Podcast Summary
Newly promoted supervisors should build relationships first: New leaders should focus on understanding their team's dynamics and earning trust before making significant changes.
A newly promoted supervisor should avoid asserting their authority on day one and instead focus on helping their team win. This was discussed on the Jocko Debrief Podcast, where Jocko Willink and Dave Burke debriefed on their experiences working with companies and their leadership through Echelon Front and the Extreme Ownership Academy. They shared an example of a researcher who had recently been promoted to supervise a team at a new location. Although she knew the team wasn't working on the right priorities, she wanted to quickly shift them to the right projects and assert her authority. However, Jocko and Dave advised against this approach, suggesting that she build relationships and earn the trust of her team before making significant changes. They emphasized that leaders are put in positions of leadership to help their teams succeed, not to drop the hammer and tell people what to do. By focusing on building relationships and understanding the unique dynamics of her new team, the supervisor would be more likely to succeed in the long run.
Understand the current situation before making assumptions: When starting a new leadership role, take time to learn and ask questions to gain valuable insights and build trust with the team.
When starting a new leadership role, it's crucial to understand the current situation before making assumptions and imposing changes. Instead of arriving with a "my way is the right way" attitude, take time to learn and ask questions. By actively listening and engaging with the team, a new leader can gain valuable insights and build trust. It's essential to remember that perspectives may not align perfectly, and there's likely some overlap rather than a complete 180-degree difference. By fostering an open and collaborative environment, a new leader can effectively guide their team towards the most impactful projects.
Leadership with humility and curiosity: Leaders who ask questions and demonstrate vulnerability build trust, respect, and influence, resulting in self-motivated teams.
Effective leadership involves humility and a willingness to learn. Instead of wielding the truth and asserting one's superiority, a leader should ask earnest questions and help their team discover solutions. This approach builds trust, respect, and influence, resulting in a team that is self-motivated to make necessary changes. The phrase "I don't know" may seem weak, but it's a powerful tool for leaders, demonstrating vulnerability and openness to new ideas. Remember, a leader's role is to help the team, not to dictate what they should do. This approach not only benefits the team but also increases the leader's influence and trust over time.
The value of admitting 'I don't know': Admitting 'I don't know' shows humility, fosters collaboration, and invites learning in high-pressure situations. Embrace this mindset for continuous improvement.
Admitting "I don't know" is a valuable skill. It demonstrates humility and an open mind, inviting others to share their opinions and collaborate towards finding the right answer. This mindset is particularly important in high-pressure situations, such as military oral boards or interviews, where not knowing an answer doesn't make you a failure but rather an opportunity to learn. It's essential to practice this attitude up and down the chain of command, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement. Even when leading a team with challenging dynamics, acknowledging the need for change and taking a more direct approach can lead to positive outcomes. So, embrace the power of "I don't know" and open the door to growth and collaboration.
Assessing the Environment Before Applying Force: Effective leaders use minimal force, observe situations before acting, and develop leadership skills through immersive experiences.
Effective leadership requires the use of the minimum amount of force necessary, but it's important to understand the specific situation before applying force. This means observing and assessing the environment before taking action. Additionally, solving complex problems in organizations often takes time and patience, and leadership skills can be developed through immersive experiences like simulated combat training. During these experiences, participants can learn to apply leadership principles in real-time and build relationships with strangers quickly. Through debriefing sessions, they can connect these experiences to their personal and professional lives, leading to lasting growth.
Cultural differences in organizations: US sales team vs European firm: Cultural differences within teams can lead to communication barriers and conflict. Effective leadership is crucial to foster a cohesive and productive team.
Cultural differences within an organization, whether they stem from international ownership or geographical locations, can create barriers to effective communication and collaboration. In the case discussed, a US-based sales team at a tech company owned by a European firm faced conflicts due to an incentive structure that pitted the initial sales and recurring sales teams against each other. Cultural differences, such as language barriers and different communication styles, compounded these issues. However, it's essential to remember that cultural differences exist within any organization, regardless of location or ownership. Effective leadership is crucial in overcoming these barriers and fostering a cohesive and productive team. The situation ultimately highlights the importance of strong leadership in navigating the complexities of a global business landscape.
Building support from above for organizational change: To successfully implement organizational change, gather data, understand reasons behind current setup, and present how competing interests are hurting the company to gain leadership trust and advocacy.
