The only cross country race I ever won in high school was nearly jeopardized by the fact that I had no idea where I was going. I was leading the pack until the race's course left the dirt road and started down a poorly marked trail, then I was lost. I had to wait for someone from the home team (it was their course) to catch up and take the lead so I could follow. Fortunately, the trail led to another dirt road and I didn't need someone to lead me any further. My point is that being in front with people following you is worthless if you're not headed in the right direction. That's not being a leader; that's just being an egotistical nut case.
So much emphasis these days is placed on getting people to follow. Tips and tricks on motivating people to follow you are pointless if you don't possess a clear direction of where you're going. Shouldn't that be the main emphasis? Won't people who share the same destination goal naturally follow someone if that person knows precisely where he's headed and the best way to get there? Once you've mastered the where and how the rest will naturally follow. Maybe then you can explore the tips and tricks to upgrade your skill set and streamline your team's efforts in achieving the goal.
Let’s break for a moment to take time for a reality check and recognize those individuals whose situation, like so many of mine in the past, doesn't exactly fit the generic mold or case study for the purpose of leadership training. Such as people forced into leadership situations that aren't in the typical 9-5 arena or leaders without the resources to implement the ideas expressed here or elsewhere.
Example: As the team leader you're trying to develop a team goal but the department head lacks any meaningful direction for the department. He hasn't established anything useful to work from in regards to developing goals for your team. Work comes in, work goes out, and priorities constantly shift. It's a tough situation and it is my hope that I will speak to these kind of exceptions. It is frustrating to have a head full of great ideas and an environment bent on stifling them all. If you can't apply the ideas I express because they're too obscure or your environment doesn't seem to allow it give me feedback, ask questions...talk to me.
The fact is, more often than not, we are put into a position that requires us to lead but ignorance hamstrings our efforts. As Gunny Highway would say:
Improvise, adapt, overcome.
There may be times when you’re put in charge of a project with no idea of what it is or what it's intended to accomplish but “tag, you're it.” The rules involved in the role of leader still apply, so you just have to put on your Gunny Highway hat and dive in. First things first, you've got to know where you're going. A destination is essential or you're going to end up traveling in circles in the woods rapidly running out of food and water. Initially, it may be an interim stop, a project benchmark, if you will, that you identify. This will get the ball rolling and the team moving forward but that's a very limited, short term fix. You must determine your final destination. You must.
The much talked about “big picture” is a great place to get started. That bird's-eye view that shows the trail from the trailhead to the campsite and back. Unlike a good forest service trail map, you may have to start with a blurry vision of your destination. Hopefully, your experience can tell you; where to look for answers, how to map a trail, and where some of the rougher terrain lies en route to that obscure destination, but you have to start drawing that big picture. You may need to focus on one piece of the trail at a time, preferably the next leg in your journey, but you should always keep in mind the purpose: you're painting a bigger picture.
Also, don't forget about the team. Their expertise can provide a wealth of information. It may come in a bucket of seemingly disjointed, non-cohesive ideas but it's information you'll need. Your ultimate goal is defining the destination together with a clear map on how you intend to get there.
The flip side of the I'm-in-charge-but-clueless coin is I’m-not-in-charge-but-clueless-is. In this case, you're the one who possesses the knowledge of where you're headed and the precise directions on how to get there, but you're not the assigned leader. Best case scenario, Mr. Clueless is eager to learn and respectful. More often than not, he's pigheaded and egotistical.
I've had both. The former was my most rewarding leadership experience; leading a team while mentoring the boss. On the other hand, the latter was the purest form of hell I've encountered to date. In any case the rules apply and, where you're able, you need to play the part. Mission failure should never be an option, no matter how frustrating the environment.
So my point is that to be a leader, to lead, you need a destination and directions to get there. This isn't a new or revolutionary concept but a simple fact. Business and government alike have poured tons of money and manpower into the development of mission statements, goal setting, and quality matrices (and metrics) in an effort to fill this need for destination and direction.
My question to you is: Do they help you determine where you're headed and how you're going to get there? If not, why not? This is a subject I'll rant about some other day.
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