Years ago I remember coming up with the idea of meeting with all of my employees once a month. Although I was a little green when it came to leading an organization, I knew I needed to do everything I could to engage the team with our company vision.
Another reason for the meetings was for me to take time to grow leaders up and down the organization’s ranks. I strongly believed the more leaders we had on the team, the more ownership everyone would take in their individual responsiblities and this would ultimately create a superior product for our clients.
As I look back on those meetings one thing I often feared was conflict and differing opinions.
I know today fear of conflict and the inability to handle it is the cardinal downfall of anyone’s chances of becoming an effective leader.
I had a policy in these meetings that all teammates could ask any question they would like and I would answer it to the best of my ability. Today I can look back and point to those meetings as a key accelerator in my leadership abilities because I had to be on my toes and be prepared to effectively address all questions in a considerate (understanding) and courageous (willing to be understood) way.
What started as meetings for me to engage the team and grow leaders ended up enhancing my engagement with the team and added to my growth as a leader.
Today I often tell leaders to do first what they fear the most because until you master your greatest fear you will never master leadership and most leaders fear conflict.
The only way an organization will grow effectively is when the leader is open to others’ thoughts even when those thoughts do not align with the leader’s.
How well do you handle conflict? Do you run from it or do you view it as an important element in effectively growing an organization?
P.E.A.C.E.
Jay@EagleLaunch.com
James 1:19, “Know this my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.”
