Leadership is exciting and rewarding. But it isn’t easy. A couple of months ago, I blogged about three essential leadership practices here. The last one about shining a light on my mistakes so I could learn from them. I’ve made a few mistakes since then, and I’m learning. Here’s my list…so far!
1. Understand the power of my words
How many times have you heard or read that email is not an ideal form of communication, simply because you can’t convey all your meaning? Brian Woodland, Director of Communications and Community Relations at Peel District School Board, ranks all communication in order of effectiveness. What’s the top of the list? Face to face. Where does email fall? Pretty far down the list.
I’m careful with email. I make sure my format is easy to read, and I always check a message at least twice before sending. Usually, that’s enough. But mistakes happen. As a superintendent, I underestimated how much some readers will scrutinize individual words within an email. And the thing with email is that there is no opportunity for a discussion. My learning here is to keep messages short. If I need a longer communication, then it must be reserved for a face to face or phone conversation.
2. Respect the power of a previous culture
Trust is everything. Without it, we have little influence as leaders, as friends, or as family. I’ve written often about trust in this space, in particular here and here. I’m building trust with the people I work with through honesty, transparency and follow through. I believe in the combination of character and competence to build trust (from Steven M. R. Covey).
Sometimes, no matter how much work you are doing to build that trust, you can unconsciously sabotage it by using words that meant anything but trust in the previous culture. When that happens, I need to explain and then demonstrate, by my actions, what my meaning of those words or phrases are. It takes time, but it’s worth it.
3. Be true to myself
Taking on a new role can be intimidating. I’ve received lots of excellent advice about how to present myself or even what to say in my first meetings with colleagues or the public. Sometimes we think we need to put on a face that is not our own. Maybe we use words we wouldn’t usually, or we project a different tone from our normal one. I have discovered through my years as a school principal that my true voice is the best one. It’s the one that others believe and the one that fosters trust.
Even so, I find I am more likely to put on another face when I have an unpleasant conversation with an angry person. I might think I need to come across a little stronger or be more stern. But guess what? That doesn’t work very well. Staying true to myself, trying to listen, and delivering bad news sensitively and gently is always the best way.
Todd Whitaker‘s Dealing with Difficult Parents (and with Parents in Difficult Situations) remains one of my go-to leadership books. One of the chapters is about how to deliver bad news. “The worse the news, the more thought and effort we need to put into delivering it, ” says Whitaker. I’ve gone back to his ideas so I can be true to myself.
As I learn more about how to be the best leader I can, I value the feedback I’ve received from caring colleagues and friends. Do you have anything to add?
Leave a Reply