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Jim Collins, in his book “Good to Great”
talks about leadership and the window
and the mirror. When we succeed, we
SHOULD look through the window at
OTHERS to see what is going on with
them and give them credit. And when
we fail, we should look in the mirror at
OURSELVES and take responsibility.
This concept is powerful and can
help you build credibility with all the
stakeholders in your organization—
peers, direct reports, vendors, and
customers.
Here are 3 KEYS to help you apply the
window and mirrors strategy to your
leadership
K
ey #1—LOOK OUT THE WINDOW
and GIVE CREDIT TO THOSE
RESPONSIBLE FOR POSITIVE
OUTCOMES
Make sure the people around you
know that you recognize and value
their contributions. Doing this creates
loyalty and buy-in. Even when you’re
in situations where other people
aren’t present, make sure you give
them credit. Also, if you hear positive
feedback about someone, make sure
you share that with that person.
2
nd key—LOOK IN THE MIRROR
and TAKE OWNERSHIP OF
NEGATIVE OUTCOMES
This isn’t always easy, but it’s so critical.
Assigning blame for failure on others
erodes trust.
You, as the leader, are ultimately
responsible formissingadeadlineor for
sub-par work from your department. IT
WAS YOUR TEAM THAT FAILED.
Look in the mirror to see how YOU
could have been a better leader.
Were expectations clear; did you
communicatewell or provide feedback?
Take ownership of these occurrences
and work to ensure this doesn’t happen
again. Then work with your employees
to hold them accountable for their part
of the situation.
K
ey #3--UNDERSTAND LUCK.
Everyone experiences luck—good
and bad. How you prepare for it
and react to it determines the outcome.
As a leader, you need to dig deeper
to see what YOU could have done to
mitigate the efforts and what YOU can
do in the future to be better prepared.
The concept of the windows and the
mirrors is easy to understand, but it
takes time and practice to do it. Doing
this will not only help you build trust
within your organization, but will also
help you be a better leader will be less
frustrated.
SOAR TO SUCCESS
| AUGUST 2015 |
Core Business Strategies