August 18

The Flat Tire – An Opportunity for Leadership

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I was driving in the joyous traffic of Route 66 inside the Washington, DC beltway last week, and I witnessed something that inspired me.

Driving on 66 in rush hour is stop-and-go. It’s a gas mileage nightmare. Commuters don’t get very far, very fast. There’s plenty of time to take in the scenery. I saw a young man stranded by the side of the road with a flat tire. He was being assisted by one of the local VDOT (Virginia Department of Transportation) workers who had stopped to assist him.

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That sounds pretty routine, right? What really impressed me was that the worker stopped after every step and explained what he was going to do next, and checked back with the young man after he completed that step. He didn’t just do the work. He coached the young man in the process.

It sounds simple, but think about the difference in that young man’s life. The next time he runs into the same challenge, he will have better skills to overcome it. He will be better prepared to recognize the situation, what impact the challenge will have on him, and what resources he may need to get back on track. He’ll have these skills because he was coached, not coddled.

Isn’t this our role as leaders? In business, we should always assist those who need to improve their skills. Ineffective leaders just have expectations and give orders. A better approach is to assess the skills a team member needs to be successful, and where they need to improve. Remember, many times someone joins your team because they want to improve, not just hit a business goal. Improving skills in business and in life is a huge motivator for many people.

“Don’t wish it was easier. Wish you were better.” – Jim Rohn

Isn’t this our role as parents? Jim Fay and Foster W. Cline developed a program for parents and educators titled “Love and Logic.” The keynote presentation compares “helicopters, drill sergeants, and consultants.” These parenting techniques represent three different philosophies. Drill sergeants are just that. They are the “do this or else” parents. Helicopters hover over their children and do everything for them. They tie the untied shoe. They clean up the child’s room without involving the child. They do it all for the child.

Fay and Cline promote the idea of consulting parents. Parents provide a child with choices (and appropriate, accountable consequences). The child, through her action, makes the choice. The parents have to uphold the consequences. This becomes a learning experience for the child. She will have a better understanding of her action and the consequences the next time she is in this situation.

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Even coaches have coaches. Recognize that in order to help someone else improve, you must always be improving. Leaders have to build their own skills to help others build theirs. An effective leader embraces personal development, engages with like-minded individuals, attends events, and is constantly working on their own skill set. Leaders don’t allow a title to limit them, or to convince them that they have “made it” and have nothing else to learn.

 

What are you doing to improve your skills? Are you ready to fix that flat tire?

All the best,
nK

 


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@nick_kelly, coaching, flat tire, Jim Rohn, leadership, love and logic, Nick Kelly, nK


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