INSIGHTS (on leadership/self-leadership)
Berkshire Hathaway’s latest Annual Report was recently released, and it opened with a wistful letter from the company’s leader, Warren Buffett. In it, Buffett gave a nod to the recent passing of his longtime co-leading partner, Charlie Munger. Buffett credited Munger for being “the architect of Berkshire,” letting Buffett take the limelight while quietly sitting in the background. Buffett went on to say this of Munger:
“Even when he knew he was right, he gave me the reins, and when I blundered he never, never, reminded me of my mistake.”
I think it’s good advice for us all. It’s essential to give people in your life (employees, bosses, children, peers, friends, family) the space and grace to make mistakes, to learn from them, and grow.
I think it’s good advice to not beat people over the head when they make a mistake. No one is going to be harder on them than themselves, most likely.
But I think the most important thing to take away here, is to thank the architects in your life. Who helped construct who you are today? Who showed you the blueprint in some way, for you to carry out as “the general contractor,” as Buffett so eloquently termed it? It could be anybody, a former boss or co-worker. A mom or dad. Brother or sister. Friend or mentor. Whoever it is, let them know they’ve made an impact. Don’t save it for your Annual Report of gratitude. Do it now.
IMPERFECTIONS (a mistake many make)
Ever work for someone who’s consistently inconsistent? It’s FRUSTRATING.
Inconsistency erodes trust and creates confusion, fear, and a perception of unfairness. If you’re a leader, it’s critical to cut off inconsistency where you can. Here’s how. Use the Path to Healthy Predictability – five steps to ensure you’re leaving a consistent imprint on people.
1. Put your priorities on a pedestal.
This means be clear on what your business and personal priorities are, hold them in highest regard, and remain true to them. Nothing creates more uncertainty and confusion for an organization than inconsistent messaging on priorities. Same when you act inconsistent with your personal priorities, like your stated values or beliefs.
2. Put repeatable processes in place.
When you have a crazy calendar, packed with unorganized days, it affects your ability to show up in a consistent fashion. You’re just darting around, making decisions on the fly, without a guiding process to help. It’s no wonder you can act inconsistently, you’re just trying to get things done in the moment (without regard to how you’ve handled it in the past). Instead, put repeatable processes in place to control the chaos, and to help show up in a steady manner.
For example, say you have no process for approving the launch of a new product. Every yes or no decision is informed by myriad different factors, every time, making it hard to predict what product will get approved for launch and which won’t. Putting a repeatable, new product launch review process in place creates standards and norms to follow – all of which enable more principled, consistent behavior.
3. Camera in the corner.
This is a simple exercise to help you mindfully show up in a manner consistent with what you intend. Imagine there’s a camera in the corner of the room, filming you, every time you’re giving direction, making a decision, or interacting with someone. When you, or anyone, sees that film, they should see you acting in a manner consistent with your priorities, beliefs, and goals.
4. Mind your mood swings and impulses.
Everyone has different moods on different days, which affects how they show up at work. This is about acknowledging when you’re not your usual self, trying to minimize the height and depth of the peaks and valleys you feel each day, and smoothing out your behavior swings. Otherwise, each day you’ll be directly affected by the mood you’re in – a recipe for inconsistency.
5. Foster fairness.
Perhaps the most frustrating inconsistency employees experience from their leaders is a lack of fairness. People can spot favoritism a mile away, and know when “punishment” is not being equally administered. They’ll notice when rules and policies are being applied inconsistently and when similar situations are treated very differently.
Instead, make fairness a priority. This includes focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion, role-modeling respect for everyone, putting a transparent promotion process in place, and recognizing your biases while not allowing them to hijack how you show up.
So, walk down the path to healthy predictability, and you’ll consistently like the results.
IMPLEMENTATION (one research-backed strategy, tip, or tool)
I once asked former Cincinnati Bengals head football coach, Marvin Lewis, what was the most fulfilling part of his job. He answered:
“Helping others achieve their goals. It’s why we all coach.”
But what if your coach (your manager), won’t coach you? All is not lost. You can enhance your manager’s desire to coach you by doing three things:
1. Invite them in by actively seeking feedback and advice – then eagerly act on that feedback/advice. Reward them for the time they spent coaching you.
2. Demonstrate a natural curiosity and actively ask for learning and growth opportunities. They’ll eventually get the hint that growth through coaching is something you very much welcome.
3. Show appreciation to your boss for their role in helping you learn, grow, and succeed. Let them know their effort won’t go unnoticed. Doing so also subtly sets the expectation that this is a part of their role as a manager.
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