Control freaks dominate the ranks of today’s leaders. They dominated yesterday and they most likely will dominate tomorrow. In fact, throughout humans existence on this Earth, we will be led by control freaks more than we’ll be led by servants. There’s something very addicting and alluring about the taste of power and our deepest desires seem to center on our need for just a little bit more.
Today, I had a front row seat to another power struggle. Every system has them and always will. The most enduring, most fun, most energizing, and most alive ones still struggle over how to share power. They just do.
Everybody wants “absolute” control even when they tell you they don’t. They may not want absolute control over you and over me, but we all want absolute control over ourselves. AND, none of gets what we want; none of us are in control, even of ourselves. Funny, huh.
If you believe the above paragraphs are somewhat on point, try this as your new productive action and see how it works. When you feel your boss, your leader, your spouse, your ceo, your owner, your chairman, or your board grabbing too much control, imagine that your team might feel the same about you. Focus your attention downward. Ask them what they want and respond to their “bids” as positively as possible. Serve them.
Remember, leaders model the way, embrace pain and suffering (builds moral authority like none other), and tells the team the truth in LOVE. These leaders gain committed followers. These leaders don’t “play the game” to wrestle power away from the positional leader. These leaders have a vision worth dying for and sometimes they do.
Die, that is.
Most times, however, they build a team that really lives. AND, the really cool part is that, over time and through adversity their moral authority grows beyond their positional power. Nature, eventually gets it right. These leaders emerge and management has little to no choice but to get out of the way and hand over the reins.
Stop your addiction with power and fall head over heels for those you have the privilege to serve. You may die. It will be a good death. You will taste what it’s like to really live. Survival does not demand this type of leading. Excellence, however, does.
You choose. Your choices have consequences…
BUILT TO LEAD 