Leading / guiding / following - when do we do each?

It has been some time since I posted a new blog. This has been because I was busy changing roles and settling into the new one. However reflecting on my first 90 days has given me pause to realise a conundrum - when do you lead, when do you simply provide guidance and when do you follow the lead of others or indeed - is there any difference?

When entering a new senior executive position there is an interesting fine line one walks. While all "gurus" on leadership agree it is important to have a vision - how do you share the vision and where should you be prepared to compromise to ensure the ownership by all parties?

this is where the other elements of guidance and and followership come into the picture. After you have shared your initial vision, there must be a period of gently guiding, listening, and reflecting .

The sobering reality is that, no matter how passionate you are about your vision, people will engage with it in their own way and in their own time. To ever be able to realise the vision, it is important to allow this space and freedom for all people to engage, question and challenge in their own way.

this brings us to the third aspect of the conundrum - followership. Believing and then attempting to enforce our beliefs as the only possible way forward is the ultimate recipe for disaster. Therefore there must be an element of engaging with others and enabling them to own parts of the journey and maybe even modifying some of the elements you had in mind of the journey to the vision and following suggestions, thoughts and ideas of others.

However, are these all really different or merely sides of the same coin?

My reflections have led me to believe they are. How can we truly lead if we are not prepared to follow and to guide?

the challenge comes in knowing when to do each, for how long and when it is time to draw lines in the sand and move on.

Challenge
Reflect on the last journey to a visin you took? what balance did you have between the three lements of leading, guiding and following?

1. Think about the next journey you will take. Jot down a simple checklist to use everyday and in every encounter to determine if this is an occasin to lead, to guide or to simply follow?

as always I look forward to your thoughts. Please do post a comment

D