SHIELD

I need to revisit a topic that I touched on earlier as it’s a topic that people can debate on but it’s also a critical test of your character that #beingaleader requires you to pass.

#Beingaleader means you sometimes are a shield for your team. Shielding them from attack and criticism that would weigh them down, slow down their project or bring them emotionally to a stand still. That’s part of the job description. A shield is defined as “providing protection against blows or missiles.”

Have you ever been yelled at by a customer or boss? Ever been sent a nasty-gram email full of complaints and listed the various shortcomings of your team? Those can be blows and missiles and they should not penetrate your shield. Yes there are lessons that need to be learned. Frank and honest conversations that need to be had. Sometimes changes that need to be made. But the emotion should not pass your shield.

The issues isn’t whether or not the criticism is justified. The question is what are you going to do with it and how or what will be communicated to your team. You must learn to take the emotion out of it and apply the lessons learned in a positive manner that your team can learn and grow from. By passing on the emotional blow or missile you have just jeopardized your own success. And that’s crazy. Why would you do that?

Yes it’s true. Sometimes it just would feel better to blast your team in the same way you were blasted. But that’s why #beingaleader is so hard and yet so important. You have to be the one to take the injustice and let it stop there. It means you have to sometimes take the hit for the team and no one will ever thank you for it.

But you have to think about the higher goal. The prize. What you are striving for. Will passing on that emotion help you achieve it or drag everyone down?

Sometimes #beingaleader is simply being the adult in the room.