When Jimmy Mc Ginty was appointed Football Coach for Washington D.C. (The Replacements), he set his terms. He wanted total control of the team, be able to recruit anybody that he wanted and to pick the players without any interference from the club owners. The owners of the club agreed.
Jimmy went through a list of players whom he had been keeping his eyes on for years. They were good. Not everyone was a professional, though. The players came from different backgrounds; SWAT team member, shop assistant, bar tender, reverend and Shane Falco, a retired former quarter master of Ohio State Football Team. Jimmy put these 'players' together. He was focusing on their strengths not their weaknesses. Jimmy made each one of them go through tough football training and team-building mill and processes - forming, storming, norming and performing - to form a winning team.
What Jimmy did was nothing unfamiliar. Being the leader of the team, Jimmy call the shot. Jimmy looked for the following 'players' (Maxwell):
a) those who raise up themselves
b) those who raise up morale of others
c) those who raise up the leaders
d) those who raise up others
e) those who raise up people who raise up other people.
In management and politics - BN, PR etc - such games are played by leaders. They have a list of 'who's who'. They have a complete record of people - the good, the bad and the ugly- whom they want to pick. They picked their men and and positioned them to deliver what are expected of them. These people had the leader's trust but it is the leader that call the final shot.
They are members of the Inner Circle. Why is this so? Every leader's potentials is determined by the people closest to them. When leaders have the right people - staff/ co-workers, their potentials ecxel. Mind you, there aren't lone-ranger leaders, for if you are, you aren't leaders.
Have you thought through about your inner circle?
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Leaders: Are You In Position, In Control or Neither?
Have you ever experienced situations in meetings when you see the chairman is leading the meeting but someone else is leading the people?
In such a situation, the man running the meeting is not the real leader. The man running the meeting is in position but the man leading the people is in control. The man running the meeting holds the legitimate position but the man leading the people is the de facto leader.
De facto is a Latin expression that means "in fact" or "in practice" but not spelled out by law. Very often, the word de facto is used to express a person who does not hold a legitimate position but is very influential, controls the situation and leads the people.
A case in point is the formation of the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) governments in 5 states of Kelantan, Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor. It unveiled the role of the former Deputy Prime Minister Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the de facto leader or the real leader of the PR. See this clip on the announcement of the formation of the Pakatan Rakyat.
A real leader holds the power and not just the position, though it may not be legitimate.
Positional leader usually speaks first, influence other positional leaders but counts on the influence of the real leader to move and get things done. On the other hand, real leader speaks later, influences everyone and uses his own influence power to move and get things done the way he desires.
When the real leader speaks, people listen. The irony is people listen not necessarily because of the truth in the message being imparted, but because of their respect for the leader. And this is driven by the leader's character, relationships, knowledge, intuition, experience, sacrifice and ability.
Where are you? In control, in position or neither in control nor in position?
In such a situation, the man running the meeting is not the real leader. The man running the meeting is in position but the man leading the people is in control. The man running the meeting holds the legitimate position but the man leading the people is the de facto leader.
De facto is a Latin expression that means "in fact" or "in practice" but not spelled out by law. Very often, the word de facto is used to express a person who does not hold a legitimate position but is very influential, controls the situation and leads the people.
A case in point is the formation of the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) governments in 5 states of Kelantan, Kedah, Penang, Perak and Selangor. It unveiled the role of the former Deputy Prime Minister Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the de facto leader or the real leader of the PR. See this clip on the announcement of the formation of the Pakatan Rakyat.
A real leader holds the power and not just the position, though it may not be legitimate.
Positional leader usually speaks first, influence other positional leaders but counts on the influence of the real leader to move and get things done. On the other hand, real leader speaks later, influences everyone and uses his own influence power to move and get things done the way he desires.
When the real leader speaks, people listen. The irony is people listen not necessarily because of the truth in the message being imparted, but because of their respect for the leader. And this is driven by the leader's character, relationships, knowledge, intuition, experience, sacrifice and ability.
Where are you? In control, in position or neither in control nor in position?
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