Leaders all have different styles of leading. Some give instructions or direct their teams down to the minutest detail, others believe in a participatory style, and those who trust the ability of their workforce, dare to delegate.
I have come to believe that the best leaders are people people. They are skilled in building good relationships and they don’t pretend to know it all. They are willing to learn from people at all levels – and they are good listeners. This skill might come naturally to some, but many have acquired it through on-going practice.
Leadership and motivational guru John Maxwell has had many aha moments in his career. Before you can lead people, you have to find them, he believes. And you find them not where you are, but where they are. You don’t lead people from your position. You lead them from their position.
Good leaders, he maintains, ask great questions. As a young leader, he believed that a leader’s main job was to give direction. As he matured, he switched from giving direction to asking questions and listening, aiming at getting to know the person, his or her problems, and dreams. He was leading by assumption and soon discovered that his team members were far removed from where he was – and not necessarily behind him. Some were even way ahead.
If leaders could see themselves as team coaches, they would do what football coaches do, constantly asking the team: What did we do right? What did we do wrong? What do we need to correct or change?
Great leaders listen, then learn, then lead.
