I’m not talking about hustle culture. (Eww)
I’m not advocating 80-hour workweeks. (Ugh)
Not at all. But there are two things, above and beyond the job description of any leader, that are important – and not paying attention to those things is what I call “being a lazy leader.”
Know yourself
Real leadership – the kind I hope all my readers aspire to – requires self-awareness and self-understanding. Just one example: know what makes you angry, so you can avoid snapping at employees, as one of my clients recently did (and sincerely regretted). Am I saying “don’t get angry”? No, absolutely not; anger is sometimes necessary and appropriate. But how you express that anger makes all the difference in the world.
Who are you as a leader? Why do you even want to lead? What do you stand for, and what lines will you not cross?
Know your people
Each person on your team is an individual, with their own career aspirations, strengths, quirks, and, yes, flaws. Leading as if they’re all the same doesn’t work. Understanding what motivates each of them individually, what support they need, and what each of them wants from their career, does work.
Of course, that also means following through: helping them learn and grow in their career, and giving them the recognition they deserve in the form most meaningful to them.
This takes effort – and quite possibly a certain amount of vulnerability, with yourself as well as with others.
Here’s the interesting thing, though: it’s not just about who you are in your professional leadership role; it’s about who you are in general. I can’t count the number of people, some of whom are in their 60s and 70s, who have told me, in bewilderment, “But I don’t know who I am!” This is especially poignant when a significant life change has happened, whether that’s being laid off from a job, facing retirement, becoming an empty-nester, losing someone important, and so on. Identity tied to a role, professional or otherwise, can be taken from you in an instant; identity tied to who you are at your core is solid.
The sooner you understand who you are and what you stand for, the better life you’ll have.
And the more you’re willing you are to understand the people around you, whether that’s your team, your family, your friends, or your community, the better relationships you’ll have.