Preparation alleviates the need to assume.
Rudy Guiliani says it like this, “I realized that preparation – thus eliminating the need to make assumptions – was the single most important key to success, no matter what the field. Leaders may possess brilliance, extraordinary vision, fate, even luck. Those help; but no one, no matter how gifted, can perform without careful preparation, thoughtful experimentation, and determined follow-through.”
One of the biggest mistakes I’ve made as a leader is to assume.
Some reasons why I have assumed:
- I have trusted those around me too much. Hey, bottom line is that at the end of the day, as the leader, I am responsible! Ronald Reagan got it right when he said, “Trust but verify.” Some of my greatest leadership screw-ups have happened when I assumed without verification that expectations were being met. While this is NOT a call to micromanage, it IS a call to clarify expectations and verify that they are being met.
- I was overly/foolishly confident in my ability to “wing it.” I am fairly articulate and therefore have at times been too confident in my ability to verbalize my way through things. I’ve trusted too much in that ability in the past. John Maxwell says “Charisma will get you through the door, but character will keep you there.” I think the same thing is true of preparation and leadership… the ability to present well may get you in the leadership door, but it is preparation that will keep you there.
- It requires intense focus to thoroughly prepare. I have a hard time focusing on one topic for an extended period of time. Too often I have allowed my proneness to distraction to determine the extent of my leadership preparation. This is not an excuse. Effective, high-impact, long-haul leadership requires an attention to detail. If you have ADHD (or whatever) learn how to chunk up the preparation time, but do not forsake preparation!
- I did not recognize the value of pro-active leadership. One of the best gifts a leader can give his/her organization is preparedness BEFORE it is needed! Too many leaders spend too much time playing “catch-up.” Preparedness gives the leader a leg-up on the unexpected! I like to say that you can only call an audible if you’ve practiced! In other words, be ready before you need to be so that when you need to be you are!
- I did not know how to effectively prepare. Hey, bottom line, most of the time the leader is simply the first person into the unknown! How does one prepare for the unknown? A couple of ideas: 1) maximum preparation for the known; 2) continual learning from those who have ventured into the unknown (much of this learning will come be cross organizational); 3) a willingness to admit mistakes and make adjustments as needed.
How about you? Do you assume to much as a leader? Has it hurt you? What lessons have you learned about preparation?
Filed under: What I've learned from books, leadership
your 5 points are powerful when given enough time to ponder them. I especially like the pro-active one. As leaders we often see a potential problem coming and sit back hoping that we’re wrong (that it’ll just blow over). But we’d be wiser to head it off at the pass. This is hardest when the potential problem has a relational component (don’t they all)…