We've all been taught that seeing is believing. But what if we're paying attention to the wrong information?

A general manager who hired me to "fix his management team was convinced he needed to "clean house. He said he wanted to give his staff one shot at turning themselves around before dropping the axe. I spent several days speaking to his direct reports as well as several other managers and core employees in the company to get a clear picture of the state of things. Many of those I spoke with described the general manager as erratic, hands off one minute and taking over the next, and constantly shifting his, and their, priorities. The general manager was right on in his assessment of some staff weaknesses, but he totally missed that his erratic leadership was making it impossible for staff to know what to focus on. He was frustrated, not because his staff couldn't do the job, but because they weren't following through with directions that seemed to change by the minute. His focus on everyone else's glaring weaknesses blinded him to his own contributions to the very problems he wanted to fix.

Sometimes we find ourselves able to see accurately, but refusing to deal with the facts. One executive had been confronted by managers and other executives about going around them to circumvent normal channels, misrepresenting facts to get agreement, and consistently doing one thing while saying another. Despite the evidence, she dismissed it all as sour grapes. Even a company-wide survey that embarrassingly pointed to the executive as a major disruption was brushed off and rationalized as perception, not reality. This executive couldn't see that when everyone else is out of step it suggests a reality that her perception is off.

Seeing doesn't always result in accurate interpretation, either. Clients often call to tell me about a problem as well as the solution they want me to implement that bears little resemblance to what they need. Training, for example, appears to be the solution of choice for most any problem. When one IT department couldn't get along with another, one of the directors described it as a communication problem. What he missed was a reason for the lack of effective communication, namely, a self-serving battle for control. Until we tackled the real problem, these groups were destined to continue their persistent bickering regardless of what they learned in training about sending the message nicely.

Remarkably effective leadersthose written about in popular management books as examples of long-term successful stewards of their companiesare usually described not as charismatic, outgoing, take-control types, but as quiet, soft-spoken, and often somewhat reserved. Most of all, they are humble. They observe, listen, and learn from others as well as from their own mistakes. Instead of arrogance, their self-confidence manifests itself in their unabashed admissions of uncertainty and missteps, and willingness to ask for, and accept, counsel from others.

These outstanding leaders tend to be better able to pick out the right data because they can rely on so many others to help. And because they are so solicitous in their requests for help and feedback, others provide it generously. Some executives I have worked with even request feedback from others on their own performance to make sure they are getting as many other perspectives as possible. They want to be self-aware so they fully understand how others perceive, and are affected by, their decisions. They are often public about personal improvements. Some have held all-employee meetings where they explained how they realized that they were not providing enough information about the business to core employees, and apologized. They went on to describe how they were going to correct the problem, and committed to the entire workforce to be open and transparent in all financial and operational data.

Truly great leaders want to know the truth about things and deal with the facts because they are more focused on building the business than on building their personal careers, egos and paychecks. They want the facts so they can improve business results and be a better contributor.

Despite what some say about "executive presence and "take charge personalities, great leaders are great because they listen, learn, and act in selfless service to the organization. Humility is what allows these leaders to truly see the organization as it is and understand how to enable marketplace success. Seeing is believing. But it only works when eyes are fully open and data are able to be visible.


Trying it on for fit: Exemplifying characteristics of great leaders:
1) Constantly engage in autopsies, or after-action reviews, for learning, not blame.

2) Practice withholding judgment when discussing issues or hearing advice and opinions. Encourage others to do the same so that learning and understanding can be unfettered.

3) Learn to ask for others' opinions and recommendations before stating your own.

4) Seek constant feedback from others about how you operateexpress appreciation and withhold defensiveness including justifications and explanations. Be quick to own mistakes.

5) Show trust in others by appropriately sharing decisions and responsibility for outcomes.


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