MY TWO CENTS:
Today we’re wrapping up our series on executive leadership. As a reminder, we’ve been sharing some insights from Dr. Fred Johnson of Initiative One in Green Bay, WI who defines an executive leader as “anyone who creates an exemplary environment based on the decisions they make and actions they take.” That includes you, me, and anyone who’s purposeful about their life and work!
We shared the second two disciplines that Dr. Johnson communicated as necessary to strengthen ourselves as leaders in our last episode. Combining the prior four disciplines with today’s final two disciplines can help us manage the stresses inherent in leadership that can distract us from being able to positively influence. Here are the final two disciplines:
- Constantly build firewalls
- Do NOT react to every fire that is burning
- Allow yourself to disconnect from everyone else's fires that they're fully competent to fight
- Do NOT allow yourself to be the "dump zone" for others in your organization
- Leaders learn to live with loose ends, by asking themselves if this will matter 5 days from now
- Let people soak in their own mud
- We need to stop being so willing to take responsibility for others' emotions
- Leaders don't medicate the moment, but allow people to sit in their own discomfort and examine themselves so they can grow through it.
- Allow yourself and your team to sit in the fire, so that it can purify your heart and mind, affirming the ability to move forward.
I hope this short series has been a thought-provoking blessing to you because it has certainly caused me to think as I have been writing. The trick for me personally is to make sure I’m implementing these disciplines as I lead in my own capacity. If we all take one better step at a time, we end up in some amazing places!
If you’d like to listen to Dr. Johnson’s presentation without the “Scott filter,” you may view it on YouTube at https://youtu.be/6APGywF6ks0. Also, I’d encourage you to check out InitiativeOne (www.initiativeone.com) for more amazing content in the leadership development and purposeful culture space that I’ve found to be so empowering.
Make it a great week!
Scott Cousino, CFP®, CEPA®
President