?
Facts Are Facts
The only basis for rational decision-making is the truth. A company can’t succeed if the leader is using unfounded conjecture instead of facts.
Conjecture is a good place to start when making a plan. But a leader needs to fact-check their conjecturing and create a plan that deals with reality.
Reality Counts
At some point or another, we all find reality to be a pain in the butt. “Why isn’t our idea of what happened the one that everyone accepts?” you ask yourself.
Reality bites. It truly does because there is no arguing with it.
A leader embraces reality and makes their plans accordingly. They realize that any other response to reality wouldn’t make sense or create the likelihood of success.
Look to the Future
A good plan anticipates its impact on the future. A question like “What will happen six months from today if we implement this plan right now? must be asked before implementing any plan.
A leader knows they can’t predict the future. And that a plan that’s prepared without thinking about the future is ultimately a plan for failure.
Contingency Planning
The best laid plans often go awry. That’s the way it is.
A leader accepts that and develops contingency plans accordingly. They welcome questioning of their plan by those they work with. And they take that input into account when they develop a contingency plan.
Every good plan comes with a contingency plan. Success involves crafting a clear goal and being flexible about how to achieve it. A leader embraces the truth.
Taking Care of One’s Self
One of the most important responsibilities of a leader is to be healthy enough in body and mind to lead successfully.
It takes a lot out of a person to be the one whom everyone turns to. Particularly when a leader is dealing with a challenging situation that evolves over a period of days, weeks, or months, stamina is essential.
To develop and maintain such stamina requires discipline. Without such discipline, a leader will fail.
Not a Pollyanna
All those involved in an enterprise want to be inspired. But they don’t want to be led astray.
A leader needs to be reassuring while still keeping reality in mind. When there is a lot to be distressed about, a leader must acknowledge that truth. And then use it as the basis for inspiring those they lead to work with one another to achieve success.
So…
When you look at all that is involved in being a good leader, it’s apparent why they are often hard to find.
Yes, there are such things as born leaders. But I believe most leaders are regular people who decide to become leaders. Who do the needed personal work to become who they want to be, not being content remaining who they “are.”
Ask yourself if you want to make the journey. We all need you to.