Leadership is not Management

Over the next week, I’m taking Seth Godin’s Leadership is not Management course on Udemy. The course encourages participants to reflect on each lesson via an online leadership notebook – so we can engage, support and inspire each other. Warning: posts are designed to be fast, not perfect. Thanks! 

Prompt 1: What is leadership? Put 10 minutes on the clock and write.

Outline a moment when someone you respect engaged in leadership.

Seven years ago, we were kicking off a new marketing campaign in a large, cross-team workshop. Before we began, the head of our agency wanted to share why he believed all of us in that room would be instrumental in the transformation of our state. He started with a story about the moment he knew he’d come back to Louisiana. The opportunity he saw to create change. Now, each of us had an opportunity to play a key role in our state’s transformation. I would follow him anywhere after that speech.

Describe a moment when you chose to lead. How is it different from the rest of the time, when you are merely managing?

For the first time, I’m officially a “team lead” – I find it ironic that some companies need actual “team lead” titles for senior team members to devote time to coach and guide younger team members. I digress.

I believe that when you don’t connect feedback to the why then you aren’t teaching anyone anything. It becomes your opinion versus my opinion. I learned that the hard way with a past CEO. He would constantly tell me to change a headline, a color or an image but no explanation of why. Then the second round would be the same type of feedback. So, I stopped, said “no, tell me why you want these changes so I can understand and figure out the right solution. Changing the color green to blue to red isn’t the solution.” When I moved into my new position, new company – I try to give my why when I’m requesting a design or copy change.

Do you agree that leadership is a choice?

Yes – I think each day we have a choice between waiting for someone to tell us what to do or seeing opportunities to lead. Typically, that means you see a problem and gather people who you think can help solve the problem. They’re more than likely not your direct reports.

Leadership is about making change. A change that might not work. If you do the work alone, you’re an artist. If you get other people to do it with you, you’re a leader. Going forward, what is the change you’re trying to make?

• To become a better leader, you need to listen more than you speak.  When you do speak, you’ll give more thoughtful contributions versus boastful, unfocused word vomit. As you move up in your career, you start to work with more people who only talk and don’t listen. You know these people – you see them anticipating, sitting on the edge of their seats, waiting for you to pause so they can “respond.” Remember those moments.

Listen more than you speak. Nobody learned anything by hearing themselves speak.  Richard Branson

• Always start with “why” – to get people to follow you, you have to show them why they should. “Why” is where you tap into people’s emotions, motivations or inspirations. Always start with why (thank you, Simon Sinek!)