‘Good leaders understand that organizations are going to have challenges. That’s why the leader was hired.’ - Admiral William McRaven
‘I’m tired of dealing with this problem. I want my life back.’ - CEO of an Oil Company during a disastrous oil leak.
Two quotes juxtaposed to each other. One of those leaders writes books, and one is written about in books. One leader understands that more leadership brings more problems, and the other does not. I’ll bet you can guess which is which. A leader's most valuable role is that of the problem solver. The most effective leaders ‘run to the sound of guns’ as they say in the military. I have aspired to be the leader my people want around when it is all going wrong, and I’ve learned a few things in my attempts to embody that. Here are five steps to embracing the reality that with more leadership comes more problems.
STICK YOUR FACE IN IT - When my children began their athletic endeavors, I encouraged them to be competitors that dove into the action. I would tell them to get on the field or court and stick their face into the action. They should never stand outside the action; they should be right in the middle! My children did not listen to all of my advice, but they did listen to that and were the type of competitors that made things happen. Aggression is awarded in all forms of competitive activities, and the same is true in solving problems. Stick your face in it, leader
OWN IT - My father often says, ‘Leadership is being responsible for more than you are responsible for.’ The second step to being a leader that fulfills their responsibility to solve problems is being willing to own it. In some way, direct or indirect, your leadership is a part of the problem. It is hard to resolve a problem you won’t own, and it is harder to train your team to resolve problems when they don’t see you own problems. Own it, leader.
ASK QUESTIONS FIRST - I read the Bible often. I believe it is God’s words, and I also believe it is full of practical wisdom for life. The accounts of Nehemiah are some of the best leadership insights you could hope to gain. I won’t unpack Nehemiah’s leadership efforts in full here, but the significant problem he solved began with an inquiry. Leadership savvy requires aggressively sticking your face into a problem and keeping your wits about you well enough to ask questions. Great questions expedite problem-solving because they help you understand the problem and the people, which may not be the same. As Rudyard Kipling said, ‘If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you…’ Ask questions first, leader.
BRING RESOURCE - Leaders possess significant advantages in solving problems. They often have the needed perspective and position to make things move. Wise leaders help their people understand this perspective. They also use their position to set up others to assist in problem-solving. An excellent example is a school principal who gets a substitute teacher so a department head has an extra period to tackle a problem. Sometimes, a leader's most effective problem-solving is setting others up to solve problems. Bring your resources to the problem-solving efforts, leader.
COMMUNICATE IN ALL DIRECTIONS - Dr. Albert Mohler has been the president of one of the leading seminaries in the country for over 30 years. Mohler states, ‘Leadership has not happened until communication has happened.’ There is a correlation between a leader who communicates in all directions and an others-centered leader. During a problem, communicate in all directions: a) up to your supervisor, b) down to your direct reports, c) out to those on the receiving end of your problem-solving efforts, such as customers, and d) side-to-side to colleagues managing their teams. Communicating in all directions is an essential problem-solving measure.
Do you want more leadership? You’ll have more problems. Use these five ideas to grow in your ability to be the type of leader people want around when things go wrong.
Keep on, keepin’ on, friends!
Bite Down and Don’t Let Go is a collection of writings on relentlessly leading yourself and others well. Read about it more here. You can listen to the Bite Down and Don't Let Go podcast here!
Dr. Chris Hobbs is an educational leader with more than two decades of experience. He’s earned a few degrees and won some awards. He’s happily married to his high school sweetheart, and they have three children. Life is messy and complicated most of the time. You can follow him on Twitter for inspirational thoughts and good laughs.
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