We were watching some of the bonus material on the Spiderman: No Way Home DVD. One of the segments highlighted the approach the director used in creating the film.
As I watched I was fascinated by how his team of actors and support people discussed the way he led. There is an example in his leadership style for each of us who lead.
A Clear Plan
Many of us have heard the idea that if we fail to plan then we plan to fail. As the actors discussed the making of the film, they all explained how the director had a plan for what they were to accomplish that day.
I realize this is not an earth-shattering idea, but as a leader when you meet with someone or your team do you have a plan? I am amazed by the number of leaders who don’t take the time to create an agenda whether formal or informal for their meetings. Also, some leaders have a fuzzy vision at best of where they are trying to go.
The clearer our plan is the more focused our team is, the more confident our team is in our leadership, and the more confident we can be to lead in this next way.
Be Open
During this mini documentary the actors mentioned how director Jon Watts would have a plan for the day, but also was open to ideas. He modeled the idea that it didn’t matter whose idea it was, but what was the best idea for the film. One practical application of this mindset would be the way he would provide time as they filmed for actors to ad-lib and try out things off-script. At times these would be what were included in the final cut.
In his classic book Good to Great Jim Collins found top level leaders have both great drive and humility. This second trait is what drove Jon to listen to those he led. Effective leaders realize they do not always have the best idea in the room, nor do they need to. These leaders will assemble great teams and listen to them after casting a vision of where they are going. There is one more idea to consider in your style.
Balance
Leadership expert John Maxwell describes five levels of leadership. I won’t go into this in detail here. Two of them suggest a tension we must balance as leaders. One is the need for strong relationships with those we lead and the other is the importance of getting results. As I watched this commentary on Jon Watts I could see a leader who knew how to maintain that balance.
Everyone naturally leans toward either tasks or relationships. Some of us may have to intentionally slow down to listen to those around us to be open to ideas. Others of us may need people around us to keep us from listening to ideas so much we fail to stay on task moving toward the vision. Every one of us navigates this tension. Effective leaders discern the best way to navigate it for them.
How are you doing in these areas as a leader? Maybe you need to understand where you lean in relation to tasks and relationships. If that is something you want to dive deeper into then go here to invest in a Maxwell DISC Personality Indicator to get thirty-pages of feedback to understand not only where you fall on task vs. relationship, but also your natural communication style and how to connect better to those you lead. As leaders we are ever growing and evolving. Keep growing and leading with great drive and humility. Lead Well.
© 2022 Wheeler Coaching Systems, All Rights Reserved