By Henry Piarrot
Leadership is basically One’s gift, talent or simple ability to get others to willingly follow. Notice the key word in the last sentence is “willingly.” True leaders understand that we cannot make anyone do anything they do not want to do. Those that do not understand that simple fact are doomed to fail over and over again.
A person’s motivation for accomplishing anything is a combination of desire and energy directed at achieving a central goal. Influencing and directing someone’s motivation means getting them to want to do what you know must be done. This will never occur until they embrace the notion that doing what you are promoting is going to be good for them or someone important to them.
Young inexperienced and older weak managers have a tendency to believe that they are in charge and their staff is there to simply follow all of their commands. They are intimidated by subordinates that possess skills beyond their own and feel that they alone must be the one to have all the answers to any situation. As a result, they alienate and even find ways to terminate those with the most skills so they can replace them with others that have fewer skills as to be better controlled.
At the end of the day, managers are judged by the quality of their team’s performance. By weakening the overall performance to simply make sure the under skilled people on the team understand that they are beneath their manager, the leader has set a course to nowhere. We all rise to the level of our own incompetence and without strong team mates, a group cannot excel beyond the personal knowledge of the manager.
However, the teams with the best players win the most games. This is not only true for sports teams; it applies to all types of organizations.
Good people can work almost anywhere they want and are always in demand. To succeed, it is necessary to have as many of these individuals on your team as possible and effective leaders understand that the best are influenced by job security, promotions, pay increases and approval of their peers and superiors. They are also influenced by internal forces such as values, morals and ethics. Basically, they are looking for a quality place to work.
All organizations need good people. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure your team is built with quality individuals that are well trained, encouraged and provided every opportunity to succeed. Moreover, make sure the way you conduct your business has the same moral and ethical principles that you expect of others. Because if you do business in a dishonest fashion, your team will in turn be dishonest to you and that will ultimately be the only kind of people you will consistently attract.
As leaders, we should avoid thinking of ourselves as simply managers or supervisors, but as “team leaders.” Thinking of yourself as simply a supervisor places you in a position of established influence based solely on respect for a position. By understanding the real personal motivations of each team member, you as an individual, rather than your rank, will earn their true respect and trust.
When we understand that it is our job to develop and promote the team, we find that we are actually working for the members, rather than them working for us. Life is Voluntary and when your team realizes you have their best interests at heart and not just your own, they will become accomplished far beyond your original desires.
I was taught at a very young age that nobody should be allowed to lead before they know how and when to follow. This does not mean only knowing how to take instructions from your superior, but understanding when to allow yourself to follow someone you supervise. This is difficult for many who have yet to embrace their place on a team by learning to manage their own ego.
The great Thomas Paine once wrote, “Lead, follow or get out of the way.” To truly benefit from his timeless advice, you must have an honest understanding of who you are, what you actually know and what you can really do. After all, it is most important to remember that it is the followers, not the leader who determines if the leader is successful.
Therefore, we must first convince them that we are worthy of being followed.
Henry Piarrot is a hotel manager and resident of Sevier County. Please send all story recommendations to hpiarrot@yahoo.com
