Leaders Tip: Be Clear
What’s more important than being certain about the direction you’re going? That’s our topic for today…
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Hey Guys, it’s Dave Frederick and this week’s Leader’s Tip is simple. As a leader you need to be clear even when you are not certain. One of the biggest things that hinders and organization from accomplishing what it could, is that the Leaders aren’t clear on where they are going or on why they want to go there.
So the most common leadership mistakes around, I know I am guilty of it many times, we just aren’t clear with our people about what we want to see happen. Sometimes that is because of a lack of communication skills. More often though, I think it is because we aren’t sure that we’re right. If we’re not sure we’re right about that direction we tend to hedge our bets by being vague. But that almost guarantees that nothing will happen, at least nothing of real importance. As a Leader we need to push past the fear that we aren’t right.
Setting direction and casting direction always has a subjective aspect to it. It seldom, if ever a case of being right or wrong, we aren’t talking about morale issues here. So even if you aren’t absolutely sure you’re right, you owe it to your people to be clear, to be as clear as possible. You can even acknowledge that you aren’t absolutely sure it’s the perfect answer or the right direction. And you can acknowledge that a case can be made for something else, that’s fine. Cause it’s true. But at the end of the day, if you’re the leader, you have to make a call.
You have to set a direction and you have to be clear about it. People may disagree with you, but they should have no doubt about what they are disagreeing with. Now let me be clear again, I’m not saying you have to insist that you are right. Clarity isn’t certainty, that’s not the issue and it’s not helpful to focus on that. But if you believe your church or organization is supposed to focus on reaching out to your community, for example. You have to be clear about that.
Be clear about where you are going, why you are going there and how you’re going to get there. If people disagree, that’s fine, it doesn’t mean they are bad people, and it doesn’t mean that you are wrong. Just don’t let them be confused because then nothing will happen either good or bad, and both your people and you will be frustrated. So be clear even when you are not certain, you’ll be amazed at the difference it will make.
Amen, Brother! Humility + Clarity … I like it!
Thanks Sean!
Thanks for this reminder. I’m at a point when this fact is important for the way forward. God bless you.
I’m glad it came at the right time!