Leadership Credibility: Big Hat, No Cattle
“Big Hat, No Cattle. Often I wondered what might I have become, had I but buckled down and really tried.” - Randy Newman, Composer/Singer
Credibility is critical to sustained success as a leader. We all want to be respected for what we know and not be perceived as a big hat with no cattle. Earning this respect requires humility, a strategic point of view, and decisive language.
I remember serving on a panel to interview candidates for a key leadership position. We interviewed a candidate whose professional appearance, smile, resume, and upbeat personality were very impressive. However, his interview responses were often shallow with no specific examples. He was not selected and one of the interviewers stated in the recap session “he is a mile wide and an inch deep”. We agreed the candidate was all talk and no action.
Have you ever had the feeling that people question your credibility? You may not have had your credibility challenged directly; many times the observation is made in your absence. The key is to understand the perception and look for opportunities to modify your approach.
Three steps to build credibility:
Humility
Assess how you project self-confidence through 360 feedback or personal observations – particularly from peers and mentors. For example, you may painfully learn you are perceived to be an ambitious self-promoter with little substance. The remedy to reset this perception is putting others first and receiving regular feedback.
Strategic Point of View
Leaders are not expected to know all the details. Our credibility is not diminished by “I don’t know” but by fabricating answers that ruin our reputation. Project a strategic point of view by demonstrating high level understanding of issues, awareness of how tactical issues connect to overall strategy, and having a network of resources to tap when needed.
Decisive Language
Choosing our words carefully, stating “I know” v. “I think” encourages others to speak up. An effective technique when facing difficult questions is to reply “I don’t know the answer to your specific question, but what I do know is ...”. People expect honesty, candor, and hope from their leaders – critical elements to build trust.
As we learned in the rejected interview candidate example, a charming personality is no substitute for leadership credibility. A simple test - do others contact you regularly for your expertise, or are you dependent on others for job details you should know?
Check your ego, focus on the bigger picture, and let your words inspire others to do their very best.
Todd
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Know Someone Who is a People Pleaser?
Career Warning: The People Pleaser
“I can’t tell you the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everyone”. - Ed Sheeran, English Songwriter/Singer
Ask any leader "are you a people pleaser?" and the instinctive response is a resounding NO. After all, leaders are expected to define reality and tell it like it is. But what if in the shadows of a perceived strong leadership image lurks a tendency to tell people what they want to hear - not what they need to know?
Consistently withholding bad news or sugar coating the truth to please others, particularly your superiors, can lead to career derailment. Don't get me wrong, I understand the need to please others to promote a positive workplace. Leaders must balance their personal need to support others with telling it like it is.
Years ago I was enjoying a round of golf with three other leaders at a conference. One of the leaders shared a golf cart with his boss and repeatedly shouted "great putt" even when his boss missed by a mile. Finally, the boss lost his patience and said "stop patronizing me!" This attempt to please resulted in a moment of truth that did not have a happy ending.
Early in my career I was involved in a promotion decision involving one of my direct reports. He was judged ready by others but I had reservations. I deferred to others as I worried what they would think of me if shared a different opinion. I left that meeting ashamed and wondering why I had no courage.
People pleaser - guilty as charged.
We may be conditioned at an early age to be cooperative and suspend criticism to promote harmony. While this is probably causing a flashback to your childhood, the irony is successful organizations need leaders to inspire candor and constructive conflict to encourage innovation and collaboration in a dynamic workplace.
The three keys to manage people pleasing behavior:
Priorities establish the boundaries to promote effectiveness. Successful leaders have a point of view and assert their message with an attitude of mutual respect. Stop basing your self-worth as a leader on how others perceive you. The high performing leader understands the need to fulfill their intrinsic need to help others but not at the expense of compromising higher priorities. We are expected to make difficult decisions and not just run for cover.
Finally, follow the practice of under promise and over deliver to build long-term credibility. Today’s workplace is loaded with non-priority, poorly analyzed requests. We admire leaders who patiently evaluate and do the right thing - the right way, the right time, all the time.
Pleasing others is often the path of least resistance. Resist the path by promoting what is important, learning through resistance, and executing the right results. Your reward is earning the trust and respect of others which pays dividends for many years to come.
Todd
“I can’t tell you the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everyone”. - Ed Sheeran, English Songwriter/Singer
Ask any leader "are you a people pleaser?" and the instinctive response is a resounding NO. After all, leaders are expected to define reality and tell it like it is. But what if in the shadows of a perceived strong leadership image lurks a tendency to tell people what they want to hear - not what they need to know?
Consistently withholding bad news or sugar coating the truth to please others, particularly your superiors, can lead to career derailment. Don't get me wrong, I understand the need to please others to promote a positive workplace. Leaders must balance their personal need to support others with telling it like it is.
Years ago I was enjoying a round of golf with three other leaders at a conference. One of the leaders shared a golf cart with his boss and repeatedly shouted "great putt" even when his boss missed by a mile. Finally, the boss lost his patience and said "stop patronizing me!" This attempt to please resulted in a moment of truth that did not have a happy ending.
Early in my career I was involved in a promotion decision involving one of my direct reports. He was judged ready by others but I had reservations. I deferred to others as I worried what they would think of me if shared a different opinion. I left that meeting ashamed and wondering why I had no courage.
People pleaser - guilty as charged.
We may be conditioned at an early age to be cooperative and suspend criticism to promote harmony. While this is probably causing a flashback to your childhood, the irony is successful organizations need leaders to inspire candor and constructive conflict to encourage innovation and collaboration in a dynamic workplace.
The three keys to manage people pleasing behavior:
- Know and assert your priorities
- Worry about what you are thinking vs. what others think of you
- Move from a service to leadership mindset
Priorities establish the boundaries to promote effectiveness. Successful leaders have a point of view and assert their message with an attitude of mutual respect. Stop basing your self-worth as a leader on how others perceive you. The high performing leader understands the need to fulfill their intrinsic need to help others but not at the expense of compromising higher priorities. We are expected to make difficult decisions and not just run for cover.
Finally, follow the practice of under promise and over deliver to build long-term credibility. Today’s workplace is loaded with non-priority, poorly analyzed requests. We admire leaders who patiently evaluate and do the right thing - the right way, the right time, all the time.
Pleasing others is often the path of least resistance. Resist the path by promoting what is important, learning through resistance, and executing the right results. Your reward is earning the trust and respect of others which pays dividends for many years to come.
Todd
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