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A Leadership Wake-Up Call: Learning Through Observation

Author

Kevin Ng
November 07, 2024



Hi Friends!

Recently, I had one of those moments where someone else's words hit home in an uncomfortable but necessary way. I was watching a video by Leila Hormozi where she discussed how "leadership is caught, not taught." Her point? People learn leadership more by watching great leaders in action than by taking courses on leadership.

This concept stopped me in my tracks and forced me to take a hard look at my own leadership style. If my team is learning leadership by watching me, what exactly are they catching?

The honest answer? I haven't been modeling the leadership skills I'd want my team to emulate. One area where this is particularly evident is in how I give feedback. Being a direct person by nature, I tend to just "get to the point" without what I previously dismissed as "sugar coating." I'd give quick, often critical feedback, expecting team members to simply accept and implement these directions.

What I'm realizing now is that I've been overlooking the human aspect of these interactions. Effective feedback, should include both praise for what was done well and specific, detailed suggestions for improvement - all delivered in a positive manner. Instead, I've been serving up direct criticism and wondering why it wasn't inspiring great results.

Here's what I'm learning: As business owners, we're the designated leaders of our teams whether we like it or not. If we want to develop strong leaders within our organizations (and maybe one day replace ourselves with competent leaders), we need to demonstrate exceptional leadership skills consistently.

This realization has been humbling, but it's also motivating. I'm working on taking a step back and improving my feedback skills. It's not about "sugar coating" - it's about communicating in a way that actually inspires growth and development.

I'm curious about your experiences with leadership. Have you ever had a moment where you realized your actions weren't aligned with the leader you want to be? How do you balance directness with empathy in your leadership style?

Until next time, lead by example!

Kevin Ng

P.S. Remember, someone is always watching and learning from how you lead. What leadership qualities do we want to model today?

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