Leaders Have Two Jobs
I’ve been coaching a senior leader in a large organization who recently hired a new director for one of her teams. This young man is extremely smart, understands the job inside and out, works really hard, and is great at getting things done.
And guess what?
So far, he’s failing miserably.
You might ask why.
Well, it’s mostly because all of those things I just listed, being smart, knowing the job, working hard, and getting things done, while important, really only make up 50% of a leader’s job.
And by the way, we assume you’re smart and can get things done. That’s a prerequisite for even being considered for a bigger role.
While managing results matters, the other 50% of leadership is just as important.
Managing relationships.
And this is where this young director, and many others, can fail spectacularly.
Being good at your job gets you noticed. It gets you the opportunity. But it’s only the entry point.
Effective leaders understand the importance of managing relationships. Not just with their own teams, but with peers and leaders across the organization. I’ve told my coaching clients for years, if leadership were just about doing the work, it would be easy.
Managing relationships is what separates the highest performers from everyone else.
So what are the best leaders doing consistently to manage both results and relationships?
Let’s take a look.
Communicate. Communicate. Communicate.
If you feel like you’re communicating effectively, you’re probably only halfway there. The average team member needs to hear the same message 5 to 7 times before they trust it and take action. That one email you sent a few months ago? Not going to cut it.
Ask a lot of questions.
Great leaders spend less time talking and more time listening. Be interested not interesting. Questions invite ownership. Asking relevant questions pulls people into the process and helps them feel like part of the solution instead of just a tool to fix the problem.
Shut up and listen.
You can ask great questions, but it doesn’t matter if you don’t actually listen. I’m talking about real listening, no distractions, no waiting for your turn to talk. You don’t have to agree with someone to hear them out. Everyone has a need to be heard and if I can weigh in, then I can buy in.
Stay curious.
The best leaders know they don’t know everything. They’re open to learning, from anyone. Growth fuels performance. What have you learned lately?
Ask for and accept help.
Most people are willing to help others. The question is, are you willing to accept help? Asking for help isn’t weakness. It’s a sign of intelligence. Nobody succeeds alone, and the most successful people I’ve worked with knew how to leverage the people around them.
Smile and have some fun.
I’ve yet to see a high-performing team that didn’t enjoy what they were doing. If we can’t have some fun doing the work we spend so much time on, what are we doing? People still work for people. Be human. Lighten up. Even on tough days, there’s always something to smile about.
At the end of the day, no matter how smart you are or how good you are at your job, that’s only half the battle.
Your success as a leader comes down to how well you manage both results and relationships.
Master both.
Until next time,
Cheers to you and your continued success
And managing the other 50% of your job
One Quarter Turn at a Time.
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