Wreck
/This is what happens when an 8 point buck inserts himself right in the middle of your carefully orchestrated get-into-work-and-out-before-noon Sunday morning schedule.
I didn't make it into the office until 11:00.
This is what happens when an 8 point buck inserts himself right in the middle of your carefully orchestrated get-into-work-and-out-before-noon Sunday morning schedule.
I didn't make it into the office until 11:00.
As I spent most of the past week preparing performance reviews, it struck me that this is the very thing I was taking a break from doing 5 years ago when I decided to start up this blog and write my first post, It's So Hard.
Let's talk about hard. It's all relative. It's not the mechanics of reviews that are hard; it's the leadership reflection that can come with it. Writing a review is much more than crafting words for a page. At times <for me> it is nothing less than a review of my leadership.
What does that look?
Not really. Nor is it a crazy-haired psycho reliving each and every exchange or complete calm sitting cross-legged on a pillow with incense in the background.
It's more often me, with a cup of coffee and something Panera, asking a bunch of questions, questions I'd ask myself regardless of whether or not performance reviews live or die:
There are always things each year that, if given the chance, I'd do very differently. Sometimes I suck, sometimes not. Honestly, you'd think I'd have it down to a science by now. But I don't.
But that's the thing.
Leadership is not a science. It's not a laundry list of leadership courses, a degree from a prestigious college, the right car or anything wrapped in an ego. No hubris allowed.
Leadership is not knowing all the answers, it's asking the right questions and listening to the answers. Hint: that means not defending or denying what you are hearing and, above all, not attacking the messenger.
What questions would you add to the list?
Photo credit iStockphoto
Lisa Rosendahl, SPHR challenges leaders to grow up and lead. She writes on leadership, human resources and social media. She also writes on topics that don't fit neatly into those categories