Performance Matters - Idea #28

The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality and the last is to say thank you. In between the leader is a servant of those who follow. (para-phrased from Max DePree)

It is the leader's privilege to position others for imminent and certain success. ...To play to people's strengths. ...To enable other to do more of what they do best. ...To help others expand their repertoire of what they do well, and to provide support for those things that followers don't do well.

The leader's role is to provide support and to create a nurturing, productive, effective, and sustainable culture. That is no easy task. It is not something that happens in an environment of self centeredness or neglect. It is not something that happens in business cultures deficient in trust, honest debate, commitment, accountability, and results.

Leaders need to provide vision, establish priorities, provide resources, dialog, accountability, discipline, recognition, and rewards. Leaders need to demonstrate vulnerability and integrity.

Whether there is success or failure, it is the leaders responsibility.

The measure of a leader is not in the number of followers they have, but in the number of successful leaders they produce.

Lead well.

Bob

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Performance Builders