Breathing Life into the Walking Dead

Image source by David Wagner

Leaders with nowhere to grow are blind, self-indulgent fools. They’re the walking dead.

Every time you know more than those around you, growth stops – death begins.

I spent most of my early leadership years believing I was someone I wasn’t. I felt smarter and more skilled than I actually was. Others were the problem, not me. I repeated ineffective behaviors because I was “right.”

Those who focus on changing others while neglecting their own growth, become the walking dead.

Leaders who aren’t developing leadership skills believe they’ve arrived. Sound dangerous?  It’s worse than dangerous; it’s zombie land. Unleash growth by feeling dissatisfaction with your current leadership skills.

Dissatisfaction with others is easy.
Dissatisfaction with self, stings.

Forget balance, it’s for weaklings and milquetoasts. Jump overboard when it comes to growing your leadership skills.

1. Observe yourself. Imagine you’re floating in the corner of your office invisibly watching. Monitor interactions. Observe responses from others. Are you inspiring?
2. Serve others so others can serve others. Growth happens when you help others grow. Enabling “others to serve others” requires humility. Share your skills. Provide opportunities for others, don’t take them for yourself. “Serving others so they can serve others” means helping them do things you easily do.
3. Take personal assessments. My leadership coach, Bob Hancox, recently gave me the ProD Leadership assessment. I recommend it.
4. Grow content with discontent. Growth is on the other side of average. Mediocre leaders fear letting go of average.
5. Personally own your aspirations for exponential impact. Just say it! Don’t hang your head in false humility. Tell someone you want to matter. Embrace your ache for meaning, don’t snuff it out.

Life always means growth. What isn’t growing is dead.

What prevents leaders from growing?

How can leaders grow their own leadership skills and potential?

First Pursuits Take You Farthest

I still remember the moment I first saw the girl who eventually became my wife. I was 13 years old. I remember her hair, her shoes, her dress, her eyes, and a smile that still devastates me. I was 19 when we married. I’ve been pursuing her ever since.

I pursued big dreams, back then. I closed my eyes and saw myself on stage giving dynamic presentations. I wanted to changed people’s minds and lives. Today, my opportunities to make a difference exceed my expectations, but I still pursue that dream.

Everyone wants to love and be loved. Everyone wants to matter. Beyond that…

Leadership’s first pursuits:

1. Character before techniques. Discipline, integrity, transparency, and authenticity come before strategies. Skill without character is a disaster.
2. Kindness. Influence requires kindness especially when making tough choices.
3. Forgiveness. Forgive every offense. You’ll give yourself to people who turn on you. Let it go. You may never forget, but always act out of kindness rather than bitterness.
4. Forgiveness again. You’ll disappoint yourself. Let it go and move forward. Cling to your best hopes for yourself.
5. Personal development. I spent too much time developing technical knowledge and not enough developing leadership skills. Technical knowledge matters more at the beginning of your career. Eventually, technical knowledge gives way to leadership and people skills.
6. Listen to your nobility. I don’t always like what I see in my heart. I see fear, anger, and selfishness. I also find courage, compassion, and profound longings to be useful. Follow the goodness in your heart.
7. Do what makes you proud. We’re all taught to seek the approval of others. Stop working for approval. Bring joy to others from wells of strength not need. Remember #2 above.
8. Gratitude. Thankfulness tempers arrogance.

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What’s on your list of first pursuits?

What should come off our list of first pursuits?

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