"Turn" leaders must resist the temptation

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The first lesson leader must resist the temptation

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A superior leader should be detached from everyday business trifles and overcome the temptations implied therein. /patrick Lencioni


All leaders have a time of failure. If they fail, they are often blamed for annoying reasons such as strategic mistakes, inadequate marketing, competitive threats, and technical failures. However, these are merely manifestations of the problem, and all leaders have made the same fundamental mistake: succumbing to some temptation, unnecessarily complicating the situation, and too much attention to detail that destroys personal leadership.

Because leaders are reluctant to confront and overcome these temptations, their actions will put the organization's success at risk. Specifically, what temptations are we talking about? That is: Choose the status rather than the work, choose the personal prestige rather than the responsibility, choose the right decision instead of the clear direction, choose the surface harmony instead of the dispute, choose invulnerable rather than trust.

One of the Temptations: choosing a position rather than a work outcome

The most important principle that must be clarified for a manager is to aim for results. However, in many companies, the highest-rated managers often do not do so. Many leaders see other things as more important than the results of their work. This represents the most dangerous of all temptations: the desire to protect their professional status. The question is, however, if a person is not "paranoid" about the pursuit of results (from the "Only Paranoid Survival" book from Intel's former chief executive, Grove), how could he become a company leader? For example, most CEOs were "paranoid" about the results before they got the top job. Unfortunately, when they reach their goals and are called chief executives, many of them turn their attention to how to assert their status.

The reason for this is that their real life goal is only to gain personal benefit. On the pinnacle of life's goal, of course, there is only a descent to go. We can reasonably infer that once they have reached the highest position, they will do anything to protect it. It is for this reason that many CEOs and most managers make decisions to protect their interests or reputations.

What's more, they also avoid making decisions that could undermine their own status. In practice, they tend to repay those who benefit from their "ego", rather than the employees who contribute to the company's performance. This raises the question: Do managers not understand that by focusing their energies on making results, they will gain higher status and greater "ego" satisfaction? Yes, they understand, but actually doing it requires a long, large amount of work, and in this process there will be too many dangerous episodes that could lead to loss of status.

The only way to overcome this temptation is to take the results of the work as the most important criterion for individual success, or else you can only retire from the leadership position. The future of the company you lead, whether it's for employees or customers, is really a measure of your status.

Temptation Two: Choosing personal prestige rather than responsibility

Even if some leaders resist the temptation to protect their status too much, they sometimes fail. Because they did not motivate the employees to take responsibility for their duties. This is a necessary condition for achieving results. At this point, leaders succumb to another temptation: they want to be popular.

It is human nature to want to be welcomed by the staff, but it is dangerous for the leader. Leadership can be "lonely". For most of the company's members, it is difficult to have more time and familiarity with everyone except those who report directly to him.

Those who report directly to the leaders are usually about the same age and salary levels as the rest of the company's employees. Most leaders become friends with these subordinates, and often have empathy for their needs and shortcomings. Finally, because of the enormous task at present, the leadership and these subordinates have produced a "brothers" feeling.

So when it comes to telling these people who are close to themselves that they are not meeting their expectations, it is no surprise that the leaders are faltering. It is not that they are too busy or too lazy, but because at this time they are difficult to face the plight of "friends" trouble.

As a leader, try to win the long-term respect of employees and direct subordinates, not their personal feelings. Don't look at the employees who report directly to you as a group of advocates, and they should be seen as the key to fulfilling their job responsibilities and making the company achieve the desired results. It must be borne in mind that if you fail, your subordinates will not be able to like you any more.

Temptation Three: Choosing the right decision rather than the clear direction

Even if some leaders resist the temptation to protect their own status and be welcomed, they sometimes fail. Because they succumb to another temptation: the desire to make "right" decisions, thus guaranteeing certainty.

Many leaders, especially those who love data analysis, want to make sure their decisions are always correct, but in a real world where information is incomplete and uncertain, it is simply impossible. So those who prefer accurate and correct leadership, often delaying the decision time, cannot give their subordinates very clear instructions. They are vague and hesitant about their employees ' instructions, hoping that they can find the right answer in their work.

Therefore, the key point is that the decision-making directives of the leader must be clear and not precise. Keep in mind that if you take decisive action instead of always waiting for more information, your subordinates can learn more. If you are found wrong when you have more information based on the information you currently have, then change the plan and explain it to your subordinates. The risk of popping up is your job. For you, the real loss of error is only your self-esteem. For your company, the cost of being a leader is to be paralyzed if you don't risk being wrong.

Temptation Four: Choose the surface harmony instead of arguing

Even if some leaders can overcome these triple temptations, they sometimes fail because they often feel dissatisfied with their decisions. This is due to their inability to make good use of the most convenient sources of information: subordinates who report directly to them. Why is it? Because these leaders succumb to the next temptation, that is the desire for harmony.

Most leaders believe that it is much better for employees to agree with their decisions and to go with the crowd than against decisions and conflicts. This pattern of behaviour is one reason why leaders are promoted to their present status. However, superficial harmony often limits constructive disputes, in other words, a warm exchange of views around one thing.

Without such disputes, the actual quality of leadership decisions is often lower than the normal level. The best decisions can be made only after all kinds of knowledge and ideas have been openly discussed. Not everyone's views and opinions are worthy of approval, but these factors should be carefully considered by the leadership. Once all the available information has been studied, the chances of finding the best conclusion will certainly be greater, not to mention it clearly raises confidence in the final decision. This is equally important.

Inconsistent voices should be tolerated. You can encourage subordinates to openly express their different views and encourage them with enthusiasm. Noisy meetings are often a sign of progress, and "harmony" meetings tend to be a classic symptom of throwing important matters aside and not discussing them. You need to watch out for and stop personal attacks, but your control does not limit the extent to which you can exchange key ideas.

Temptation Five: Choosing to be invulnerable rather than trusting

Even if some leaders resist the temptation to protect their positions, to welcome them, to make the right decisions and to maintain harmony, they sometimes fail. Why? Because even if the leader is willing to cultivate a constructive argument, the subordinates may not want to do so. Why is this? This is because the leader succumbed to the last temptation: the desire to become invulnerable.

Leaders are the people who hold power, and if colleagues or subordinates find their faults, the leaders will find it unbearable. Because they mistakenly believe that if employees can easily challenge their decisions, then they will lose authority.

No matter how hard these leaders try to advance a constructive argument, they are just impossible. Employees are insecure because leaders are reluctant to join the discussion. The result is that the immediate staff are keen to speculate on the opinions of the leaders, and only symbolically argue with each other at "convenience".

You should always be proactive in encouraging your employees to challenge your ideas. You should trust your subordinates and entrust them with your prestige and "ego" bravely. This is the highest level of trust you can provide as a leader. Your subordinates will be rewarded with respect and honesty, and will follow you when dealing with their own employees.

These five temptations should serve as a "wake-up call" for leaders to remind themselves that success often leads to a series of deadly behaviors. These behaviors are so hard to control that it's so painful to change them.

The author, Patrick Lencioni, is president of the Table Group, a management consultancy, and a team of professional research organizations and managers. He is the author of Obsessions of an extraordinary executive:the four disciplines at the heart of Making any Organization world-class book, He is also a professional speaker and screenplay writer. /

"Turn" leaders must resist the temptation