What you don’t see CAN hurt you. . . and your team.
Unexamined beliefs can undermine your good intentions.
Here are five questions to help surface some important leadership beliefs and to consider how well your actions reflect them.
1. What do you stand for?
What do you care deeply about? When you know what you hold most dear, you can live your life consistently according to those values. Leaders of great teams have unswerving commitment to what they believe in. Their consistency not only generates confidence and trust, but sets a standard as well.
“Standing in the middle of the road is very dangerous; you get knocked down by traffic from both sides.” – Margaret Thatcher
2. What do you strive for?
Leaders of great teams are not content with the status quo. They expect more of themselves and set challenging goals. However, they also understand there is more to leadership than achieving results. Great leaders set standards around character as well as results.
“True leadership stems from individuality that is honestly and sometimes imperfectly expressed. Leaders should strive for authenticity over perfection.” – Sheryl Sandberg
3. How much do you need to be in control?
When you trust in the potential of others, you naturally stop trying to control all the details and delegating comes naturally. Leaders of great teams have enthusiasm and positive regard for others. They create opportunities for their people to stretch themselves and assume responsibility.
“We don’t accomplish anything in this world alone.” – Sandra Day O’Connor
4. How do you see mistakes?
Do you approach mistakes with the question, “What can we learn?” or with the question “Who is to blame?” Leaders of great teams are willing to take risks. They admit their mistakes, take responsibility for the impact, and learn so they don’t repeat the same mistake, and move on.
“Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It’s best to admit them quickly & get on with improving your other innovations.” – Steve Jobs
5. What do you really expect from your team?
The truth is your team can only be as great as you believe it can be. Your vision for your team arises from your own character, motives and beliefs. Your expectations for your team are a reflection of your expectations for yourself.
“When you remove your self-imposed limitations and beliefs, the possibilities for yourself and your team expand geometrically.” – Jesse Lyn Stoner
What other questions could help surface your leadership beliefs?
A good question is worth a lot more than a quick answer!
Jesse,
Sound questions to understand what one believes. One to add: How do you take care of yourself and others? The answers indicate our beliefs in how we refresh ourselves and others and engage (or not) in an overall wellness for ourselves and our community.
Thanks!
Jon
Great addition, Jon! For many people, the drive for achievement overshadows concerns for wellness, until there’s a price to pay. And the culture in many organizations reinforces this view.
Thanks, Jesse
Great point that leaders need to trust in the potential of their team members and also to create opportunities for members to stretch themselves. I find that the more Leaders share what they are trying to do, the more members can stretch, can move in and out of leadership to support that vision, that process, that result. Many times leaders simply don’t understand the competence they are sitting on as they lead their teams. Members need the shared vision but they also need the shared details, the shared thinking – generally, more than the leader thinks the members need to know.
Indeed! I have observed that it’s almost always a mistake to share information on a “need to know” basis. As you point out, in order to do their job well, people need more information than leaders realize. When you treat employees like children, they will fulfill your expectations. When you treat them like adults, they will also fulfill your expectations. Much thanks for deepening the conversation, Sharon.
#1 There’s a huge difference between being AN authority and being IN authority. Best quote: if you don’t stand for something you’ll fall for anything
#3 Best quote: Will Rogers… “if you get to thinkin’ you’re a person of some influence, try orderin’ somebody else’s dog around.”
Haha! Hadn’t heard the Will Rogers quote before. We sure do spend a lot of time trying to control other people’s actions, most of it wasted.
Great questions Jesse for any leader or team to answer! Key leadership/team attributes: the ability to lead and be a great team requires transparency, vulnerability, and a willingness to hold yourself accountable first…before others. How honest and willing are the individuals on your team going to be in this discussion? I would prep them beforehand to get comfortable being uncomfortable, before they define their leadership or the team. Good read, thank you.
Love your suggestion to use these questions for a team discussion! Agree that setting the right norms and conditions to support open and honest discussion is vital.
Hi Jesse,
I loved your post–and I loved Jon’s addition. If I could add two more…
1. How do you define “we”?
2. How do you foster collaboration?
The two are related. Question 1 gets at how you see yourself and your team as part of a larger, integrated network. Do you only value your friends and colleagues? Question 2 get at the values by which you leverage that network to bring about the best outcome for all concerned.
Great questions, Julie. It’s a good idea to dig out beliefs around collaboration. I might add these question to help surface any underlying beliefs that might interfere with fully collaborating: 1) What do you believe about possibilities? Are there ways everyone’s interests can be met or do you see this as a “zero-sum game” world? 2) What do you believe about people’s intentions? Are they focused on their own self-interest or are they interested in mutual benefits?
Brilliant– as always. I really like your last statement: “A good Question is worth more than a quick answer.” I sometimes wonder if “leaders” really demonstrate those beliefs. In short, I’d ask others: “What beliefs and values do you see me holding.” Now, what will be telling is if the “leader” has created at atmosphere of trust so the person can honestly respond. I have seen far too many “leaders” have incredible blind spots when it comes to how they actually behave.
Indeed! If you want to know what someone really believes, pay attention to their actions, not what they say. It can be helpful to dig down and surface your real beliefs so you can be more intentional about whether your behavior is aligned. And as you point out, we also need feedback on our blind spots. Much thanks for deepening the conversation, Eileen!
Love these questions and would add 1a. What won’t you stand for? In other words what can you not tolerate nor endure? That could be toxic behavior of a colleague or employee or it could be harassment or bullying. And maybe the best question is that last one, What other questions do you have? Thanks, as always.
Great addition and clarification of #1. It’s the other side of the line.
Thanks for the post Jesse, I have two questions I like to ask leaders. What do you want FROM your people and then what do you want FOR your people? Once they realise their role is to serve first, it’s a game changer!
Excellent questions to help people understand what is most important. Thanks for sharing these Hank!
My question would be: What would you do if you weren’t afraid? It seems like courage is often missing when our beliefs are at stake.
An excellent question to help unlock your real desires and to open possibilities. Many thanks for adding to the list, Ken!