I can be cynical. At times I doubt. I fear. So how can you trust me to teach you about leadership? Because I thrive on encouraging others to reach beyond themselves. My wheelhouse is creating an environment for growth and success. I have led teams that soared to heights higher than they would have dared to envision or hope.
And I have learned the value of humbling yourself (1 Peter 5:6), serving others (Matthew 23:11), and leading through encouragement, generosity, and mercy (Romans 12:8). So let me offer ten actions that I believe define a successful leader.
1. Enjoy the quest without eyeing the goal.
Our mission is to reach the mountaintop so we ascend in anticipation of spectacular views and breathtaking scenery. But what happens when our lungs start burning and begging for air as our hearts pound faster and faster? How can we continue climbing when our legs start tearing from the strain, sending “I can’t go on!” messages coursing through our bodies? Does our vision of the summit conquer the pain and the price?
I remember hiking a difficult trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Three miles of uneven, rocky ground descended to a waterfall tumbling over a ten-foot-high rock ledge. The serenity and peace of the mountain scene was pierced by delighted screams from swimmers braving the leap off towering rocks into the still, deep water under the fall.
After taking a few pictures and eating a quick snack, I reversed my path along the same trail, now climbing uphill. I was less than a mile from the trailhead, enjoying the trek but glad to be near the end, when I saw a woman sitting on a fallen tree beside the trail. She gasped for air as misery spilled out with her words. “Is it worth the trip? Is the waterfall nice?”
“Are you enjoying the trail now?”
“Not really.”
I let the words hang in the air as I walked on by.
You can’t just focus on the goal. Your reward—your prize, your payoff—is the desire, the drive, the details, the detours. Enjoy the quest.
2. Focus on the people not the P&L.
What does the Profit & Loss Statement tell us? Are we making money? How much attention should a leader give to the bottom line?
Tracking costs, conserving resources, watching expenses, and staying thrifty will determine whether we stay in business or go bankrupt. I’m not suggesting we ignore common sense and throw caution to the wind. But no matter how much money we make, no matter how high we trade on the stock exchange, no matter how many cars we own, no matter how many names are on our church roll, if the people involved are not individually successful, then our accomplishments are meaningless.
I’ve been there; I’ve seen it firsthand. If each individual is successful then the entire organization is successful. But it’s all a loss if the people are lost.
Don’t fret over your P&L; value your people.
3. Foster the success of subordinates.
When I was a regional manager, directing retail outlet stores throughout the southeastern United States, my focus was on the personal success of the employees. Were they growing? Were they learning? Were they becoming better individuals as we worked together?
We had a part-time sales associate who was striving for a career in law enforcement while working to pay his school tuition. I was pleased to see him graduate and achieve his dream. Several years later he told me that the skills he learned at Kitchen Collection—working with people, functioning as a team, being sympathetic to others, helping resolve conflict—made him a better police officer.
Always work for the success of your subordinates. Put aside your own interests and desires so you can look out for the interests of others (Philippians 2:4).
4. Value the moments over the mission.
Think about great storytellers. What makes them memorable? Is it the way their stories end? Do we cherish the “happily ever after”? No, it’s the twists and turns, the details and diversions, the conflicts and consequences. We fall in love with the characters, embracing their tragedies and triumphs as our very own.
When you reminisce about family vacations what do you recall? As you look at pictures of the cities, statues, landmarks, and museums, what happens? You remember getting lost looking for an out-of-the-way restaurant. You laugh about falling in a fountain trying to get the perfect picture of your toddler. Flat tires, cracked cell phone screens, and lost wallets become cherished memories.
So what makes a mission great? Just like those stories and vacations, you remember what happened along the way. You share the pain of falling down and the pride of getting back up. Your ultimate goal is winning the game, but you celebrate every throw, tackle, and touchdown along the way.
Leave room in your mission for the moments and memories.
5. Set yourself apart from accomplishments or failures.
Refuse to let accomplishments or failures define who you are. You are not the result of your actions. You are not the success—or failure—of your company.
