leadership | The Caleb Barney Collection

On promoting a leader

Hire leaders for what they can do, not what they have done

People are usually capable of doing much more than they currently are. And if we give them responsibilities and authority, many of them will step up to the challenge.

When looking to move someone into a leadership role, first look at their character. Then look to see if they have the respect of their peers. Finally, ask yourself if you believe they can be the leader your team needs (with some guidance and direction). Do they have the ability to succeed in this role? If they’re not quite ready for it right now, will they be soon or can we help them grow into it?

If they pass these three “tests” then they should be considered for the position regardless of whether they have the most experience/seniority. Sometimes experience helps, but sometimes it can stagnate things.

Lastly, if you are hiring someone, promoting them, making them captain of a team, etc, don’t micromanage them. If you believed in their ability to get the job done, let them do it. Did they earn the job or not? Provide tips and constructive criticism when needed, and make sure they know they can go to someone when they need help. But you take away their authority when you micromanage them (others see it and eventually lose respect for their new puppet leader).

Leadership and development

“The way to develop the best that is in a person is by appreciation and encouragement.” – Charles Schwab

If you want to bring out the best in people, you must work on how you communicate with them. Here are some quick tips:

Be firm, but fair.

Be gracious.

When they do something good, reinforce that behavior by praising them for their effort.

Show your appreciation for them and provide encouragement.

Help them develop a growth mindset, not a fixed mindset.

If they haven’t done something right, it’s a learning experience, not a failure.

They can get to where we need them to be with the right attitude, practice, and learning from their mistakes (and the mistakes of others).

Occasionally, you may need to push them a little. People like their comfort zone. But if they want to reach their full potential, they will need to go outside of it.

Hold them accountable. If they say they’re going to do something, check in with them to make sure they’re on track to complete it. If they need help, you can help them brainstorm, but don’t just give them the answer. If you do this then they will always bring their problems to you and not try to think of solutions on their own.

Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers

“Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” – Harry Truman

Why do you think this is? Well, it’s because if you’re taking the time to read, you’re doing the following:

⁃ Working on self-improvement/learning…books are condensed versions of life lessons taught by others more experienced than yourself (or at least with different experiences than yourself). If you can read about someone else’s failures, you do not have to suffer that same hardship and can propel yourself to greater heights more quickly.

⁃ Making your mind work…a lazy mind will not go far in life. Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.

⁃ Dedicated enough to read when you could be doing something easier (like watching tv or napping). Those with enough dedication, determination, and will-power to do what they know will help take them to where they want to go are far more likely to succeed.

– NOT all readers are leaders partially because it also depends on what you’re reading. If you’re reading romance novels, that is less likely to translate to a position of leadership compared to if you’re reading a book on business, relationships, leadership, parenting, etc.

Leadership and making mistakes…

Give people permission to make mistakes and the obligation to learn from them.

We all make mistakes – always have and always will. Think back to a time when you were young and impressionable, when you were inexperienced at something…when you wade a mistake, did your teacher/mentor/parent berate you for making a mistake? If they did (and you consistently received this negative feedback), you may still carry some of that baggage with you today. You might be too scared to take any chances at all, for fear of “messing up.” But if you never try anything new because you might make a mistake, you’ll severely limit your growth. You are capable of so much, but you will often have to try and fail many things before building off of those experiences.

If you’re in a position of “power,” whether that’s being an employer, boss, manager, parent, mentor, role model, teacher, coach, etc., make sure you let those around you know that it’s ok to make mistakes! They shouldn’t be happy that they made a mistake and should always try to learn and grow from their mistakes, but despite their best intentions, sometimes they still will slip up. (We all do.)

Make sure you’re creating an environment that knows people have permission to make mistakes, but the obligation to learn from them.

Calling all entrepreneurs!

Don’t underestimate the value of having a good team!

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together” – African proverb

It’s easier to do things by yourself. You can trust that you’ll “do things right.” Training others can be time consuming and stressful, but if you’re not willing to let go of the $10/hour tasks so that you can focus on the $1,000/hour tasks, you will cap your upside. We only have so much time in the day…

It’s perfectly fine to try to do things on your own. But to make the biggest possible impact, you’re going to need a great team around you.