I was sitting across from a man who has led six different tech companies over the years and presently is the Chief Strategy Officer for Counterpart. I always enjoy these conversations and learning from leaders and their experience. During this time together I was able to learn the three principles that guide him as he has assumed various leadership roles over the years.
Giving
“You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.”
Zig Ziglar
This idea applies in many ways. Generosity is at the foundation of many successful people’s lives. One of the biggest ways Drew applies this idea of giving in his leadership is by investing in his people. The greatest asset we have on our team or in our organization is the people. This leader invests in his team in a couple key ways.
Nurtures their strengths. The tendency may be to focus on improving our weaknesses, but when leaders nurture the strengths of those they lead then they are going to multiply the results. As Buckingham and Clifton say:
“you will excel only by maximizing your strengths, never by fixing your weaknesses.”
Understand them. This requires a leader to slow down, communicate, observe, and listen. If we are busy giving orders and fail to slow down and connect with those we lead we fail to invest. Taking time to give our time will multiply in the return when done genuinely and strategically.
Transparency
This idea could be discussed in a blog of its own. I have asked some of my mentors how to be transparent with those we lead, but not too transparent that it creates more unnecessary challenges. The two ways Linn suggests we be transparent are through integrity and honesty.
Nothing is more frustrating for those being led than when what we say and what they experience from us are out of alignment. This alignment only occurs with integrity and honesty. If the organization is struggling be appropriately transparent. While being transparent leaders need to discern how much to truthfully share without creating alarm and also create appropriate urgency. This transparency is also evident when the leader is humble enough to admit not knowing all the answers and engaging the team for solutions.
Continual Learning
The humility I mentioned above is the backbone of Drew’s final leadership principle. He realizes he is not the smartest person in the room. As leadership expert John Maxwell says, if we are the smartest person in the room we are probably in the wrong room. Drew has two key ways he maintains a learner’s mindset. 
Get out of his comfort zone. I was talking to my mentor and coach one day and he reminded me that I have to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. As leaders when we stay in our comfort zone too long we risk what we lead either plateauing or declining.
Learn people’s story. As I mentioned earlier, people are an organization’s greatest asset. When we take time to learn about others we are showing we care and will be able to align the team/company vision more intimately with someone’s personal vision.
Leadership is a journey and we are all growing every day. If not, we may not be leading much longer. Which of these three areas do you need to develop in? Need help thinking into it? Contact me for a thirty-minute thinking partner session at no cost to you. Lead Well.
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