Coach with Compassion, Own the Mistake: Lessons from Great Leaders

Lessons from Great Leaders and Mentors As a manager, I learned a lot from truly remarkable leaders and mentors in my short time on Earth. They helped develop me into a better employee, manager, and future leader. Here are a few lessons that will help anyone in management, or anyone aspiring to be a good, moral leader. Coach with compassion It was in my first job after college that I encountered coaching. I was uncomfortable and highly skeptical. But coaching is a great tool. We all need help getting to a higher level of performance. That takes encouragement, realism about our capabilities, and continuous improvement of our skills. When both the manager and the employee understand and appreciate the purpose of coaching, that is when coaching truly begins. It’s personal. It draws attention to our faults and helps us become better. Great leaders don’t use fear as a tool. Fear shuts people down. Coach with compassion, because behind every problem is a human in need. Own it Whose fault is it? Doesn’t matter. If you’re the leader and it happens on your watch, own it. It makes you genuine and human. We all make mistakes. Don’t waste time on witch hunts or pointing fingers. It only makes you look petty. Everyone already knows whose fault it is. Be a leader and wholeheartedly own it. People are people I learned this from Carly Fiorina’s book. It doesn’t matter where you work. People will be people no matter what. No matter how high up the corporate ladder you go, people will misbehave, say and do mean things. Nothing is perfect The old proverb “practice makes perfect” is slightly misleading. Practice doesn’t make perfect. It makes your performance permanent and helps when you’re under pressure. Mistakes will happen. You’ll learn and become better. I’ve heard it many times: 80% is good enough. Stop fretting over getting it 100% perfect. Embrace the unknown It is when we are uncomfortable and awkward that we truly shine. For most of us, our work isn’t life and death. Don’t be afraid of trying something just because you might fail. If your idea doesn’t work, change your approach, modify your plan, and try again. Thomas Edison tried thousands of times before he got a practical light bulb. So try and try again. Don’t overpromise. Over-deliver One thing I’ve noticed as an employee: people boast about their abilities, overpromise results, and come up short. When you’re unrealistic about your skills and capabilities, you will underperform and greatly disappoint. Offer a realistic target. Then blow them away with results. Your soul is your own Be cautious and skeptical of people asking you to do things in return for favors. They might not be illegal, but they trend in the unethical zone. Everything in the dark eventually comes to light. You’ll tarnish your reputation, and people will see you in a different light. Ever wonder why unethical people want you to join them? They’ve sold their soul and can’t buy it back. So they want others to join their empty existence. Your soul is your own. Never sell it. #LessonsFromGreatLeaders