Have you ever had a dog who always wanted to follow you, but absolutely had to be in the lead? They are pulling the leash but constantly looking back to see which direction you want to go. Occasionally stopping, causing you to trip. We have a dog like that, and her name is Katy. No matter where you go in the house she’s right there following you in front, and constantly causing you to trip over her. She hasn’t figured out that she can walk along your side, behind you or take the lead and decide where she wants to go. But not all three at the same time. With dogs the visual is kind of funny. Unfortunately in business it’s not.
You’ve all seen this type of leader. The one who has to be in charge, who has to direct a meeting and who loves the prestige of Management. But instead of guiding their team forward, they are constantly looking back trying to figure out what the team expects them to do. They can’t decide between being the dog in front or the one holding the leash.
If you sometime feel that may be you, it’s okay if you don’t know exactly where you need to go. At those times, you need to put your team out in front leading the way. You should be there holding the leash, setting constraints and helping to steer the team. The key is knowing who needs to be in front, and that just because you’re in front does not mean you are more valuable or more important. Many of the best leaders are the ones enable their teams to excel.
So the next time you find yourself trying to lead while looking back, maybe you should turn around, switch directions, and let your team help make the next step possible.
