Lead by Example -- You Already Are -- What driver do you use? Anger or Inspiration?
People say they should lead by example. What they miss in that statement is:
Everyone always leads by example. The question is:
Which example are you leading by your words and actions (each and every single day)?
I was once at a conference where a CEO was explaining the purpose and benefits behind getting angry as a leadership motivation approach to drive action by the team — to get business results. This is a broken narrative, told as a matter of pride in the world of professional sports — the angry coach motivates his team to the ultimate seasonal win. Why not duplicate that in business — the angry CEO (who claims to be “passionate”) spits fire and brimstone at their people to drive action. This however is not a leadership style — it is an example of unskilled leadership. Similar to dropping an atomic weapon, anger produces results (although even those results are questionable), at a terrible cost. There is fallout in the wake.
The problem is the response created by an emotion such as anger on the human body. Anger is the presumed threat of violence — and violence removes a person’s sense of safety. Once unsafe, the body kicks into “survival mode” — also known as the amygdala hijack, or fight / flight / freeze. Interesting that the unskilled leader’s wish at this point is for their team to flee. Fight would result in someone yelling back or disobeying, producing poor performance at every turn, and of course, no work or poor quality work being accomplished. Freeze would result in stone cold, inaction. So it is flight — only because the team cannot actually escape do they act in a panicked, fear driven system to pacify the angry leader by accomplishing his / her requests.
Action — what is asked for is accomplished, and the leader stands tall in a state of triumph. Worst of all, not only has the leader cemented their mind that “Anger produces Success”, by repeating the same action, they also build a strong habit towards Anger — driving strong the synapses of the brain as a reflex response. So the next time that leader needs to produce results, even without their conscious choice, their subconscious mind knows what to do — races the heart, rises the hackles and stokes the fire of anger — a reflex action or reaction at being exposed to a problem. This reflex also happens with the team — except to FEAR!!! Quick then the team becomes at shutting down their brain function and only producing what is asked of them — nothing more and often far less. Compound this long enough, and the leader starts to make negative statements about the team being “lazy” or “ineffective” or “needing to be (micro) managed”. All of which is a partial-truth created by the leader’s original and continuing actions. Thus making it extra difficult for the leader AND the team to change and make a different choice — everyone has bad habits to undo. (This problem is even more complex and can be solved at a deeper level than this — but you will have to wait for my future book)
And what was accomplished? At best, only exactly what the leader asked for and measured with micro-management is done — there is no possibility of unexpected results (far greater than what the leader ever envisioned). And what is the fallout on the team? Distrust, resentment, and bitterness — the makings of future fight (undermining action against the leaders future performance — often as great subterfuge, the likes of which has not been seen since the Cold War, or flight — the best people are always the first to leave for other pastures. I have to laugh when I hear an organization bragging about hiring the best and brightest along with how they have a 2-5% attrition — dig deeper into WHO is leaving, you find it is the cream of the crop. This is why Emotional Intelligence has gained so much traction in recent years — keeping the team in their rational brain produces better intellect, better immediate team performance, deep respect, and better long-term performance.
Purpose with Inspiration
So what is a positive driver for motivating team performance? Purpose with Inspiration — rallying the team behind the need and the greater impact and inspiring their actions towards amazing performance. Driving with that fuel in the tank fortifies team safety, respect, and confidence — enabling the thinking team to create beyond expectations. There is a universal need in every human being to want to feel good and be a valuable contributor in the world around them. Positive energy towards action — it creates deep pride in one’s work and allows the emotional freedom to take risks — positive risks toward doing the impossible. Not just 10% improvement, but 100%, 200%, and even 1,000%. I have accomplished both — wild team performance while enhancing the inspirational leader, and team transformation (even in a Union shop) to at least greater performance, although at a high(er) cost of time and money (by comparison) — better it would have been for the growing company to build-in the right leadership skills as early as possible.
Chris
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