Early in my career I allowed my region to define me. I thought if we sold more products, made more profit, had less employee turnover, and generated more ideas, then I was reaching some ideal standard. That drove me to work harder, to be more dedicated. One day I realized that’s not how my worth is determined. After all is done, after the sale is made, after the building is standing, after the war is won, you are still you.
And if the doors close, if the business winds down, if the war is lost, you are still you.
Don’t be crippled by fear of failure. And don’t rest on the pedestal of success. When you set yourself apart from your accomplishments and failures, you free yourself to lead from the strength of your heart.
6. Cultivate convictions that breed virtue and value.
What do you believe? What are you convinced is true? Do those convictions take you somewhere? give you something? yield something? give birth to something?
You can be determined to relentlessly pursue success—failure is not an option. But you have to back it up with action. Just holding the belief won’t take you anywhere. If you want to succeed, then your beliefs and convictions must have substance. You have to show you’re ready to put forth what it takes, and willing to bring others with you.
You have to cultivate your convictions to prove their virtue and value. You have to earn it. You have to live it.
7. Rely on your intuition to reveal your direction.
Your experience, your expertise, your expectations all converged to bring you to this place. Seek advice and counsel. Surround yourself with wisdom and intellect. But when it’s time to formulate the plan and forge ahead, ramp up your own ideas and insights.
Sometimes you hesitate, thinking your vision or strategy may not be best. Somewhere along your path you may have survived criticism by hiding your convictions. But you are the leader for a reason. You are exactly where you are meant to be. Do not fear rejection. Do not fear failure.
Lead on. Trust your gut instinct. Unfold your plan and advance your troops to victory.
8. Forfeit some of your own power to elevate others.
Whenever I walked into one of my stores, every employee knew I was the boss. I held the title; I had the rights and privileges. I did not have to prove myself. So when I was in a store, I laid my power down and worked to lift others up.
Terry Bradshaw is an NFL Hall of Fame quarterback who led the Pittsburgh Steelers to four Super Bowl Championships. He can explain this better than I can:
“My whole objective in selecting a play was to put my people in the right position to be successful. Often before I decided on the play I asked my teammates for advice…Their whole spirit would be lifted…That play was going to be successful.”
It’s Only a Game written by Terry Bradshaw with David Fisher
You can try too hard to be the boss. Don’t insist on everything being done your way. Allow others to contribute by entrusting them with power and control.
9. Give credit to others even if you are the reason for success.
Always … always acknowledge when someone else’s idea is better than your own.
Take a step beyond that. Sometimes you are personally responsible for something that succeeded. It was your idea, your strategy, your craftiness. But don’t prop yourself up. Don’t seek congratulations and awards. Seize the opportunity to build up your team. Call others by name and share the accolades.
Stepping out of the spotlight and letting your team have the glory will unleash energy and enthusiasm. Your companions will be eager to continue the crusade.
10. Make building relationships the ultimate priority.
You might ask, “If this is the ultimate priority why is it last on the list?” Well, don’t you save the best for last? I hope the last thing you read is the first thing you’ll remember. If you take nothing else away from this list of actions, remember that people are your most important asset.
Why are we in business? To sell things? To make things? To fix things? Yes. But why are we really in business? What is our ultimate goal? our true calling? Relationships. Living together; growing together; loving together. Becoming like family. Enriching each other’s lives.
You may sell products or process shipments or build bridges or write books or teach children or sweep floors or make laws. You may be a celebrity or feel like no one knows your name. None of that matters. Moses didn’t take the Israelites into the promised land. He led them through the wilderness for forty years. But as we read his story in the book of Exodus, we see a leader who changed people’s lives.
Great leaders are remembered for their accomplishments. But the leader we admire—the leader we hold in high esteem—is the one who believes in us, trusts us, honors us, and cares for us.
When you are handed the reins of command remember this: We are wholeheartedly loyal to the leader who loves us.
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What actions do you admire in a leader? Please comment below. And subscribe to stay up to date with new blog posts.
Photo by Mathias Jensen on Unsplash