When facing organizational challenges that require change, it's crucial to approach the situation strategically and build support from above. In this case, a team leader wanted to restructure sales teams and incentives, but lacked the authority to make the changes unilaterally. The solution involved collecting data, understanding the reasons behind the current setup, and explaining how the competing interests were hurting the company. By showing that you're trying to help the team and the organization as a whole, you can gain trust and build advocacy from leadership. This process may take time, but ultimately, getting your boss on board can give you more influence and help ensure the long-term success of the company.
Building Influence: Information, Relationships, and Performance: To be influential, gain knowledge, build relationships, perform exceptionally, and take an indirect approach.
To be influential in an organization, it's essential to have a strong foundation of information, relationships, and performance. Information gives us the knowledge we need to understand the situation. Relationships help us build trust and earn the right to be heard. And performance, or doing our job exceptionally well, gives us the credibility and influence we need to make changes. It's important to remember that these things take time and effort to build. Additionally, the speaker emphasized the importance of taking an indirect approach when trying to influence others. Instead of forcefully imposing our ideas, it's more effective to build relationships, understand the other person's perspective, and work collaboratively towards a solution. Overall, the key takeaway is that being influential in an organization requires a combination of knowledge, relationships, performance, and a thoughtful, indirect approach.
Indirect approaches can lead to better outcomes: Effective communication involves using both direct and indirect methods, with patience and flexibility to achieve the best possible outcomes
While the direct approach may seem efficient and natural, it's not always the best approach in every situation. Indirect methods, such as gathering intel and softening defenses, can be more effective in the long run. However, it takes judgment and the ability to fight against our natural instincts to use the direct approach. The closest distance between two points may be a straight line, but in complex situations, taking a more circuitous route can lead to better outcomes. This is especially true in situations where trust needs to be built or when dealing with sensitive issues. The indirect approach can encourage trust and lead to more efficient solutions, but it requires patience and a willingness to adapt. It's important to remember that there are times when a direct approach is necessary, but these situations are rare and usually occur after a series of indirect approaches have failed or softened defenses. Ultimately, the key is to be flexible and adaptable, and to use both direct and indirect approaches strategically to achieve the best possible outcomes.
When to use indirect vs direct approach in leadership: Indirect approach is more efficient and effective, but direct approach may be necessary in rare situations. Adaptability and open-mindedness are key.
While the indirect approach may be effective in most situations, there are times when going direct is necessary. However, these situations are rare and should be approached with caution. An open mind and the ability to adapt are crucial in determining when to use each approach. The indirect approach, which involves listening, thinking, and considering all options, is generally more efficient and effective. The direct approach, which involves taking swift and decisive action, should be reserved for situations where surprise and violence of action are necessary to achieve a desired outcome. It's important to remember that the indirect approach should be the go-to strategy in most cases, and the direct approach should only be used when all other options have been exhausted. The phrase "speed, surprise, violence of action" can serve as a reminder of the importance of being direct when necessary. Overall, effective leadership requires the ability to adapt and use the right tool at the right time.
Indirect approach is more effective than direct approach: People respond positively to indirect methods, allowing them to come to their own realizations and adjust behavior.
The indirect approach is usually more effective than the direct approach in most situations. This is because people are often resistant to direct confrontation and are more likely to respond positively to indirect methods. The speaker shares personal experiences and historical examples to support this idea. The indirect approach allows people to come to their own realizations and adjust their behavior, while the direct approach can be met with resistance and setbacks. It's essential to remain open-minded and flexible in communication, recognizing that the indirect approach may not always be the best option but is often the most efficient and effective way to win people over.
Indirect vs Direct Leadership Approaches: Indirect approach lets people decide on their own, while direct approach clearly communicates desired outcome or action. Use indirect when people are motivated, but go direct when necessary for uncertain or resistant situations. Limit use of direct approach to avoid damaging morale and motivation.
While an indirect approach to leadership can be effective in many situations, there are times when going direct is necessary. The indirect approach involves letting people come to a decision on their own, while the direct approach involves clearly communicating the desired outcome or action. The indirect approach can be successful if people are motivated to follow, but if they are unsure or resistant, a direct approach may be necessary. However, the use of a direct approach should be limited as it can be detrimental to morale and motivation if overused. For more insights on leadership, visit extremeownership.com or echelonfront.com. Remember, leading with the minimum force required and in an indirect manner is the ideal approach, but be prepared to adapt and use a direct approach when necessary.
