Looking Outward

By the very definition, leadership is an act of looking outward and forward.

How unfortunate, then, that often when we are coaching leaders we are focusing much of their attention inward.

To be sure, there is a legitimate case that must be made and acted upon regarding self-reflection.  We all have our internal work to do.

Often, though, the conversation with other leaders  disproportionately focuses too much inward with little thought toward the outward focus of leadership.

"You didn't do this."   "Why did you do it this way?"   "It would have been much better if you have followed my advice."  

Comments like these turn a leaders thoughts inward.  When the leader is constantly thinking about themselves - up to and including self preservation - they cannot think about the support and leadership of others.

How much better then is it to ask questions like "How is the team doing?"   "What support/guidance do people need from you today?"  "What specific challenges does the team face that you can coach them through?"

Questions like these focus the attention outward and attention focused outward is multiplied by the number of team members affected, whereas attention focused inward really only has a multiple of one.

As leaders we must be at our best;  it is our responsibility to take care of ourselves through self-reflection and healthy habits.    As leaders, we must assure the teams we have been given stewardship of are at their best - outward focus assures that goal is being met.

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My book "Courageous Questions, Confident Leaders" is available on Amazon Kindle.