An Explanation of "O" - 10/13/15

Hopefully by now you’ve read all about “L.”  So, let’s move on to the meaning of “O.”  In my world, this is being OPEN or OPENNESS AND OPINIONS.  As a leader are you openly sharing your Vision and doing this often?  Are you openly sharing details about who you are, what you like or dislike, and even things that might be more personal to you in your life (we’ll get into that in another post).  Being OPEN helps to build trust amongst you and your team and without trust failure is likely imminent.

Another important “O” word is Opinions; meaning are you allowing them and seeking Opinions from others on your team.  I’m not talking about Opinions that agree with your own; rather, I’m talking about those who may have a difference of opinion and in fact, seeking that out.  I’ve always been a firm believer that without healthy debate and disagreements in the workplace, organizations will never move forward and eventually will stagnate.  Another way to think of this is allowing those around you to be Candid about how they feel regarding things like policies, procedures, etc.; and sharing this candidness in an open forum like meetings, town halls, and in the Open where others can see that this give and take is a way of life.  Here is a link to a great post about Candor by Tom Mendoza http://www.tommendozatalks.com/the-power-of-candor/.  Check it out!!!  There are way too many leaders out there that build teams where everyone agrees with them and in my Opinion, that’s called “following,” not Leading.

So, as we continue this journey, I hope that you’ll make a choice to Lead by Example, be Open and seek out those different Opinions and alternate points of view.  Next up, all about “V.”  Until then, make it a great day!!!

Hip