Be Systematic
One way to control pace and overall direction is to operate under well-planned and executed written goals and objectives. These are agreed upon in advance. Of course, things still change quickly—that’s part of life—and we must be flexible to adapt, but having even a short term written plan gives people a direction which keeps them making progress without chasing after every whim of a leader. (Creative leaders tend to have lots of whims.)
Keep Looking in the Mirror
Back to the car illustration, if someone is trying to follow you frequently look in the rear view mirror to see they are still behind you. In the organizational setting it is ultimately up to the leader to self-evaluate frequently. Clueless leaders push and pull people with no regards to the impact it is having on organizational health or the people trying to follow.
(By the way, we are all clueless at times—we only know what we know.) Good leaders attempt to be self-aware. They know their tendencies to push too hard or their struggle with contentment—or they’re lack of clarity in details. Whatever it is that makes them difficult to follow at times they try to minimize the negative impact on their team. This requires intentionality.
Here’s a hard question every leader should consider:
Are you allowing those attempting to follow you a fair opportunity to follow?
This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.
