“I have never had clarity; what I have always had is trust.”
Mother Teresa
I was washing the dishes and listening to a talk that applied to business when the person being interviewed stated the above quote. I paused the lesson and had to reflect. I am a recovering perfectionist and this hurts me when it comes to leading others into action.
As a child I never had to have clarity. I’m sure if I asked my mom I didn’t sit on the floor thinking of all the possible consequences of trying to stand up and take my first step. I’m pretty sure I tried, failed, got up again and kept trying until eventually as I followed the process I got it and am now an expert at walking. The only clarity I had was that I wanted to move faster and probably I figured the “big people” use two feet so maybe I should. I would guess I also trusted my parents wouldn’t let me get hurt or I learned the fall wasn’t too bad and that built my trust.
What happened?
It seems as we get older we trust less because we want to control everything, but can we really control everything? Being in control and having complete clarity and control is great leadership, right? Maybe our need to control and have perfect clarity holds us back. Here are three ideas that can help us lead others better even when the picture is not perfectly clear.
- Have a plan. When we were toddlers we had a plan . . . take one step and then try to take the next. That was about as clear as it probably got in our small brains. As leaders we must have a plan and a sound one that makes reasonable sense and maybe has been proven if what we are trying to lead has been done by others. BUT . . . do we hesitate because the plan isn’t perfect or mistake–proof? As one of my mentors Paul Martinelli who is president of the John Maxwell Team says: a plan could just be one step.
- Let Go. Control . . . that could be a whole post in itself. As leaders we like to be in control (or at least feel like it). In our need to have control I wonder are we failing to trust? Trust others, trust our instincts, or trust that if we go to a meeting where we do not know anyone there will be a positive outcome. In letting go of our desire to control we are able to free ourselves to lead in our strengths as well as empower others to do the same.
- Trust. Who do we trust in? Is the source of our trust worthy of it? When I was in college I saw a quote on a professor’s desk: “To be trusted is a greater compliment than being loved.” George McDonald. As a leader when we trust someone else we are truly empowering them. Entrusting another person will enable them and you to have greater clarity of purpose and direction.
What about you? Do you hesitate to act until you have a perfect plan or are you willing to move into action and even enable those you lead to move into action so that clarity will come? What do you need to let go of in your leadership at work or home today or simply trust, move and believe clarity will come? Lead well.
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