Early in my career, I had the opportunity to see a video, called “Do Right” by Lou Holtz. Lou Holtz was a legendary football coach who became famous for his ability to take troubled programs and turn them around to be national contenders. There are thousands of books, podcasts and other resources available on leadership. Lou provided a very simple formula that I have found to be incredibly applicable as a leader at work and home.
We all, subconsciously, ask three questions of one another.
- Are you committed to excellence?
- Can I trust you?
- Do you care about me as a person?
To the degree you can answer “yes” to these three questions, you’ve laid the foundation to be a person of influence, or an effective leader. If any one of those answers is a “no”, or more than one of them is a “no”, you’re ability to lead will be compromised.
Think with me about the best boss or coach you’ve ever had. When you reflect on the three questions, would they get a “yes” on each one? How about the worst person you ever worked for? How many of the three questions would you answer “no”? It applies, doesn’t it?
I’ve found focusing on demonstrating the behaviors associated with being committed to excellence, trustworthy and caring about someone’s personal wellbeing is applicable in all settings. When I can tell someone has an issue with me or isn’t engaged, I ask myself if I’ve fallen short in one of these three areas. At work, I go over these questions and give my staff permission to hold me accountable to living up to these. I’m not perfect and I will fall short but it is my intent to live out these attributes and I want to know when I’m falling short.
I’ve found the three questions to be a simple formula with profound implications for leaders. Maybe you will too.
Kyle DeFur
President, True U
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