As a leader, you are responsible for the vision and direction of your team. The higher your position, the more responsibility you have, and your leadership needs to meet the needs of your team and organization. Your leadership effectiveness is determined by the context in which you operate.
For example, the CEO of Delta Airlines, Ed Bastian, recently stated that he spends 50% of his time with people because people want to be connected to the leader of a large organization. He focuses on people so that they can connect with the mission and vision of Delta Airlines.
Dante Scarnecchia, on the other hand, has spent 47 years in the NFL and is currently the offensive line coach of the New England Patriots. His focus is on player development, and the offensive line of the Patriots is consistently one of the best in the league, despite players leaving for bigger contracts elsewhere in free agency. He has a knack for developing players who work together as a team to protect the quarterback, as well as set run and pass protection for the offense. You can bet that quarterback Tom Brady appreciates Coach Dante!
Rick Levy, General Counsel for ICM Partners came to the top legal position at the talent agency when only 28 years old. While he was inexperienced, he brought an adaptive attitude that helped question precedence and the way things were formerly done. This led to change and innovation which created positive change in the organization.
But where does one get started? Start with asking yourself these questions:
- What do I think my organization and team most needs right now?
- What strengths do I bring to this?
- What weaknesses do I bring to this?
- What is my current plan for growth?
The next step is to ask an unbiased person that you respect questions 1-3.
Finally, come up with a plan for growth so that you can grow, and your team can grow with you. If you want to accelerate the growth, get a coach to help you.
