Leadership Caffeine™—In Praise of Mistakes Made for the Right Reasons
Show me a mistake-free leader, and I'll show you someone hiding from the real issues confronting the business: people and strategy.
Show me a mistake-free leader, and I'll show you someone hiding from the real issues confronting the business: people and strategy.
After many years of leading and now several years of working with aspiring and experienced leaders in all manner of industries and cultures, I remain convinced that most individuals lack proper context for their role as leaders. The great leaders at all levels understand that they have a unique responsibility and unique power to adapt and form their working environment to the unique circumstances at a point in time. Less effective leaders allow the environment to form around the wrong issues including ego (theirs) and petty politics. The lessons of Pixar are hard-won and the outcomes visible to all. You would be well served to listen, learn and apply some of Mr. Catmul’s wisdom to your environment.
From the same organization that brought you this enlightened sales manager and his timeless advice on how to prosper: "The only way that you will succeed on my team is if you are married to the job," and "The reason that I am not in any family vacation pictures is because I'm on the phone. If I'm in the picture, you can be sure I have a blackberry stuck to my ear," is back with: "The problem with you is that you care too much about people." I love this organization. There are very few other places where a simple phone call offers me a priceless quote on really bad ideas from lousy leaders.