As a leader, people depend on you for vision and modeling the behavior that is most desirable. As the saying goes, “As YOU go, so THEY go.”
What this means is that if you exhibit high-level performance, your top performers will accept your example as the gold star standard that they will then emulate. A domino effect occurs if you have hired the right people, have positioned them within your company in the right seats and have provided them with the proper resources they need to get the job done, whether that be training, equipment or staffing.
Unfortunately, many driven leaders find themselves with their heads down in the weeds and in survival mode, putting out fires and working against time to reach the next deadline. They convince themselves that it’s only for a season and soon things will slow down to a manageable pace, but then find themselves on the verge of burnout.
Maximizing a situation does not mean that you burn the candle at both ends. It means that you know your strengths and you leverage them for the best effect. Then, you understand the strengths that will complement yours, and surround yourself with a team that you can work collaboratively with and leverage those strengths to accomplish your goals.
One of the most effective ways to understand your strengths without bias is to use a variety of assessments to provide an objective view of how you think and what motivates you. Then, leverage that knowledge by working with someone who has the training to help you interpret the results and work toward developing those strengths. This allows you to consistently work within your sweet spot. You will end up finding yourself more accomplished and more energized when you focus on the areas where you naturally excel.
But don’t stop there. Invest in your people by helping them also understand their strengths and the strengths of their peers, so they know how to best leverage one another’s assets to accomplish the vision that you have shared.
Eventually, you will become a well-oiled machine and those occasional fires pop up will be extinguished with ease.
