jwanheah

Here are some of the hard facts i’ve learnt about leadership over the years. Sharing them with you in hopes you become the leader you wish you had.

When the team fails, look in the mirror first
When things don’t go according to plan, point the finger at yourself before you even think of pointing at others. As the saying goes, “The Fish Rots From The Head“. If anything goes wrong, you should be the first to take responsibility.

Lead from the trenches, not from the ivory tower
Great leaders are out on the front lines gaining real insights & experience, instead of sitting in the corner office. Too many a leader relies on reports (that are often too late or filtered!) rather than walking the floor and getting their hands dirty. To be a good leader and to make good management decisions, you need to experience & understand what exactly the organisation is doing and get out to get a feel of the real world.

Favoritism breeds resentment
Trust & faith in you are destroyed when you show signs of favoritism. The credibility of the leader is in his/her ability to manage fairly.

Micromanagement undermines potential
Control stifles creativity and growth, give the team autonomy and watch the results.

Share success, own failures
Your team’s wins are theirs, your team’s failures are yours. Never as the leader take credit for your team’s work, catastrophic.

Praise in public, criticise in private
Your job as a leader is to build people, not shame them. You don’t gain credibility by flexing authority.

Be the dumbest person
Surround yourself with people better than you. Never keep the company of idiots who are only good at polishing your shoes.

Clear the way or get out of the way
Your job is to make things faster, easier & better for the team. If you don’t know how, stay out of the conversations and let those who do, DO.

Adapt or perish
The world & business is dynamic and changing at an ultra fast pace. Adopt new ways of thinking, working & new tech fast. Adapt to change or you’ll be irrelevant.

Hope you find nuggets of knowledge that can help you on your leadership journey. Wishing you only the best!

Jwan Heah.