Are you collecting elephants?
Hi, everyone. Angus Pryor here, multi-award-winning practice growth specialist. I’m reading a book at the moment—well, in fact, I just finished this book by a guy called Patrick Lencioni. The book is called The Motive: Why So Many Leaders Abdicate Their Most Important Responsibilities. This is especially for you if you’ve got any kind of leadership role.
Now, you might think, “What’s this got to do with collecting elephants?” Ever heard the expression “elephant in the room”? Let me mention one of the key points from this book. One of the main responsibilities of a leader is to confront difficult, awkward issues quickly and with clarity, charity, and resolve. Lencioni talks about everything from employees’ annoying mannerisms to poisonous personal dynamics, politics, and more.
The point he makes is that if you don’t address these issues, you risk jeopardising the success of the team and the organisation as a whole. Now, I get it—sometimes it’s hard to address those concerns. But the fact is, according to Patrick Lencioni, who’s had a consulting business for the past 30 years, this is one of the top issues that leaders need to address, and many don’t.
Why don’t we do it? Oh, it could be a bit awkward. It could be, you know, uncomfortable. We just want everyone to be happy and to get on with each other. But the fact is, those little things can start to add up, can’t they? One of the things I’ve learned as a manager—and I’ve been managing people for over 20 years now—is that if you let something slide with one employee, it makes the good employees think, “Why should I work hard? You’re not addressing that problem or that person. So why should I be the one?” And that is something you definitely don’t want.
So, remember: responsibility means confronting difficult, awkward issues quickly and with clarity, charity, and resolve.
Are you collecting elephants? I hope not. See you next time!