Where Do You Stand....?

Where do you fit in with the age old adage?
LEAD-- FOLLOW-- or GET OUT OF THE WAY

Are you doing what you can to lead? Are you putting forth the effort to demonstrate you are willing to lead....willing to make the tough decisions--even if unpopular? Making the easy call is NOT being a leader...making the ones that may be unpopular, (but none the less best for the Org.), are tough but needed. Are you willing to change "your" idea/plan to make room for better ideas? Do you allow room for negotiations...do you invite in an alternate view in order to arrive at the best answer? Or do you hold fast only to your idea? ...or

Do you follow....are you supportive of those who do are willing to lead?...or perhaps you're one that smiles and nods your head when you are around a supervisor acknowledging agreement and then head back to your work space to criticize every word that they said? Or are you one that provides the support both in word and deed that respects the word and direction of your leadership. ...or

Are you trying to get out of the way? Just buying time, hoping the issue passes without you having to break a sweat. Do you try to keep things nice and orderly in your corner of the world---don’t rock my boat. I've heard it said MORE than once---"laying low", "trying not to be noticed..." I just don’t see how that is productive, nor do I think that is what the Org is paying for.

Well I'm willing to say that I want and need two of the previously mentioned folks on my teams; well intentioned leaders and supportive followers. Anyone else has a detrimental effect on the progress of the Org.

I like Leaders---those who lead for the good of the cause. Those who are looking for ways to challenge and improve beyond where and what we are today. I favor those who are willing to make a stand because it is the RIGHT thing to do---not just because it's an easy thing to do. Positions of leadership are not easy. Frequently they may be unpopular due to decisions that may vary from popular opinion or perhaps they have made a decision that didn't make it "easy" for others. If the decision is based upon what is right, then the decision is proper. I don't expect everyone to fully understand that line of thinking....I'll tell you why.

It's in part a matter of perspective, your view of the world and the situation. Not everyone can fully comprehend, nor appreciate, the sheer magnitude of being a good Leader. Throughout my life I have been blessed with reasonably good promotions and new challenges. Each time I progressed "up the ladder" I saw things in a different light. i.e. When I first started back in 1982, my task was to mow grass, camouflage blinds, check in waterfowl hunters and manage water manipulations on ONE Conservation area. That was my world.

I took on another job that involved similar tasks, but on several areas and now required that I supervise the work of others. Wow, my eyes opened considerably--I not only had to worry about me, but now about others and their struggles. Then I moved on again to take on responsibility for people and programs for an entire District---now even more things to consider. Competing thoughts, wants, desires. I had more people to be concerned with. My world grew some more.

Next I was provided the opportunity to supervise and manage a number of Conservation Areas in several counties. Then I moved on to providing my services and oversight of 1/3 of the state. Talk about an eye opener! My view had changed...what used to be important to me locally, now had to be evaluated on a much larger scale.

Skipping ahead, now my responsibilities include management and supervisor of a number of people, programs, and projects for the entire state. My perspective has grown even more. No longer can I consider just what is important to one small area or person in the State. I must consider what is best for the entire State---make my decision based upon the "greater good"...not just what is good for one small part of it. Yep, your decisions and perspective does change--I can vouch for that. It has too...but if you haven't experienced those leaps or in some other way gained that insight....likely you will continue to view and make your decisions based upon you own little view of the world.

Now, back to the point---Leaders make the call based upon the greater good---not what is happening in a small corner of the Org or what is best for one person. It must be bigger than that. At times, those decisions may be unpopular and perhaps some cannot even comprehend why that decision would have been made to start with....but perhaps that person should expand their horizons and try to look at it from another perspective.

And of course those who are defined as followers (supporters) are a good thing too. One who follows another typically does so for two reasons: 1) no other choice and 2) because they support the direction and decision of the Leader. I want the latter on this Team. I desire those who are willing to put in the sweat equity to make the program better. We don't need robots or zombies who blindly follow along. We need THINKING supporters who will do what it takes to make us successful...AND who are willing to speak up and offer suggestions and ideas to make it even better.

As for the "get out of the way" folks....they are just that...a hindrance. A road block to success and those folks are obvious to everyone, not just the Leader(s). Their time is short lived unless they decide to get off of dead center and take a position and join the TEAM.

We have a very bright future in the IT arena within this Org. I'm excited about the future technology tools that we can and will bring to bear. But it will take committed, fully engaged, supportive followers and Leaders to bring it all together. I, for one have signed up for that challenge....What Say You?

TAFN