It's very cool to talk about leadership nowadays.
There are loads of models to teach you how to 'lead better' examining your behaviour, examining the behaviours of others, goal setting, team work etc etc.
At the end of the day though, one of the most important skills for the people at the top is the ability to have difficult conversations. These are the conversations that you dread; the ones you think about when you're at home and rehearse in your head (ridiculously and inefficiently). These are the conversations that you don't want to have, the ones you'll put off.
It can be as simple as the "I'm afraid we'll have to let you go" or as devastating as sitting with someone who is suffering a personal tragedy and try to help as much as possible.
I was told recently by a close friend "At times like this leaders support and cry alone"
It's never all sweetness and light when you have your own business / organisation. There are thirty five of us now (or thereabouts - I lose count!) so there is always someone who is extreme difficulty and always someone who is flying and it's my responsibility to take the emotional burden for both of those things. I think that's the only way that a business or an organisation like this can actually work. If i'm not invested emotionally, how can I expect anyone else to be invested emotionally? If I try to distance myself and sterilise the environment then I will have a distant and sterile environment.
When someone comes to me and says "This needs said to someone but I can do it if you like, then that generally means it's my turn to do it"
Blog Post Number: 1049
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