And Carrie On

I saw this idea this fall from a colleague (Chase Moore) who put together his leadership lessons in the form of rules.

The concept hails from a tv show favorite we both share — NCIS.

In the show, Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs has unwritten rules about how he leads and what to expect on the job. Through the show, his team learns about his various unwritten rules through trial and error.

Fast Forward to this Fall

Chase wrote down some of his own leadership rules, and I immediately related to the concept. One because I love the show, but two I think there’s such value in defining what’s important to you as a leader.

Based on inspiration from Chase, I’ve spent the last probably two months mulling over my rules, and I am excited to share them with you. This is by no means a complete list, but I hope it provides a glimpse into what I value as a leader and how I operate.

I would also tend to say my rules have changed as I have changed as a leader. My guess is if I were to look either forward or backward a few years, some of these would be different.

My Rules:

1. No surprises – Please don’t let me walk into a meeting and be caught off guard. I’ll do my very best to do the same for you.
2. Always be learning – Good leaders can learn anywhere. It could be a new approach, a new skill, or a new perspective. We are only effective as leaders if we continue to hone our craft and learn new things.
3. Continuous improvement – Every process can be better. Just because something is good, doesn’t mean it can’t be great. Don’t get comfortable with good. Find a way to make it better.
4. Praise in public and critique in private – Never put a team member down in front of a group or throw them under the bus. Have that conversation behind closed doors. To the rest of campus, you need to put on a united front.
5. Say you’re sorry – When you cause your team frustration, own it and apologize. Ask how you can do better. And ask your team to remind you when you don’t live up to that.
6. Say thanks – Regardless of how, say thank you to your team. It could be a snack, a note, or just a public affirmation, but it’s important to regularly show the team you value them and their work.
7. Don’t ask if you don’t want to know – In one-on-one meetings, don’t ask people how they’re doing unless you’re fully prepared to hear their answer. If they are vulnerable and share, you need to be prepared to put the person first. If you’re not there, that’s okay, but it’s far worse to ask and do nothing than to not ask.
8. Give back the monkeys – As a new leader, it’s tempting to take on lots of things to help but sometimes we have to give those back to the team to successfully do our own work. Training the team is a better use of time.
9. Creating culture is on you – Find ways to make work fun for the team. Is that a retreat time, potluck, lunch out, or trivia game? Find something to keep work fun!
10. Participation happens in different ways – Not everyone is good at on the spot feedback. Remember to build in intentional time and documents where people can be more deliberative in their thoughts and feedback.
11. Walk the office – Get out of your chair and make the walk through the office to say hi, see what’s bubbling, or check in. Being visible builds trust and camaraderie.
12. Always spring for good tissues – When you buy office supplies, try to buy good tissues. People in your office may come to you with tough things. The least you can do is have good tissues.
13. Keep your mouth shut – If you say something will be held in confidence, you should never share it for any reason.
14. Push back but still support – As a MarComm leader, sometimes we have to push back for what’s best. It’s our job. However, when a decision is made, it’s also our job to support. Make sure your teams know that’s how you operate and that you want them to push back but also support you.
15. Remember how you would feel – When unsure about handling a situation, think about how you would want to receive such news or updates. That usually will help you know how to proceed in the situation.

What are your rules?

These are my rules but am curious what are the rules that you relate to as a leader. Please feel free to share some of your own leadership rules in the comments. Let’s keep the conversation (and the tv show) going strong!