Okay, just one more post (at least for now) 🙂 about one of my newest leadership heroes.
Last post we looked at wisdom from YUM! Brands Chairman and CEO, David Novak. In his great book, Taking People With You: The Only Way to Make Big Things Happen he discussed the importance of “Getting Inside The Heads” of those you wish to influence. In other words, it’s not enough for you to want or desire a goal, you must know what motivates and drives the people you wish to take with you. This, via genuine interest and caring regarding their needs, wants, goals and desires.
And, as important as this understanding is, it’s not enough. Why? Because one error can render you ideas nearly useless. According to Mr. Novak:
“One of the biggest mistakes leaders make is not thinking through all the people
they have to lead to get where they want to go.”
He says that a key question to ask yourself has to do with who you need to affect, influence or take with you in order to be successful. As a former marketing executive, he compares this to a marketer trying to identify potential customers. And he believes that must be a key area of your focus.
As examples of those others, he includes: “your boss, your coworkers, people on your team, people from other departments whose help you’ll need, or even people from outside your organization, such as shareholders, vendors, customers, or business partners.”
Terrific point! It reminds me of a leadership failure or two of mine where I’m pretty sure I persuaded those I attempted to persuade but left out key “needed people” from whom I never even tried to obtain “buy-in.” This wasn’t intentional; it was more a matter of not thinking things through and considering all the people whose commitment I would need.
It was a painful lesson but one from which I grew. When I read it in Mr. Novak’s book, it immediately brought back painful lessons, but ones I certainly needed to experience in order to grow. Or, maybe I’d have been better off reading about it instead. If there’s one thing better than learning from our own painful experience, it’s learning from someone else’s wisdom (which, most likely, was based on their own painful experience). 🙂
What do you see as a good methodology to make sure we dot all our i’s and cross all the t’s in this regard?
—–
If you’d like to listen to my chat with David in which he shared numerous, hard-hitting and valuable ideas from his new book, click on http://bit.ly/ytSKI3
Have you registered yet for “The Go-Giver Retreat” to be held in Sunny South Florida? Find out who our world-class presenters will be, and what they’ll be sharing with us. AND, scroll down the page and see the exciting bonus being provided by Sally Hogshead when you register!
Enjoy this post? Receive an update when our next post is published by entering your best email address below and clicking Get Updates.
Yes! Consideration of others is critical to success in all endeavors. …and why not? At the least it will make the world around you a better place. It can be rewarding to look ahead and preempt others’ needs.
Good insight on crossing dotting all my I’s and crossing all my t’s. Helpful info to ponder for a plan of action.
Carol, thank you. Those I’s and T’s are indeed important, aren’t they? 🙂
Man, that is true – how often we overlook someone, anyone, when we need everyone to move together. Wisdom reminds us that two can walk together, only if they are agreed.
I recently read an article about a company who labels the front desk and it’s position as ”Chief of First Impressions” – how true is that – and the lady in that chair took it very seriously!
Great idea to have the fellow-with-the-mop on board with the goal of the Team – I know of lost prospects after they walk out of a dirty bathroom! Was that short-sighted on the part of the person (that the company could have served well), perhaps… short-sighted failure on the company’s part – Indeed!
Thanks for the reminder Bob – as the sage RedGreen says…”We’re all in this together!”
Ted, thank you for your comments. Appreciated!
Thank you, Carol. David makes a terrific point, doesn’t he?!
Thank you, Elena. Consideration is indeed important when dealing with all people. In this case, I think the key mistake was in not being *aware* of everyone whose buy-in was needed in order accomplish the desired goal. Thank you for sharing with us!
What a great post Bob. It reminds me of my first management position…I was not an effective leader because I was never taught these awesome lessons. I was thrown into a role with no training or preparation and I sunk fast. A book like this would have done me wonders.
Difficult to imagine that, Christie, as you’re such an awesome leader now!
Hi Bob,
This is a very thought provoking blog.
Sometimes you have people on your team who really don’t want anything more than a job. They are pretty easy to spot, and they serve a purpose, but you are right, we will never achieve great things with those people. Those people that you need to “take with you” are far and few between, and you have to mine alot of acres to find those diamonds. And once you find them, finding the buy-in is difficult too. After 10 years I have found two people I need to take with me in my search for success, and one doesn’t want to come with me, my daughter. One day she will though, when she no longer finds being a nurse fulfilling. Thanks for some great thoughts today.
I really appreciated this post Bob. I think it will give leaders and up coming leaders something to reflect upon.
Thank you, Michelle. I appreciate that!
Thank you, Jean. I got the feeling that he was saying that there are also people that – depending upon the project – you might need buy-in from, and that when we are not aware of those people, that can come back to haunt us. And, again, from first-hand knowledge I can tell you that is true.
Thank you Bob!!!! 🙂
My pleasure!
Thank you so much Bob! I’ve been mentoring a person for the past few months and I think I told myself that I was giving up on this person as of last week because she doesn’t get it. Now that I read your post again, I think I will have to give it another chance, just maybe because it is I who didn’t get into her heads. It’s eye-opening! Thanks!!!
Hi Dottie, great to hear from you, my friend!