The Newsletter dedicated to Managers and Business Owners

No Such Thing As A Perfect Leader

The word “Leader” is very much in vogue today.

First, it was administration, then management, then executive, and now it’s leader. But no matter what you call it, the paradigm is the same.

An important thing to remember when being a leader of your team is that there is no such thing as a perfect leader. It’s ok (and actually very healthy) for us to admit, and be conscious of, our weaknesses.

It is natural for all of us to be imperfect with our strengths and weaknesses, and it’s what makes us so unique as individuals.

You might be asking yourself at this point, “why is all of this so important?”

Well, in order for us to have good relationships with people around us, it is important to note what each person brings to the table.

For example, when many of us got married, we married our weaknesses. My wife (God bless her) is a solid rock in everything I lack. When I got married I joined a complimentary team and as a manager that is exactly what you have at your workplace…a complimentary team.

Differences are genius in that it takes all kinds of people to make the perfect and well-rounded team.

You see, a good team is like your hand. We have five fingers and they all need to be different to execute different functions. Imagine if we only had five pointer fingers.

It’s funny because in the Middle East if you show someone your hand, and your fingers are apart, it’s considered a curse. If they are together, it’s considered a blessing.

Only a two inch variation in your fingers is the difference between a curse and a blessing, and guess what, a small variation in the way you lead can determine a curse or a blessing for your business.

Be A Thumb

This is where you come in. You are the thumb.

The thumb is the only finger that works with every other finger. If you have an accident and lose your thumb, they actually take one of your other fingers and make a thumb out of it. Because without the thumb you have no hand, only fingers.

So now the question becomes, “how do I become a thumb?”.

Anyone can lead in bad times because things have to be done, but how are you leading in the good times and without pressure?

Good leaders are good leaders regardless of good and bad times.

How can you make all of these differences work together?

To answer that, I want you to think about something…

Why do some conflicts in life result in hate and some in deep understanding, love, and trust?

Conflict has the great capability to get us thinking as sharply as we possibly can. You really start to think hard when someone disagrees with you, not when they agree with you.

In this context, disagreement is extremely healthy.

Now, how do you keep disagreement in your team healthy?

The answer is very simple: trust and respect.

What is respect, or more importantly, what is the essence of respect?

The great philosopher Emmanuel Kant put it best when he said, “respect means to recognize the sovereignty of the other person to be different”.

This is understood as the undeniable right of the other person to think differently.

Many times in an argument we say things like, “how can you say that?!?” This is a completely disrespectful thing to say, but we are never aware of it.

Respect is giving someone the space to disagree, to be an individual, and get other people thinking.

Trust is when you believe and have faith that the other person has your best interest at heart.

An important point to remember as a leader is that people respect people that they learn from.

This is your role as a leader, and as a leader you have to create this and be honest about not being perfect.

How do you achieve this great leadership?

By creating and nurturing a culture of mutual trust and respect.

If you want to be successful, surround yourself with people that are skilled at healthy argument and not just a bunch of “yes men”.

Borrow from the genius of others and they will love you for it. They will feel like they are contributing and you will have their trust and respect.

Do this, and you will be more perfect than most.