Each week I have a hard time finding the fav five posts because their are so many good leadership blogs. I feel I am only just beginning to see the number of good blogs out there. Here are the top five leadership blog posts I found this week.
Lessons From a Failure in Leadership by Gwyn Teatro
Burton Winters was a typical fourteen-year-old living with his parents in Makkovik, Labrador. Winter weather makes snow mobile driving a necessity there and, like most of the boys in his community, Burton was an experienced driver. One afternoon in February, he set out on his machine to visit his grandmother.
He didn’t make it home.
Somehow, in the dark and harsh weather, Burton missed a crucial turning and lost his bearings. Instead of going towards home, he and his machine headed out many miles onto the sea ice. Eventually, the machine became stuck and Burton continued on foot for another nineteen kilometres, all in the wrong direction. More…
Brandon’s Thoughts
In order to get the full understanding of the post, you need to read it because Gwyn tells a story and then explains the leadership lessons that came from what occurred. The post brings home the importance of making correct decisions as a leader. In line with what Gwyn said, I agree that leaders need to be willing to make the tough decisions in the face of adversity. They need to know and remember why they chose to be a leader. For leadership to be done right you must stand on your principles even when it isn’t easy.
Why Understanding Belief Systems is Critical For Leadership by Lisa Petrilli
Most of us don’t realize it but when we leave the nest of our parents to go out into the world we’ve already adopted a belief system that we take with us based on what we were taught in the early years of our lives. It’s difficult to change a belief system that has become firmly rooted, but it can be done by:
- Recognizing it and how it influences our thinking
- Interrupting it when we acknowledge it’s coming into play in certain situations
- Allowing ourselves to be open to seeing the world from a different perspective
[…] Real empowerment comes when we let go of our concerns that others will judge us and replace these concerns with the understanding that when they do it’s a reflection of their belief system and not of our personal value, worth, or truth. More…
Brandon’s Thoughts
This post is very good. As we look at the belief systems of others, it is very important that we don’t be quick to judge. Everyone is raised differently and comes from a different background. That difference is not something you or I can change. As Lisa pointed out, leaders need to understand and respect the beliefs and standards of others even though they differ from your own. I have strong beliefs, but that does not mean I should push them onto others. Leadership is done right when leaders understand the differences between people’s beliefs and are able to get them to work together effectively to benefit the entire team.
A Leader’s Most Dangerous Thought by Michael McKinney
“I deserve.”
Leadership is demanding. It takes a personal toll and if we are not careful, we can begin to make it about us. It’s not a difficult position to rationalize.
The problem with “I deserve” is that it changes our perspective. We see our contribution as more important than anyone else’s contribution. It creates a lack of proportion. More…
Brandon’s Thoughts
Leaders must remain humble. They are just in a role. In some cases that role is earned through hard work, while other times it is achieved through a coincidental chain of events. However you get to your leadership position, you should always think of your position as a blessing. Leaders should be in their position to help others become better, not to get arrogant and full of themselves. Leaders should do all they can to bring out the best in their people. If they adopt the attitude that they are the leader because they deserve it, they will immediately stop thinking about their people and become self-centered.
How to Wander Effectively by Wally Bock
If you’re a boss, you know that every day is a challenge to do better. This article is based on the same research I used to develop my programs and the Working Supervisor’s Support Kit .
You can’t listen while you’re talking:
Listening is your best tool for gathering information and building relationships. But the fact is that you can’t listen when you’re talking. As my mother used to say, “God gave us two ears and one mouth. You should use them in that proportion.”
Brandon’s Thoughts
It is so important to listen when you are the leader. As you listen to your people, you will gain valuable insight into their thoughts and decisions. That insight will allow you to tailor your leadership to best help them succeed. Leaders should make a point to first listen and then speak.
Maintaining The Engine Of Effective Leadership by Mary Jo Asmus
My husband is rough on the trucks he drives for his business. Within months of having a new one, it is banged up from driving on the rough, hilly paths of his tree nursery. A few years later, the engines start to give up. A point of contention between us is that he waits too long to fix things when they start making noise or are on their way to being broken. It seems to me that when things are neglected or going south, the longer you take to fix them, the harder it is to get them back on course. This philosophy also applies to those you lead.
Your work relationships need regular attention. In fact, I would argue that if you are a leader who is a managing others and you want to move up in the organization, your relationships become increasingly important as take on more responsibility. Our flat organizations require you to spend a significant amount your time connecting, networking, and developing relationships with those who will ensure your organization’s (and your) success. More…
Brandon’s Thoughts
Mary Jo’s post is very good because it talks about continuously cultivating strong working relationships with those you lead, follow, and work side-by-side with. Leaders need to think of relationship building as a regular part of their job. Relationships are very important because they help you to help others. They will also be the conduit by which others will help you.
Summary
Each of these blog posts addresses the importance of taking care of your people and doing what is right. Leadership is far more about leading and watching over people than anything else. The most powerful leaders are those that get people moving in a direction to accomplish something never thought possible. Great leadership comes when leaders do all they can to focus on their people so they can all better the organization.
What are your thoughts on some of the posts? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Thank you Brandon. I’m honored that you chose one of my posts to be in your Fav Five selection! Mary Jo
Mary Jo, thank you for saying thanks! Your blog post is great!
Hi Brandon ~ Thank you for choosing my post to be part of this great line-up of articles. I’m honoured to be included in such great company!
Gwyn
Welcome Gwyn! Thank you for visiting my blog! I really liked your post. It was my pleasure to share it.
What you’ve said makes sense, and I can understand it very clearly. Thanks.
This is a great inspiring article. I am pretty much pleased with your good work. You put really very helpful information. Keep it up. Keep blogging. Looking to reading your next post.