Eddy Parham, MBA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

by Eddy Parham, OD Guy

One of the things that a leader does is to chart a course and set the organizational compass towards its core values – those things the organization has identified as important and non-negotiable. If the organization starts to drift away from its core values it will not arrive at the chosen destination. You see, course charting must include things such as being the champion of the cause, constant communication, and ensuring that you have capable mates aboard who you trust.

Most organizations plan to be sailing for quite some time so if the organization is going to do great things on its epic journey, there will be the need for some course correction in order to reach the desired port of call. In some cases the corrections may be a major change due to unforeseen obstacles which lay in the organizations path. (It is also the leader’s job to see these obstacles in plenty of time to change course before the organization is in dire straits, but that is a topic for a different time.) Just like a ship, the larger the course adjustment an organization is facing the more time and ocean it will need to make the adjustment.

Leadership Lesson 1 – Change takes time! It doesn’t happen in a microwave but rather changes occur in crock pots. People will want time to process and synthesize the new course, what it means to them, and how they now fit into the organization. Sure, you can institute a quick change and expect everyone to be on board, but you might just be setting yourself up for a mutiny.

Leadership Lesson 2 – It is up to the leader to champion the change. People typically will do what they see and not what they hear, so be a model of the behavior that you want to see. To quote Mahatma Gandhi, “Be the change you want to see in the world” or at least in your organization.

Leadership Lesson 3 – Over communicate! Tell the crew what you are going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them what you’ve told them. There is a reason why marketing types are repetitive in their commercials – they want viewers to remember the product that they are hawking. The same philosophy holds true for leaders. Start viewing yourself as a salesman and the product you’re trying to sell is the change.

Leadership Lesson 4 – If you want the journey to be successful, you must allow your people to do their thing. If the entire crew is focused on the Jib, whose going to be watching the Mainsail? If you’ve got to do the work of your crew, you don’t need your crew. Trust them! No, they may not do things exactly the way you would have done them, but if the boat is moving forward, in a timely manner, towards the intended port, and steering clear of obstacles, don’t mess with them. You’ve brought them aboard to do a job, now get out of the way and let them do it!

These certainly aren’t all of the lessons we can learn as a leader, but I thought of these four lessons recently when I saw a sailboat whose leader had allowed it to go adrift.

Happy Sailing!