It’s become popular in the business lexicon to hear about expectations and ability to “drive results”. Is that what modern-day leaders really do? And is that how exceptional outcomes are achieved? To me that sounds rather like an updated version of “command and control”. My belief is instead that effective leaders guide their teams in producing the actions that will achieve shared goals.

A guide will first make it a point to clearly identify the desired destination; after all, without that, any route will do and one is likely to get lost or stranded along the way. With a destination in mind, the guide will identify required resources, those that exist and additional ones that are needed; this assessment involves people, information, training and capital. The best guides do not have all the answers, but they know what questions to ask.

Next the guide will consider the optimum route to take, but will also identify alternates, knowing they are often needed. Detours have a way of arising along the way and the best time to consider your options is before your journey is stopped in its tracks.

An expert guide will establish expectations and accountability, but will spend more time teaching than directing. He or she will also assess the varying abilities of expedition members to complete the journey as envisioned; after all, the point of starting is to finish, not to simply drive team members until they become exhausted or go elsewhere.

Guiding and a leading have much in common. People are not cattle and neither are they machines. Leading is about engaging hearts and minds, not merely driving hands and feet.

Tempus Maximize!