The Leadership Joyride. Phase 2-Jesus take the wheel.

So you decide to have a go at this thing called leadership. You are generous and you need to show everyone how it should be done…..

It hits you, within the first 5 minutes of getting behind the wheel, that you are dealing with a machine that just doesn’t like you. It does not help matters that the driving instructor is a no nonsense, condescending human being. His orders are staccato. “Engage the gear! Step the clutch! Not the brake, the clutch! Now step on the accelerator. Not that hard! Brake! Brake! Brake! Brake..”

You are sweating and fighting hard not to cry .How does anyone keep sane in this madness?. And that is just starting the car. There is the story of taking your eyes off the road to check your mirrors and the delicate balance while you go uphill. Don’t get me started on the nightmare of overtaking other cars. You don’t even remember that the car has a radio but your heart is frantically singing, Carrie Underwood’s;

“Jesus, take the wheel Take it from my hands 'Cause I can't do this on my own. I'm letting go……”

You are sweating and fighting hard not to cry .How does anyone keep sane in this madness?. And that is just starting the car. There is the story of taking your eyes off the road to check your mirrors and the delicate balance while you go uphill. Don’t get me started on the nightmare of overtaking other cars. You don’t even remember that the car has a radio but your heart is frantically singing, Carrie Underwood’s;

“Jesus, take the wheel Take it from my hands 'Cause I can't do this on my own. I'm letting go……”

You soon realize that leadership is a never-ending choice between;
  • Delivery and relationships-You have to push( sometimes even threaten 😊) your team to deliver while maintaining a good relationship with them.
  • Telling and coaching-You must overcome the temptation to just bark orders and not tease the answers from the team through questioning.
  • Intrusiveness and Indifference-You must ask just the right questions to understand the individual’s wellbeing without making them feel like you are “crossing lines”
  • Vulnerability and Boundaries-You need to be open and relatable with your team while at the same time maintaining boundaries.
  • Subtlety and Candor-You must filter feedback from management to your team in ways they can understand while at the same time being direct and take care to address the “issue” and not “person”. Sigh.
  • Controlling and micromanaging-To overcome the temptation to just take over and instead understand how competent and committed everyone is before you can delegate. 
The list is endless and for each of these choices, the wrong one sends you hurtling into an electric pole. And not forgetting that you now have your own “Scrubs” who are happily dishing out a daily dose of your own medicine.

You now have two choices;
1. To throw in the towel and brave the taunting from your “Scrubs” and the utter humiliation of failing.
2. To brave the process and allow yourself to learn.
If you choose number one, Our journey ends here.
If you choose number two, Sit tight for phase 3

© Brendah, a People Addikt

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