"What is your leadership philosophy?"
That is the question that was posed to us by a member of the DOHR team at TGMI. We were given all of about 3 minutes to think of a philosophy and write it down.
Mine came out something like this:
"Plant seeds of excitement and success, nurturing them until the garden is an overgrowth of strength and unity; able to support the entire ecosystem."
It surprised me a little to see what emerged when I was under pressure to think of what it really means to me to be a leader. After I thought about it though, I realized that it fits my vision very succinctly.
I know that change doesn't happen overnight. I understand the importance of continuously monitoring progress and keeping momentum. In my mind I can see very clearly what that looks like in the end: a healthy, vibrant, engaged community of collaborators. I realized that I love this philosophy.
"Planting seeds of success" could be anything:
- Giving your team the proper tools to do their job
- Encouraging an atmosphere of open communication
- Allowing your team to make mistakes and learn from them
- Taking the time to know your team well enough to use the proper incentives
- Following through on promises
Little successes build confidence and excitement in the team, which leads to more successes and more confidence... and more excitement. I believe there is as much of an "upward spiral" as there is the proverbial "downward spiral".
I also realized after thinking about my analogy that sometimes there are weeds in the garden that, when left to grow, can strangle the potential that exists. Those weeds may be processes that block progress or negativity left unchecked. Sometimes, despite all effort, there are "un-team members" who cannot or will not embrace change, no matter how it is presented to them. Those weeds should be addressed sooner rather than later because there is only so much progress to be made under those conditions.
Isn't it odd how just a few minutes can become a defining moment? While I knew these things in my heart and thought them frequently, simply being prompted to put it into one coherent sentence that sums it all up provided me with a much clearer, easier to express idea of what leadership should look like. Perhaps this philosophy will even experience change and grow itself over time, but for right now I can say that I'm proud of it and will keep it in my mind as a compass of sorts.
