In my business blog, I sometimes write on leadership. After pondering the relationship blog I posted a couple of days ago, I thought about how some of these ideas (Intimacy probably doesn’t work in every situation, for example) contain a lot of meaning that would help our leadership. Now, we are all leaders somewhere–or at least we should be. As I’ve been in leadership roles in business, church, politics and soccer, I’ve had ample opportunity to reflect on where I’ve fallen short. Therefore, some of these relationship ideas would have helped me greatly in some of my roles.
Resentment. This is a poison that starts as something small and builds up into something big. Resentment is dangerous because it often flies under our radar, so that we don’t even notice we have the resentment, and our partner doesn’t realize that there’s anything wrong. [This works in leadership roles, too. If you start to resent some of the things others do–perhaps another committee leader, for example–this will build up negative feelings that will derail your leadership authority.]
Jealousy. It’s hard to control jealousy if you feel it, I know. It seems to happen by itself, out of our control, unbidden and unwanted. However, jealousy, like resentment, is relationship poison. [Similar to resentment, leadership often includes power. Sometimes you become jealous of someone else’s power. These emotions can ruin all the good work you’re doing.]
Unrealistic expectations. What basic expectations we do have, we must communicate clearly. [Observe and know the people you are leading. Don’t expect them to do things beyond their capabilities–at least until you provide the training and environment for them to excel.]
Not making time. [You get off on your own things and forget to listen to those around you. If you are in a leadership position, make time to work on it.]
Lack of communication. This sin affects all the others on this list — it’s been said many times before, but it’s true: good communication is the cornerstone of a good relationship. [This is huge. The best business leaders were great communicators. Perhaps Ronald Reagan’s greatest strength was his ability to talk directly to the nation and describe his vision. Let people on your team know where they need to go.]
Not showing gratitude. [A handwritten note of thanks or a coupon to In Good Taste is one of the strongest leadership actions. (For those of you reading this outside Sidney, Ohio, then substitute your favorite local cafe.]
Bonus sin: Stubbornness. [Once I stubbornly held on to an idea of how to market a product I was in charge of, and we failed. You’ve got to be open to new ideas and learn flexibility in the face of change. You also must learn that you don’t have all the answers. Listen to the team and adapt to new directions.]
Gary
Tags: Ethics
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