START YOUR WEEK WITH THE COACH
“How is your balance today?”
Balance people and tasks in your leadership role. Tasks, deadlines, clocks, calendars, projects and events all create a demand.
If you don’t prioritize and handle those demands well they will keep you from making an emotional connection with people, the key to great leadership!
Task-oriented people generally “think” about things, including relationships. People-oriented people generally “feel” about things including tasks.
The misinterpretation of intent that often comes from this simple difference in perspective and approach can create some pretty intense conflicts. Task-oriented people can think that people-oriented people are not rational.
People-oriented people can feel that task-oriented people don’t care. And both assumptions are often wrong.
You can’t lead people if you don’t reach their minds and hearts. You can’t influence their behavior if it doesn’t make sense to them and you don’t provide inspirational leadership. Trying to inspire people with whom you have no mental and emotional connection is usually a waste of time, energy and resources.
Great leaders never seemed pressured or in a hurry. Their mission never takes president over people because they know people are their mission. They never use people to fulfill the vision. They use the vision to develop great team members.
Leadership is about developing people through relational equity. Management is about getting things done through people. Great leaders know the difference and never confuse them.
It always works better if you reach the hearts and minds of your team members before you ask them for the production of their hands and feet.
How is your balance between tasks and people? Would your team members agree?