LEADERSHIP STRATEGY: LIVING IN CONVERSATION

There are many ways to frame the role of leaders.  Differing orientations allow us to view ourselves in new ways – ways that may afford powerful new options. 

By LSI contibutor Chalmers Brothers

In my workshops, when I ask leaders to identify the most important things that they are paid to do, the following are most common:

• drive profitability
• engage and motivate my team
• build shared understanding of, and a shared commitment to our vision
• direct the operations such that we achieve stated goals
• be the architect of our corporate culture
• coach and mentor
• facilitate achievement of stated goals
• manage key processes
• be responsible for all key results

Although these responses are appropriate, I encourage participants  to dig deeper.

The second question is, “what would a camera record if it was taping you doing the things you say you get paid to do?  For example, if you were building a corporate culture of trust and innovation, what behavior would be involved?”

When participants distill to the bottom line, they agree that what they are engaging in conversations with others.  Leaders get paid to have conversations that produce results.  This reality although obvious is often missed.   Leaders at every level should be conversational engines.

My wife, a physician, does  surgery as part of  her practice.  She was recently concerned about what might have been arthritis in the knuckle of her right hand.  Surgery involves delicate movement requiring fine-motor control.  Arthritis could significantly impact her effectiveness.  Is there a corollary for those in leadership positions—is there a physical dimension to leadership that could impair  performance?

For most of us, the answer is no.  Being a “strong” leader is a metaphorical term that has nothing at to do with how much weight can be lifted.  Leaders are as effective as their conversations .  Conversation is what leaders use to build, direct, guide, create and do.

Are there:

• missing conversations within your team?
• conversations that should happen but never occur?
• conversations that are prohibited?
• conversations that happen because previous conversations did not produce the desired result?

Leaders would do well to have conversations about the effectiveness of their conversations.  Try on this altered understanding of what are paid to do.

This post is sponsored by

Language and the Pursuit of Happiness:  A New Foundation for Designing Yourself, Your
Relationships, and Your Results.

by Chalmers Brothers