Guidance: The Cornerstone of Leadership

When was the last time you visited a National Park with a guided tour? If you have never done it, I would highly recommend finding one close enough to visit to understand some of the impactful history and gorgeous views this amazing country has to offer. 

One thing you will notice when on the tour is how the guide describes the historical significance or landscape and then falls into the crowd until the next move letting the visitors enjoy the views, taking in all the surroundings themselves. It provides a sense of understanding and allows the visitors to take in their own perspective and build their own thoughts on the events or monuments forged in time. 

Think of the sled driver in the Alaskan frontier with his dogs pulling his sled through the open plain. He guides the group in the direction needed, and the dogs do their work to bring the sled to motion from start to finish. Look to the farmer, plowing his field guiding the Ox to ensure proper placement of crops. All of these are guiding examples of how direction is needed, but the work beyond vision is placed at the feet—or hooves and paws—of the team in front. 

We often have heard the “lead from the front” mantra that is laid out in war movies or real life scenarios, but I would argue that style of leadership doesn’t produce the best results. It allows for teams to hide in the shadows while the leader takes their focus off of directing that team. It pushes the leader into focus more often than it should and can create a position that looks like it hovers above causing dissension and communication issues among the ranks. 

From my experience, the best leaders are teachers. They are guides and live within the ranks of their people. It is a person who has the best understanding of the pulse of their business or team by being a part of that team, not a figurehead looking for a photo opportunity. 

The best leaders push their people to success by guiding and mentoring them to complete tasks. These leaders support and uplift their teams putting all the glory of success at the feet of the team they lead, and take all the responsibility of failures along the way on themselves. 

When a team fails, you fire the coach. When a boat runs aground you fire the captain, not the crew. We hold leadership accountable for losses, and often uplift them for the wins when in reality the process of getting a team to a common goal is a mystery that lacks the science of understanding almost always. 

Truthfully it may be the easiest equation we can solve. 

How do you motivate others to perform, to push beyond their limits, to achieve things past boundaries that they themselves or others they trust have set? You as a leader must have ego-death and transcend beyond oneself. You have to show care, compassion, and empathy for your people and cause that is beyond a normal level of focus or understanding. You have to be different. You have to dare to be. It will be uncomfortable and won’t always make sense. 

It takes trust in the process that is being purpose built. It takes tenacity and an incessant drive that—especially during the times that suck—helps a leader get the dogs to pull the sled. 

I recently viewed a short clip of my mentor Darren Hardy speaking on leadership. He spoke to the fact that performers don’t always make great leaders. That being the doer isn’t what leadership is and it is a “completely different set of skills.” There is no better way to say it. 

I often have said that finding the right cheeks for the right seats is a major part of being a great leader. As well, providing a firm but trusted vision for your team is a must. It would be easy to replace people instead of focusing on the right fits for that person in your organization. That is what a manager does. Hires and fires to fit their program. 

Another favorite saying of mine is that if you have a bad team, a bad group, then two things have happened. Leadership has hired wrong, or you have developed wrong. Both fall to the feet of leadership. It's a responsibility to provide growth and guidance. 

A leader will find ways to put the right people in the right places and coach multiple skills to a common goal. In the book Social: Why Our Brains are Wired to Connect Matthew Lieberman speaks to what makes humans so unique in development and the “why” behind our societal climb over other mammals and species. He uses neurological data to solidify the concept that we are meant to be social as humans, and in that “social sector” of the brain we are naturally driven to utilize each other's skills in groups to help in the greater good and survivability of our community. For it all to work, there is always a leader guiding and writing the map. 

Lieberman speaks to teams, the military, and businesses that understand that there are social aspects to development and success. Look at the office spaces today, how they are empty in a post-pandemic world, but now many businesses are forcing returns to the office—simply for more production from their employees based on social factors. 

In his book Lieberman states “How should team leaders think about the social well-being of their team members? Does feeling connected make people socialize more and work less, or does it make team members work harder because they feel more responsibility for the team’s success? Any team leader ought to know…how the team should be managed.” He is speaking to understanding that social development matters, and everyone having a place in the community matters. This was in 2013—well before our “new world” we live, work and play in today. 

This is why we have so many different paths to success in professional and personal categories. No one person shares another's story. We may share time together, but our skills, our beliefs, our differences combining into community are what allows us to grow to the heights humans have on the planet. 

To that end, a leader carries a unique skill set in their community, job, team and even with family. They must first find ego-death, understanding they help direct the play and create its contents but will never take center stage. They must see others' skills and build the unique puzzle of human capital that makes the picture worth viewing as a company or team. 

As a leader you must be immensely connected with your team. Never to a point of comfort, as you must be willing to coach in tough times, and guide through paths that aren’t always comfortable but will build growth for the greater good. You will have to instruct, drive, guide, and motivate in times that are inconvenient and sometimes extremely tough. 

Cold calling on a client is often difficult, but it is a bridge that must be crossed. No ticket, no laundry as they say, and with no cold call there won’t be a paycheck. Hitting personal bests in track times or weightlifting takes pain and agony to the body but the end gain is worth the pursuit. Without leaders coaching and guiding the way, most of those tasks often fail. 

As a leader you take on a very unique daily position in life. You must find the grit to push yourself to then push others. You take on a massive responsibility of not creating a team that performs exactly as you do, but one that cohesively uplifts and supports one another with each unique skill that is brought to the table. 

Channel your inner Captain Planet and combine good to create great. Along the way though you won’t land a comic book deal or television show. You will, however, see others gain new heights thought previously unachievable and will assist in creating greatness along the way. 

If you fail, look at yourself. As a leader, it’s on you. Be willing to adapt and overcome—Then watch your teams shine.