This month I read 7 Ways to Lead by Andre Young. Andre Young has an interesting background, he wasn’t always in traditional business roles, in fact he started in sports and then spent almost two decades as a mental health therapist. I think more of us leaders should have a mental health background, simply because it helps us understand other people better as well as communicate with them more effectively. I thought it was a good book for anyone who is beginning the leadership and business journey, but there were also some really good points for those of us who have been on this path for quite some time and are discovering new or different challenges when it comes to being a leader.
I’m always interested to hear how different people define leadership, and that’s where he started the book. His definition of leadership is “the ability to influence, protect, impact, build and decide.” It’s a good reminder that leadership isn’t just one thing, can’t be defined as just one thing, and can’t be put in a very specific and exclusive box. It’s why the best and most memorable leaders can be known for different styles and strategies, while still loved and followed by lots of people. But Young’s definition of leadership also speaks to the responsibility that one has if they choose to be in a leadership position, that they have a responsibility to plan and act in a way that is proactive, caring, considerate, and courageous for both them and the people who follow them.
The book also showed Young’s positive attitude throughout. He definitely recognizes that there are issues and challenges every business owner and leader has to face, but that there’s always a choice with how we deal with or attack those challenges, and why would you want to deal with things in a ‘sky is falling’ type of attitude when you could choose to look for and work with the positive instead? One of the examples he used was with regard to the talent in your organization, and how you can choose to lean in to the talent that people bring to the table knowing that you may lose them, or you can choose to reject or hide that talent in fear of losing it. It’s a fact of life that people do move on and their dreams and ambitions change, so it’s almost silly to not tap into their talents and let them use them to the fullest of their ability while you do have them, rather than hiding or ignoring.
The third point I want to highlight is something that Young started back when he was a mental health therapist, and that’s to start off each relationship with a discussion about how as their therapist/leader/boss/manager there will probably come a time that they would have to have some hard discussions, and to ask them if they’re open to having that eventual discussion with him. I think it’s a great way to not only take responsibility for your position as a leader and show that you will be a true and active leader, and also open up the discussion to the other person and show them that you only want the best for your relationship together. I know how hard these discussions can be, and that we often avoid them. But by having this conversation at the beginning of the relationship, it establishes the foundational intention towards growth and health, and as long as you actually follow through with having those hard discussions, it can help you avoid many of the issues that are typically noted with regard to bad leadership.
Who are some of the people who have helped you become a better, stronger and healthier leader?