Mark of a Leader: An Olympic Mindset
The following is a random collection of thoughts on leadership in the spirit of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.
Seeing all these athletes giving their very best should remind us of something important. As leaders, we are developing the second and third layers of leadership- in different ways. There are sprinters, marathon runners, weight lifters, and still some others who are trying to figure out how to throw a javelin or shot put.
We must ask ourselves how we can develop world-class leaders who, like these Olympic champions, can win gold, silver, and bronze for the organisations we lead.
Wrestling Match
It can be instructive to watch a wrestling match at the Olympic Games. The secret to winning a wrestling match lies in maintaining a distance between ourselves and our opponents. To be defensive, we must control and create our space, so that our opponent’s blows will not be able to touch us easily. Next, we can decide to attack and get closer to our opponent. In this way, we will also be able to reduce the impact of our opponent’s blows.
In the same manner, as leaders, we need to decide the distance and the freedom that we need to maintain and give to our colleagues whom we are developing.
If we are too controlling, then we will control the outcome of our organisations as well. If our organisations cannot function without us, then we are the limiting factor in our organisations. Our organisations will not grow beyond us. We are the ceiling, limiting the growth potential of our organisations.
Understanding the dynamics of maintaining distance with opponents in wrestling and relating it to the concept of leadership shows our willingness to learn and grow from various experiences.
Delegation
If we delegate tasks, then we will create followers. But, if we dare to delegate authority, then we will create leaders. Look at an organisation. If their second and third layers are weak, then one can be sure that the organisation has a very controlling leadership structure.
Having a solo top-down approach kills creativity and innovation, and we will end up with a pile of dead bones. Encourage your colleagues to exercise their creativity and innovation, to solve the challenges faced by the organisation. Allow them to colour outside the lines of so-called conventional knowledge and accepted best practices to create new solutions to persisting problems.
Trust
Sport psychology says that trust between the athlete and coach is vital to winning medals. The same applies to leaders: if we do not trust them, our best leaders will eventually leave our organisations.
The extent to which we trust our future leaders, to that level, we will be able to create world-class leaders. If we do not trust and empower our potential leaders, then these potential future leaders will leave our organisations and our organisations will never be the same again. Because trust is the currency of an organisation’s progress.
During the Paris Olympic Games 2024, take some time to check out for yourself how great teams win the Olympic Games. As leaders, none of us is indispensable. We do not have knowledge on everything. We do not have all the right connections. We do not have all the right talents, gifts, moves or strategies. Yet, we can make a huge difference in our sector and in the arena where we have been placed, if we have the winning attitude that we are only good players in a great team. As a leader, your attitude, which is outside the line, is your cutting-edge!
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