What Leaders Won’t Do

Many leaders spend many late nights in the office, sacrifice their own resources, etc. all to increase the likelihood of success.  Sometimes this comes at the expense of people’s health, their families, and their sanity.

But, Patrick Lencioni from Table Group notes in “What Leaders Won’t Do” <http://www.wobi.com/blog/leadership/what-leaders-wont-do>, while many leaders make great sacrifices to increase the likelihood of success, these same leaders go far out of their way to avoid dealing with conflict and uncomfortable situations and conversations.  They do this because they dislike conflict.  And, perhaps some believe they have paid their dues and don’t have to deal with such unpleasantness.  Yet, the very best organizations, Lencioni observes, are the ones where leaders are expected to seek out discomfort at work.  These leaders find opportunities to enter this zone of discomfort and by doing so accomplish three important things:

1. They set an example for other leaders.  
2. They improve their own level of “comfort with discomfort.”
3. And, most importantly, they will reduce the shelf life and impact of problems in their organizations.

So, become sensitive to conflicts that are present in your organization, step up, and deal with them.  You and your organization will be the better for it!

.  .  .  .    jim