When I was young I wanted to be Clint Eastwood. Good, Bad and the Ugly.
Now I have a better dream. I want to teach people how to help others experience uncommon success in life. I want to teach others how to be strategic mentors.
Some people don’t fail in leadership as much as they get stuck.
I met a guy. I will call him Stu. Stu was having a hard time leading his team. It wasn’t that he was failing. He just wasn’t able to lead in a way that was making a difference. Big failure would look like a big mess. There would be problems everywhere. There might be some moral failure or rebellion. But that was not the problem for Stu. He is a good guy. But he was stuck in his leadership.
Stu’s problem is what that he had fallen into one of the five traps of a stuck leader. His problem was integrity. Remember that I have already pointed out that his problem was not a major moral failure. So, this isn’t an “impeachable offense” integrity issue. However, it is an integrity issue when Stu almost tells the truth about his world.
When Stu talks to his mentor about his finances. He almost tells the truth. He might give a balance for a checking or savings account. But he really doesn’t know what is in his accounts, but it is almost true.
When Stu talks about how he uses his time, he can point out how busy he is. But he doesn’t really have a good handle on how he uses his time. But it is almost true.
These are only a couple examples of how Almost True Stu is not really telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth to himself or those closest to him.
To keep my integrity with you, understand that Almost True Stu is a made-up character from my own experience and others with whom I have worked. The issue of incomplete integrity keeps some leaders from advancing in leading effectively.
Some of the areas where, less than full integrity, impacts leadership are finances, time, attitude, relationships, self-awareness, energy and strategic planning.
Of course, you can overcome being an Almost True Stu, but it usually requires some guidance along the way.
Questions:
1. Where are you almost telling the truth?
2. Why do you think a lack of integrity would cause a leader to get stuck?
3. How would you help an Almost True Stu, create healthier patterns in life?
Other traps of a stuck leader are out there as well. Next week, I will talk about another one of the characters I’ve been and/or met along the way. There is Conformin’ Norman, Bumper Car Carl, Wrong Wall Bob and of the most dangerous of all, Stay Back Jack.