In our coaching work we often talk to our clients about leadership maturity. When we talk about maturity, we are talking about having the emotional, motivational and behavioral agility that is needed so that you can adapt to a variety of situations. People who lack leadership maturity only see things from their own point-of-view and insist that others always see things that way as well. Sometimes this will work out just fine but most often having that approach results in followers only going through the motions and never attacking projects with passion and commitment.
An immature leader is often like a carpenter who only learns how to use one tool! It’s hard to cut a board in half using a hammer. If you want to cut a board in half, you would be much better served by learning how to use a saw. In fact, there are even different types of saws that can be used for cutting different types of boards and based on what the final product of process is to be. Leaders who say “this is who I am, and this is how I lead” are sticking to stories they have told themselves and others and they are not considering what tools are really needed in any given situation.
Mature leaders understand that great leaders have a “leadership toolbox.” They size up the situation and then go to their toolbox and take out the tools that they believe will work best for the situation. They make these decisions based on past experiences and acquired knowledge and understanding. Once they have begun to use their tools they also seek feedback on how things are going because they know that they may need to engage in some course correcting if the selected tools are not doing the job. Sometimes they realize that they don’t have the right tools for the job and they seek out others that might have a better set of tools.
We have seen too many leaders and managers that fail to take advantage of the skills and tools others bring to the table. These leaders are afraid that they will look weak if they ask for help from someone else. These leaders don’t realize that the story they are telling themselves and sticking to is a massive blocker to their own success. By thinking that they must be the ultimate source of knowledge and skills for the team and by ignoring the other valuable options that are available, these leaders hamstring their teams and limit their chances for success.
What’s the story you are telling yourself about you as a leader? Is that story one of adaptability, agility, and openness? Can you adopt a new story when your current story is no longer useful? Can you be the leader your team needs when they need it? The answer to these questions are critical to becoming a mature leader; one that can lead in the most difficult of times. Know your story but don’t get stuck with it. Be an agile leader. Rewrite your story as often as you need to.