Top Mistakes of Leadership...Leader, Greeder or Bleeder(breakers)

We recently completed a Real team building exercise with some highly “intelligent” people. I assume “highly” as they “teach” others… nevertheless, we had a really good fun Appreciative team building event they were very “cerebral” people.

Feedback from the participants and observations during the event showed that whilst it took a while to build the courage and trust, we eventually had a highly productive , fun and fruitful day.

The power of an appreciative inquiry based team building event is that it is SAFE, positively focused, and enables people to share their closest thoughts, hopes and wishes about an ideal future together, in a highly constructive manner.

The culmination of the team building day is usually a list of STOP, START, CONTINUE’s that will bring about the envisaged positive change.

So I was shocked to discover that back-at-their-offices, the BOSS, SUMMONED everyone to a urgent meeting the next day to SORT OUT THE ISSUES. Seems that some of the participants were even ”Hauled-over-the-coals” for sharing their honest points of view in the workshop.

One of the primary concerns of the participants was “Respect… for our time”. And here was the boss demanding that they attend his meeting, at very short notice to solve the “issues raised” in the team building.

Hmmm… unconscious BLEEDER BOSS?

So let’s get to our Leader, Greeders and Bleeders so you can decide.

A leader

…is someone whose actions enhance the company culture, vibe, capacity, relationships, potential, trust, respect, energy / engagement, happiness and results of the team. You follow them because they inspire you to give your best and go the extra mile. They walk their talk and live with integrity.

A Greeder

…is someone whose $ole goal is the FINANCIAL a$pect of the succe$$ of the busineSS. Greed ; for their own edification and EGO. They MAXIMISE; use, drive and demand, all for the big-old “Buck”, with little care for the human-element, relationships, health, satisfaction, engagement or happiness. “People are just a battery in their busine$$ machine”.

Like we need oxygen to survive, business requires revenues and profits to survive and be sustainable too. But is your life just about BREATHING or is it about more?

Is your business just about Money or the next new car, house, toy, business acquisition or another zero on your bank account?

Some greeders are unconscious addicts, who like drug addicts, hurt or harm all in their path to get their next high or financial FIX! If you work for a GREEDER.. decide if you can live with it.. like tigers… it seems they struggle to “Change their spots”.

A Bleeder

…is someone who, whilst driving for results, damages, destroys and breaks… either intentionally or unconsciously.

They draw blood on the dance floor with their disrespectful and harmful actions. A Bleeder destroys their own credibility, trust and effectiveness by their behaviors, as they drive for results with a Big Stick of some kind.

They engender FEAR, uncertainty and loss in their workplace. Bleeders destroy, trust, cohesion, connection and commitment by their very unsustainable actions. They destroy the willingness to open up and share honest thoughts, to trust and be fully engaged.

They create a culture that is divisive, fear-based, disrespectful, dishonest, and destructive.

A Bleeders’ legacy is a broken and withdrawn team, where people quietly make the, now irrevocable decision, to NEVER EVER again… trust, share, risk, show up, participate, give their best, and hope for a better future!

It’s like a Bleeder takes a big hammer on his most productive machines and smashes it... into broken pieces. Not SMART, NO HEART, and no SOUL!

A bleeder destroys the very fabric of the human element and guarantees that relationships will become, or remain strained, superficial, suspicious and cynical.

A breaker has no respect for the human element, probably a very low EQ, and is definitely “unconscious” or “asleep at the wheel”.

If you work for a Bleeder… GET OUT NOW... before they break your spirit and create learned helplessness.
So back to my story… to my amazement and shock, this “intelligent” leader of this smart group, smashed all the good work we achieved in the safe, fun, positive team building events Gauteng within 2 days of getting back to the office!

The feedback I received regarding the REACTION of the team to this unsmart action was – “well we’ll never do that again! We’ll never stick our neck out! To Trust is dangerous in this space! Let me just do what I HAVE TO do to be safe in my little sphere. Nothing more!

The unconscious/ unaware actions of this BLEEDER has reversed all the good that was achieved. In fact he has probably; taken the team beyond the lowest level they were at before the team building day.

As the saying goes… Common sense is not common practice… Some people are “CLEVER”, but not to smart! Good IQ and no EQ… definitely no LQ (NO Leadership quality).

And the solution is…we need REAL Leaders.. not greeders nor bleeders…

This requires a smart leader and needs some sensitive and canny finessing to be able to address everyone’s needs in a constructive, successful, sustainable manner.

All I know is you can’t force your horse to drink, because you are thirsty… and you can’t teach a pig to sing because you want it to.

Leadership at the end of today is about results WITH care, honesty, integrity, love, trust, trust, energy, passion, service, Destiny, Cause, Callings, connection, happiness, health, fun; a positive and meaningful life that is optimized and sustainable.

Few people have ever died wishing they had made more money!
So what were you behaving like … up until today… Bleeder, Greeder, or real leader? What can we count on you for from NOW on?

Namaste’
Tony Dovale
www.lifemasters.co.za
083-447-6300