Leadership Skills: Knowing How Things Get Done

I have many times in many ways shared my 3 definitions of a leader.

A leader is a person who:

1. Gets things done;
2. Knows how things get done; and
3. Influences others.

Knowing how things get done is a big one. Knowing takes time. Knowing means learning. Knowing means observing. Knowing means listening. Knowing means paying attention to the details. Knowing means intentional discovery.

Unfortunately, many CEOs and Executive Directors are not sure what they know, and oftentimes don’t know what they don’t know or are not aware that there is a gap in their understanding of how things get done.

This skill represents the biggest gap in my 3 principles. We all think that we know or can figure things out along the way.

In 1995, Dunn & Bradstreet did research on entrepreneurs who had failed businesses. They found that 90% of these entrepreneurs failed because they didn’t have the skills to lead their businesses. Half of the nonprofits founded each year will ultimately close without achieving the vision they held. These failed leaders didn’t really understand how to get things done.

I work with leaders in many fields building strategies for their organizations. That’s the visioning and structuring part of the work. The big step is in implementation of the plan. That’s where the 90% failure happens.

Here’s how I have learned how things get done:

• Working with a Coach: I saved 5 years by working with a coach, so I kept working with a coach to get more done and to discover what I didn’t know. It’s really important to work with an external coach who gets paid to provide feedback and content. There’s no substitute for this.
• Attending Conferences: I attend very selective conferences with specific intent for learning what I don’t know, and to meet people who can teach me something. Two conferences to consider are CEO Space and IEG Sponsorship.
• Hanging with Successful People: I read many years ago that a person’s paycheck reflects the pay of the crowd he or she hangs with. I know really successful people and we hang out and share resources.

Figuring out how things get done is a life-long journey. The more you figure out, the more you know there is to learn.

Resources to consider*:
The Tao of Leadership: Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching Adapted for a New Age

Og Mandino’s University of Success

* The links are affiliate links to Amazon. SynerVision Leadership Foundation receives the fee for its philanthropic work.