This will be a short and to the point post as I am in the most intense week of my entire year right now. However, I want to make this point because it is one of the foundational components of how I lead. The past couple of weeks have been a non-stop flurry of activity as my leadership team and a larger team work together to present our annual production for Christmas. This is no small presentation, as it includes a cast of 120 and crews of another 100, and represents the culmination of an 18-month process for me. We’ll play to 5000 people and there is a huge expectation for excellence and effectiveness by the people I serve. This effort takes a tremendous amount of resources in time, talent, and treasures. Literally thousands upon thousands of hours have been invested in this project.
I am often asked how I am able to convince this many people to put in the time and effort that this event takes to do it right. There are seminars’ worth of answers to that question, but one of the principle leadership techniques I use is that I will never ask someone to do something that I am not willing to do myself, or at least, help with. Every step of the way, I make a point to be alongside my team, so that they never feel that I am just barking orders and then letting them do the work. I always work with them to do whatever it is that needs to be done, be it glamorous or schleppy. It doesn’t matter, I’m willing.
By being this type of leader, I’ve found that my team members will do anything I ask them to do. Their commitment to the mission and the organization is sky high and the morale is unbelievably positive. As I said, there are seminars full of reasons why they follow me the way they do, but I’m certain that a big part of why they will show up and toil for months on end is that they know that I will do the same. So, I challenge you to do what I do. Never ask your people to do something you won’t do yourself. If your team knows that they can count on you, I guarantee you can count on them.
Lead well.