My horse Echo has a mind of his own and an opinion on
everything. He is also bright, sensitive, and very reactive. Kind of like his
owner. While he has his moments of laziness or checking to see who is leading who, Echo’s general personality is one of cooperation and collaboration. So when Echo disagrees with what I ask of him, I know there is a completely legitimate reason in his mind, and he expects me to hear him and respond. It could be a physical problem, fear of a perceived predator, or a swarm of flies up ahead. If at times I don’t know what the problem is, I need to trust Echo that there is one and work it out with him. If I play the power card and simply “show him who’s boss,” insisting that he perform without regard for his concerns, I will lose his trust and pay for it. Not only that, but we may both be in real danger. Being in a rush will only exasperate the problem. In short, if I am overconfident and force Echo to do something, we have lost our collaboration and I have lost his respect, and in certain situations, it could cost us our lives. Echo has taught me the hard way that I serve us both far better when I balance confidence with humility and respect to listen and respond to his point of view. I am lucky he is so forgiving.
As leaders, we must have the confidence to set direction and
chart our course. Yet when capable, conscientious teammates ask us to stop and listen to their concerns, it pays to do so.
Truly courageous leadership requires this balance of confidence,
humility, and mutual respect. It is not for the faint of heart.
Do you hear and respond to your team’s concerns? How do you balance, confidence humility, and respect?
2019-11-12 Horse
Wisdom: Confidence, Humility, and Respect