The Prepared Leader
"Chance favors the prepared mind." Louis Pasteur
Life calls for leadership. Problems and challenges arise daily, even hourly when a group of people is assembled to accomplish something - in other words a company. Thinking, problem solving, and learning occur constantly as we navigate our days. Through this we all look for leadership. Parents lead their children, teachers lead their students, and managers lead their people in companies and organizations. These leaders must be prepared because problems and challenges arise without warning and when this happens, people look upward toward leadership. Just what is it to be a prepared leader?
There are a few elements - a few skills a leader must keep sharp in order to influence and care for his or her people appropriately. When contemplating the prepared leader question, I always think of "Be, Know and Do," a concept I learned while serving in the U.S. Army. Be, Know and Do, is an excellent lens through which one can determine the preparedness or readiness of a leader.
'Be' relates to the things a leader is and the beliefs they have, such as belief in your organization, its mission, values, and culture - be the culture. Be a coach, trainer, and mentor. Be open to criticism and positive, fair, and ethical in your behavior.
'Know' is the knowledge a leader must possess to be effective. This is the product, system, and or task knowledge which prepares a leader to influence his or her people properly and roll up their sleeves when needed to participate in activities. Leader knowledge need not be complete, meaning a leader does not need to know everything about a product, system, or what their subordinates do. I could not load and fire a howitzer but I understood how it worked enough to lead the people who operated it.
'Do' are the acts leaders are required to perform such as training their people. 'Do' is maintaining a professional appearance and demeanor. Leaders 'do' hard conversations. They care for and discipline their organization to keep it at peak performance. Leaders ensure their people are cared for before serving their own needs. Leaders keep themselves mentally strong and morally straight.
I would add to this, knowledge of themselves and their people. If a leader knows their strengths and weaknesses and how they impact and influence their own leadership, and if a leader knows their people, what motivates and demotivates them (among other things), they are better prepared for when challenges arise.
A senior leader's most important duty is to create the next generation of leaders. This means selecting and preparing men and women of character who have the potential to Be, Know and Do. It means mentoring and coaching them to be ready for when a situation requires leadership. Are you prepared? Are your leaders prepared?
Make it Personal!
Rob
Rob Campbell