Leadership should be about moving people and a cause forward. Sometimes leaders get it twisted and walk backwards, taking their organisations with them.
Every leader will fail at some point. Thinking you’re immune to failure is naive and self-defeating. Keeping this in mind minimises blind spots.
Reflection
Every leader must reflect. Identify how you best look back for the sake of learning. Be a student of your failures. A student of the failures of yourself and organisation.
Leaders who don’t reflect are bound to repeat the same mistakes and move their organisations forward into the past. That, is failed leadership. There’s an adage, “life us understood backwards but lived forward”. It is true. Reflection is pulling lessons from the past as a foundation for success in the future.
Don’t be that dumb leader. Reflect. Journal. If you’re not a writer record video, audio, paint, sketch… Whatever you do make sure your record your journey as a leader. Keep an account of the journey of your organisation.
A leader who doesn’t reflect is bound to repeat the same mistakes and failures; always moving everything forward to the past.
Retrospection Warning
When looking back don’t do so as a way of looking for ammunition. Leaders who hold those they lead at ransom by reciting their failure to them will never be progressive. Immature and insecure leaders often manipulate through intimidation, this way.
When you look back do so with the purpose of learning and enabling movement forward. When you raise issues of past failures make sure you’ve set the right foundation and context for doing so.
Progress eludes leaders holding grudges against their teams for past failures. Teams will fail those they lead. Leaders will also fail those they lead.
Don’t be that dumb leader. Mature through reflection. Raise past failure for the sole purpose of learning and moving forward to the future. To that desired future.
[Photo Credit: cosmic_spanner]