Becoming an Oak Among Squash

A leadership professor once asked his students: “Which would you rather be: a squash or an oak?”

The question confused students. They didn’t understand the connection to leadership.

“A squash,” he explained, “grows quickly from a seed, weathers the summer, but dies in inclement winter weather because it has no root system. An oak, on the other hand, withstands every storm and all weather patterns because of its root system. It is deeply embedded in the earth.”


So many comparisons leap into my mind:

• get rich quick (squash) vs. follow a plan that matches your strengths and passions (oak)
• brown nose (squash) vs. maintaining credibility and honesty in all your dealings (oak)
• push others down to boost self up (squash) vs. boosting others up and growing to new heights (oak)
• slap it together and get it done (squash) vs. do it well and let your name stand behind it (oak)
• look busy (squash) vs. do all you can do to the best of your ability all the time (oak)

I`m sure you can think of a few yourself ...


When it comes to leadership I get a definite picture of these two plants:

Squash:
You know that leader who offers no plan, no vision, no direction, expects people to just get to work. So staff go ahead with life and create ideas or needed initiatives but, because they are not the leader of other departments, there is no togetherness or overall plan across the company. They begin to have petty arguments, disrespect and distrust.

It gets worse. Typically the leader swoops in and micromanages from above after the work is done ... or worse, does the brush off of "I just would have expected you to do that. It's part of your job." Ooooh the frustration of the person trying to do the work (or the guess-work)!!

Oak:
This is the leader who aligns staff with their strengths and purpose, gives them an overall plan, budget, vision, mission and benchmarks that are reasonable, especially in challenging conditions and then empowers staff to fulfill their purpose, continuing to facilitate positive and frequent communication, flow of ideas, encouragement for effort and guidance mid-stream where guidance is needed.

Here's one I would add which you might recognize ...

Potato:
The leader who has a solitary plan which few others know. All ideas only sprout from that individual and no communication is requested or given. Staff are just expected to deal with the sprouts, wherever they pop up. In fact, no sprout may appear and staff are not to question or speculate about what's happening.

That leader is immovable, inaccessible and ... well ... no fun! I have a theory that he/she does not share the plan because he/she doesn't want to be committed to it and then have to say "I was wrong." (So far it's a theory because these people will NEVER tell me!)


Being a leader in your business, organization, family, etc. requires:

• incredible communication skills,
• solid mentoring or counseling ability,
• unwavering self-management,
• well developed problem-management skills,
• ability to consult others and to suspend inherent behaviours that are causing communication or trust issues ... which goes back to self-management.

If it sounds super-human, it is!
Are you up for it?

Being a leader is no different from being a sales person. You are selling your staff on your ability to lead the company and ensure their future daily.

Who do people buy from?

• Those the KNOW, LIKE and TRUST

What breaks down trust besides outright lies?

• Ambiguity (vagueness, uncertainty, haziness)

Ambiguity leaves too much to the discretion of the one being lead. That person can either do nothing and be squawked at, or do something and be micromanaged ... and squawked at.

That squawking has it`s own hazzards ...

"... out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks." - Matthew 12:34B, the Bible

What you say and do can and WILL be held against you. Your communication - verbal AND non-verbal shows your staff where your head is at ... and they are always watching...

Negative squawking or the cold brush off and avoidance will create uncertainty, self-doubt, anxiety, anger and bitterness which cause involuntary and negative bio-physical responses which, in turn, inhibit rational thought and productivity. From then on, even the thought that a leader MIGHT be displeased will trigger that response in him or her ... there goes productivity, job satisfaction and workplace morale.

Why can`t employees just get over their response and understand that's just the way I'm wired?

Because they are HUMAN!

Humans ... MOST humans ... do not enjoy pain and that trigger response is their brain telling them to duck and cover 'cause pain is headed their way!


Employees surveyed said a credible employer must be these key things:

• Honest
• Competent
• Forward Looking
• Inspiring

These words could be said of the oak ... not so much the squash or potato

You don`t lead staff? I would challenge that these are the qualities we look for in a spouse, a mentor, a trusted friend, a parent, and ourselves.

If we all aspire to be oakish leaders of ourselves (as opposed to squashy or potatoish), then the world will be full of credible people.

... and wouldn`t that just be incredible?


Are you ready to develop your Leadership skills?
I recommend Dr. Terry Anderson`s book Transforming Leadership. Author: Dr. Terry Anderson together with the Leadership Skills Inventory - Self (LSI-S)