Leadership Notes -- Thoughts on Leading People and Making a Difference in Organizations
Word count this issue: 335
Estimated reading time: 1.45 minutes
Good morning from a smokey south coast of British Columbia.Â
Two conversations with mentors this week struck me. The first, walking down the street Sunday, I mentioned reconnecting with someone with whom we both have worked. My mentor said, quietly, 'oh, so and so is so ticked off with me. I said no to a request they made.' Then he paused and said, 'actually these days, he's not alone, there are a few people ticked off with me.' Â We then both chuckled when I said, 'yeah, welcome to leadership!'
The second conversation, with another mentor involved him quoting a mentor of his, 'if you want to be able respond responsibly to a given situation, do not let self pity and blame get in the way.'
Three things have got me thinking after these two amazing conversations.
1. The importance and power of mentors, we all need a Dumbledore or a Morpheus in our lives! If you don't have one, invite one into your life. I'm so fortunate to have a couple. I also honour their mentors, whose voices I hear echoed down to me.
2. Real leadership is not about being liked, it is about being respected. This is one of the most difficult lessons we learn as emerging leaders. People will be ticked off, and you need to be able to chuckle and know that they are confusing being ticked off with you with actually being ticked off with the decision you made.Â
3. Then, you need to get on with the work at hand; self pity and blame are ways of deflecting reality away from ourselves. While they may work for a short period to help us through a dark time, real healing happens when we can move beyond them and see our own responsibility in the given situation.
May this week be filled with mentor moments for all of us.