The last few years have been a rollercoaster with many ups and downs. I've been in several leadership roles, had to deal with bankruptcies (not mine :-) ), acted like a chameleon transitioning between roles (Strategic Director, CTO, Marketing Director, ... and finally CEO at FORWARD together with Bruno Braes ) and stepped in for colleagues leaving the company. A few days before I will turn 41, I wondered: "What did I learn about leadership? And how can I improve?" It's with a lot of humility that I share these insights. I would love to hear your feedback, tips, stories, ... as well.
As a leader you sometimes wonder: Am I performing at my best? Am I really making an impact for the team? Do I act correctly and with integrity in all difficult circ*mstances? Hard enough when it's needed? Do I give my team enough space to grow while also being there to gently guide? Do I dare to say 'no' enough even when it's not always 'pleasing' everyone while at the same time saying 'yes' enough to bold ideas that can take us to the next level? I sometimes wonder.
There are things however I learned, while knowing there is still plenty room to grow and improve. Below I'll share some lessons I learned, many times the hard way.
1. Lead by example
I know, it's a cliché. But nothing is more true than this. How can you expect your team to behave in a certain way when you're not even willing to demonstrate these traits yourself?
Both at FORWARD and at eventplanner.net I wrote manifesto's. These documents are in my opinion a must have for every company. They explain the key values of the culture and give direction. Over time they helped me multiple times to make the right, but sometimes difficult decisions. You can find our manifesto's here:
Seeing our Head of Culture Dempsey Giunta translating our manifesto into a culture carried by +100 talented tribe members across multiple countries is just incredible. Great work, I'm impressed.
2. Explain WHY
One thing I failed many times is not explaining clearly WHY I make certain decisions, ask people to do things, ... Explaining the WHY behind your reasoning makes all the difference. It gives reason and motivation. In my opinion it makes the difference between getting all noses in the same direction and achieving goals. Communicating the WHY of things is thus a vital part of leadership.
Recently I also discovered the power of #playbooks. I've written one for our organisation and I'm happy to see many other playbooks will follow.
As I said, this lesson is certainly one I can still improve on, but I work hard to be as transparent as I can be.
3. Take calculated risks
As a leader, you need to be willing to take calculated risks. You should always assess the risks and benefits of a decision before making a move. However, taking risks also means that you need to be prepared to deal with failure and learn from your mistakes.
Failing is not a weakness. We all make mistakes, it's how we deal with our mistakes and own them that makes the difference.
Recommended by LinkedIn
4. Adapt to change
In today's rapidly changing world, leaders need to be adaptable. You should be able to adjust your strategy and approach to changing circ*mstances without looking back. This requires being open-minded and willing to learn new skills.
5. Lifelong learning
Learning new skills is something I take quite literally. Every week I read at least one book (I'm lying, actually listening to one through Audible) and listen to several podcasts to learn new things. Be it cooking, development, medicine or even art history.
When facing a new challenge, something 'new' to do, ... I always want to learn from the best people in the world, who mastered the skill. It saves me time. Many times I find their wisdom in books, other times I'm blessed to be able to work with the masters 1-1. Like learning archery from a member of the Olympic team, tv hosting skills from a news anchor on national television, business lessons from peer CEO's, ... I just learned to ask those masters who might seem unreachable. You will be surprised with how many top performers are willing to share their knowledge.
6. Empower your team
Empowering your team means giving them the tools, resources, and autonomy they need to do their jobs effectively. This also means trusting them to make decisions and taking responsibility for their actions. Sometimes even letting them hit a wall (even when you see it coming...). It's still the best way to learn. Balancing on 'when' to step in is the difficult part.
7. Being vulnerable
Daring to be vulnerable is not always easy. The ego gets in the way. But daring to say out loud that you made a mistake, that you don't know or that you are touched emotionally makes you human. It makes you relatable.
8. Don't be fooled, there is a barrier
I'm always thinking I'm approachable, social, ... but many times I've forgotten that the 'role' alone creates a barrier. A distance for people to overcome. Being 'aware' is - as always - the first step into the right direction. Reach out to your team, show that you care by helping and put their interests first is one part of the solution. But how hard you try, you will always be seen as 'the boss', making leadership sometimes lonely.
The same goes for feedback... as a team member you often get a pat on the shoulder for good work. As a leader that's rare. I'm not asking for it, nor complaining. I'm only sometimes wondering wether the feedback I get is truly honest (or moderated because of fear of consequences). At least I try to be open for feedback and comments on my performance.
9. Running
In order to deal with the pressure, I needed an outlet. For me I find that outlet in sport, especially long distance and trail running. I regularly challenge myself to run a marathon or mountain competition on unknown terrain. This motivates me to go out for a run 6 days a week. I do it first thing in the morning to give it priority over everything else, even if that means I need to hit the trail with a headlight at 5AM. It gives me energy, time for meditation or just enjoying nature to calm my mind. Other times it gives me creativity and new ideas (hence why I always run with my phone as a voice recorder so I won't forget them). I also enjoy scuba diving, archery, yoga, ... as a means of balancing the heavy load I sometimes carry.
In conclusion, leadership is a continuous learning process with many ups and downs.
I sometimes wonder...
