In short: take risks, but don’t do anything dumb.
3. When You Decide, Decide Fully
Remember in the movies when they would ask, “Which wire should I cut?” The bomb squad expert never says, “Well, I’m kinda thinkin’ the red one, but I’m not so sure, let’s give it a shot.”
If you are leading in the right direction, lead with confidence and strength, otherwise, stay put, but don’t balk. There’s always a penalty for balking.
4. Always Be Personally Invested
Don’t ask those you lead to take risks in situations where you don’t have to do so.
Put something on the line. Make it personal. Lead by example. People will follow your passionate and well-demonstrated commitment more than they will your words.
5. Don’t Be Afraid of the Words “I Was Wrong.”
Those are tough to say, but sometimes we have to back up and ask forgiveness.
Never proceed with a terrible decision if it becomes evident you should have led otherwise. Instead, use the recovery as a time to demonstrate strength the best you can.
Respect people who trust you. It takes a lot for people to trust you, so treat leadership equity like precious porcelain.
It’s part of being a good shepherd.
This article on leadership equity originally appeared here, and is used by permission.
