Article 18: Seven (7) Ways Leaders Win At Summit Leadership
We did it; the final blog post in our series on the Six Phases of Leadership (POL) is here!
Throughout this journey, we've explored practical strategies to succeed and avoid pitfalls at each phase. Leadership is a transformative journey where we forge our own path toward growth. Each step we take is a small action that contributes to unlocking our full leadership potential. Remember, regardless of where you currently stand in the Six POL, you are a leader. As you progress and gain more influence, each mastered phase becomes a metaphorical support beam for your leadership bridge. Rushing through the phases weakens the bridge, risking its collapse. Committing to a growth mindset rather than a goal-oriented mindset is essential to reach your peak. In this final post, we'll explore seven powerful strategies that Purposeful Accountable Leaders (PALs) utilize to thrive in summit leadership.
"The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves."
- Ray Kroc
Strategic Thinking
PALs understand the significance of strategic thinking, which sets great leaders apart from the average. Devoting intentional time to thinking allows for the tactical pause needed to make courageous choices. However, thinking correctly is crucial, especially at the summit level. Start by recognizing the problems that deserve your attention and your decisions' impact on the entire organization. By shifting from a tactical lens to a strategic lens, you bound your thinking and focus on problems that genuinely demand your time. Additionally, create white space for others to think. This powerful tool, often sacrificed in the face of new challenges, multiplies the problem-solving capabilities of your team. By dedicating time for your team to work through problems at their level, you foster growth and empower them. PALs understand the importance of controlling their time to shape their future.
Guide Others
PALs have a clear goal when they reach the peak of their leadership abilities: to be a shepherd for others. Leadership is an ongoing journey, and as you achieve summit leadership, you've overcome numerous obstacles. Embrace the opportunity to guide others on their own leadership journeys and shine a spotlight on their growth. The true measure of your success as a leader lies in the number of leaders you develop. As emerging leaders rise, be there to guide them through the challenges and hardships you've experienced. Your wisdom can significantly shorten their learning curve and propel them on their leadership paths. Freely give away power, enabling others to succeed. Empowerment can come in the form of sharing information, mentorship, connecting them with the right resources, or instilling confidence in your team. Leaders who empower others create a ripple effect within the organization, amplifying the ability to produce leaders. PALs have the vision to see the potential in others and stretch individuals with the capacity for high-level leadership. They are unafraid to share power, dedicating time to observe, coach, and train. The goal at this level is to build Phase 5 leaders and find your replacement!
Aerial View
PALs operate with a 10,000-foot view, rising above the tactical and operational issues that consume leaders at lower levels. As you reach the summit, you hold one of the highest positions within the organization, bringing unique challenges. It's crucial to separate yourself from day-to-day problems to avoid causing inefficiencies by constantly rescuing others. PALs operate from an aerial perspective, leveraging strategic leadership intelligence. There are three levels of leadership intelligence: tactical intelligence, operational intelligence, and strategic intelligence. At the summit, your performance is not weighed solely by your individual work but by the vision you create for the organization. Adopting a holistic, long-term perspective allows you to cast a compelling vision that inspires others to take action and generates momentum. By realizing that your role is not that of a rescuer but a leader who stretches individuals and the organization, you can maximize their potential while understanding their limitations. PALs operate from an aerial perspective.
Fred A. Manske Jr.
"The ultimate leader is willing to develop people to the point that they eventually surpass them in knowledge and ability."
Cultivating Strengths
PALs recognize that to move mountains, it's essential to focus on developing strengths rather than weaknesses. Begin by identifying your own strengths and actively cultivating them. At the summit phase, you must have a clear understanding of your strengths and continually work towards mastering them. Create a culture within your organization that prioritizes the development of strengths rather than obsessing over weaknesses. It's a common misconception that we should focus on improving our weaknesses, but this approach wastes valuable time and energy. By concentrating on what you are naturally gifted at, you can become an expert in those areas. PALs strive to exceed expectations, cultivating a culture that values resilience and empowers leaders to align their individual strengths with the organization's weaknesses.
Inner Circle
PALs understand that the individuals they spend time with greatly influence their future. A simple exercise to predict your future is to list the top five people you spend the most time with each week, excluding your family. These individuals often reflect the direction you are headed. As you reach the summit, it's crucial to remain grounded by creating an inner circle of trusted individuals. Your inner circle serves two vital purposes. Firstly, they challenge you to grow, ensuring that you never settle for mediocrity. Leadership is a continuous journey, regardless of your position or profession. It's essential to have individuals within your circle who are not content with your current state but encourage you to reach for more. Secondly, your inner circle provides honest feedback. Leaders often encounter individuals who tell them what they want to hear rather than the truth. Your inner circle should practice constructive candor and be unafraid to challenge you privately. Courageous members of your inner circle will directly challenge you when you veer off the right path. Joining a mastermind group or finding a coach can be excellent ways to cultivate an intentional inner circle. PALs are intentional about the company they keep.
Focus Your Efforts
PALs are deliberate with their time and concentrate on making a meaningful impact within the organization. As a leader at the top, it's crucial to direct your time towards challenges and issues that demand a response. Evaluate the areas you are currently working on and ensure they align with serving the organization's strategic goals. Your time as a summit leader should be invested in solving strategic challenges or guiding your team through them. Furthermore, utilize your platform to amplify your mission and vision for the organization. By frequently communicating your vision, you reinforce shared values and the purpose you want to be emulated within the organization. As a summit leader, you have the opportunity to amplify the success of other leaders within the organization. Don't hesitate to leverage your achievements to help others overcome their plateaus. PALs add value to other leaders and invest their time in challenges that require a response.
Lorin Woolfe
The ultimate test for a leader is not whether he or she makes smart decisions and takes decisive action, but whether he or she teaches others to be leaders and builds an organization that can sustain its success even when he or she is not around. True leaders put ego aside and strive to create successors who go beyond them.
Bonus
Here are the top 10 essential actions to continuously grow as a leader!
Maintain your curiosity and never stop learning.
Stay unwaveringly focused on the vision you've set for your organization.
Develop accountability by surrounding yourself with a trusted inner circle.
Prioritize decisions that genuinely require your time and attention.
Dedicate time to strategic thinking and the development of others within your team.
Establish redundancy within your organization for increased resilience.
Be a proactive force for positive change, like a sledgehammer driving progress.
Clearly define your desired legacy and actively work towards it.
Continuously challenge yourself and empower others to grow beyond their comfort zones.
Ensure that everyone's voice is heard and valued within the organization.
Final Thoughts
Achieving summit leadership is the pinnacle of one's leadership journey, and at this stage, the primary focus should be on creating a lasting legacy. As leaders, we all eventually transition out, and our success is determined by the performance of those we've mentored, observed, coached, and inspired. The POL’s have been an enlightening journey towards unlocking our full leadership potential. Remember, regardless of where you are on this path, you are already a leader. Rushing through the phases may weaken your leadership bridge, risking collapse. To reach your peak as a PAL, embrace a growth mindset and commit to developing your leadership capacity, whether leading yourself or others.
After Action Review
How can I shift from a tactical to a strategic lens, focusing on problems that truly demand my attention as a leader?
Am I actively guiding and empowering others on their leadership journeys, seeking to develop Phase 5 leaders within my organization?
What steps can I take to cultivate an intentional inner circle that challenges me to grow and provides honest feedback?
My Mission: I will end toxic leadership practices by equipping leaders with transformational leadership skills.
Together, we will impact 1 MILLION lives!!!
Every day is a gift, don't waste yours!
Joshua K. McMillion | Founder MLC | Founder MLC
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