“Are People Getting Better Because They Work With You?”
For a long time, I was very good at getting things done. Give me a problem, and I would solve it. Give me a goal, and I would find a way to reach it. That reputation helped me move forward in my career, but eventually I was was faced operational problem.
I was an excellent manager, but I wasn’t always a great leader.
Early in my career at Hilton, I didn’t think deeply about leadership. I was focused on results and probably worried that people would figure out I didn’t know what I was doing. At Marriott, I began to understand how much that insecurity was affecting the way I worked with people.
One experience made that especially clear. I learned that a food and beverage manager was afraid I was coming to his property because he had heard about my reputation. He had heard that I never find anything right, and was prepared to hear that everything he was doing was wrong.
That’s the kind of feedback that stays with you. I had built a reputation for getting things done, but along the way I had also damaged relationships. Once I recognized that, I started paying more attention to how I was leading, not just what I was accomplishing.
Learning better time management helped. A manager thinks they have to do everything themselves. A leader hires the right people, delegates, and lets them do their jobs without micromanaging. When you make this shift you’ll notice your stress decreases. You will also become more aware of how your behavior affects everyone around you.
By the time I was at Disney, I had built relationships with people who were comfortable telling me the truth. Someone on my team could say, “I don’t think you’re making the right decision,” and instead of becoming defensive, I could listen.
That kind of relationship takes time, trust, and confidence. It can also keep you out of trouble.
Management and leadership are two ladders you climb at the same time. You need to deliver results, but you also need to keep asking yourself how you’re affecting the people helping you achieve them. One of the best questions a leader can ask is, “are people getting better because they work with you?”
Don’t just think about what your team accomplishes. Think about who they are becoming along the way.
Resources
Travel Guidance
Magical Vacation Planners are my preferred travel advisors. Reach out to have them help plan your next vacation. You can reach them at 407-442-2694.
Episode Chapters
[00:56] What Lee Once Believed About Leadership
[03:32] Learning Through Experience and Self-Awareness
[05:34] Developing Management and Leadership Together
[08:26] The Experiences That Changed Lee’s Leadership
[11:13] How to Become a Better Leader
