More "yesses" to the opportunities you seek. Because the decisions made about you and your future will still happen in rooms you're not in, but the people in those rooms will tell the story YOU want told.
What do you want to be wanted for?
Take the time to question, "What makes a good leader?" You'll get a list of expectations and requirements that seem almost impossible to manifest.
Here's what I believe to be true about leadership and why the Prince showed he had the right ingredients.
As you read each idea, I take a moment to remember the people you consider to be good leaders. Who are the people you'd work with again and again?
Every good executive has a framework that is authentically theirs. Like a coach on the athletic field, they have a playbook—one they share with everyone creating confidence and empowering others. They're consistent with HOW they think.
Every good executive understands they can't be the perfect leader for everyone. Work is rarely a one-size-fits-all type of place. The best executives learn when to step aside and let someone else mentor their team members. Just because someone reports to you doesn't mean they have to be your advisor. Better yet, they understand they only play part of a role for their team and actively recruit other executives to participate. They know that ambitions are often a group effort and even more so with individuals.
Every good executive can give a compelling pitch for why each team member is critical to the organization's future. And yes, I'm talking about more than the "So-and-so is great at getting things done." They can articulate how their team thinks as much as they do. They recognize that their role is to make it easier for other teams and people to opt into their group.
Every good executive knows when they need to be a coach (someone who shows the way), a patron (someone who shows the potential), or an investor (someone who shows other people why) to their team members. They recognize and adjust their approach based on confidence levels and the possibility of potential. They innately see when it's the right time to step aside and let their team member take the lead.
Fundamentally, the modern executive understands that the asset in a company they're ultimately responsible for improving is future time. Their time, their team member's time, because the thing we're all opting into is future time.
EXPERIMENT
Do you know how people tell the tale of the Future You?
And no, I'm not referencing a 360 or a conversation about your strengths and weaknesses. I'm talking about how other people talk about you in the "room you're not in."
Identify 4-5 people who've consistently opted into the Future You.
Ask them these 2 questions:
How do you describe my value to others when I'm not in the room?
How are you ambitious for me?
When you have your answers, ask yourself:
Were the answers what you expected them to say? - they should be.
Were they consistent? - they should be.
Were they want you wanted them to say? - they should.
If your answers to any of my follow-up questions are no. We should chat.
AMPLIFY
Challenge your team to complete the experiment for themselves.
And something for you to consider as I’ve found people’s fear of the answers will have them hide behind the questions. Add a constraint around who they can ask.
They can only ask one peer.
They must ask you. - so be prepared to answer.
They must ask one former manager.
They cannot include a family member.
They should ask a manager (at least one level up) in a different department.
They should ask someone who scares them but inspires them.
Lastly, don’t consider it a failure on their part if they don’t complete this exercise. If they can’t do it (or won’t), it’s because they’re afraid of the answers.
INVEST
Want more information about the Executive Future You Experience?