I think we can all agree that leadership is an art form: a dance, a painting, a well-executed pass play. The best leaders know the moments in which to interact. More to the point, an employee’s valuation of their company comes down to a few moments (and their direct report is usually part of them). Every great Boss creates pivotal moments…a pat on the back when you win, a note on your desk when you lose. The paradigm of my leadership has been created by great people knowing when to say the right thing.
The greatest moments in your career probably did not occur at an awards banquet in front of 1,200 people. A conversation in an empty office building over a cheap cup of coffee may have done the trick. As one year turns a page to another a time for reflection comes about. I want to share with you some of the most (unexpected) Leadership lessons I have learned.
Lesson 1 – Underestimate No One
I was young and fiercely motivated. I had achieved a top 10 ranking in a sales organization of nearly 2,000. I made a whole lot of money and spent it all on the excess of youthful arrogance. Every day, I breezed past our Operations Manager’s door without saying hello…..I had clients to see, contracts to sign, and more important people with whom to talk. He was an older fella and the sunset of his career was in the near distance. One day as I raced past his office he called to me…I swore under my breath and headed into his office. What followed was an hour long conversation. We talked about his love for the Red Sox, the part he played in developing our company, how he had all the money he needed but still loved working, and for me to be mindful of the blinders I had on. He ended the conversation by saying, “I heard you have a child on the way, you are going to be a great Dad”. I bolted from his office hiding my tears. He was fired a month later. It was the most meaningful conversation I had in 8 years with that company.
Everyone has something to contribute. Just because someone isn’t caught up in the rat race doesn’t mean they don’t care.
Lesson 2 – A Title is (not always) a Distinction
Managers always advise new reps to seek guidance from the top producers. Go to the guy/girl who has the most revenue on the team and ask them their secret. The one truth I have found in business: Top Producers never have the best advice. It could be the fact that achieving 10 times your quota takes total commitment. Maybe that person’s results simply cannot be replicated. Maybe they just got lucky…?
Results are a short term validation, how you play the game matters more in the long run!
Lesson 3 – Hard Work Pays Off
There is nothing more rewarding than taking a chance on an under-qualified candidate and seeing them succeed…this is the apex of mentorship. We have all had people who took a chance on us; we all knew well enough to empower their trust by producing results. You can fool some people, some of the time. In the long run, however, short cuts turn toward the cliff.
I know not a single person who gave everything they had, every day, who was not a success.
In Summation: For some crazy reason I simply love working. I consider every day a challenge and every challenge an opportunity. I cannot love my children without knowing I’ve done my job to the fullest. Nor can I pretend that the aforementioned lessons learned in the trenches do not apply when you are at the helm.
Lead, Follow, or get out of the way!
– Dave Kovacovich