The Friday Five - Leadership Edition

The Friday Five - Issue 33
Challenging leaders to maximize their potential
Terry Wetzel ~ Summit Leadership Development
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Sometimes even the best leaders can go through weeks of feeling like they are on autopilot. Does it feel like you are doing nothing but putting out fires, sitting in endless meetings, and constantly responding to emails with hardly a moment to reflect? Take time to ask yourself a few questions. What is it like to be on the receiving end of my leadership? Do I inspire confidence or anxiety? What did I fail at recently, and what did I learn from it? Who am I coaching right now? Am I working on the right things?

This week I attended a conference with well over 700 participants, had coffee with a small group, and enjoyed three different one-on-one meetings. Networking isn't a one-size-fits-all skill. It’s a wide range that requires you to shift your energy and approach depending on the room you're in. Large or small, networking is relational, not transactional. Be sure your approach aligns accordingly.

Recently, we had to take down a 90 year-old tree in our yard (we counted the rings). Watching it come down was a reminder of what legacy looks like in leadership. That tree didn't withstand nearly a century of storms by accident; it was anchored by deep roots and a trunk that grew over decades. As leaders, we often focus on the immediate achievements, the quick wins, and the daily output. But the health of our teams relies on what we build beneath the surface: our core values, our deep relationships, and the culture we cultivate every day.

As leaders, first-conclusion bias can make us grab the very first solution to a problem, accept superficial explanations, and stop asking deep questions altogether. To lead effectively, we have to keep the door open a bit. Never settle on the first solution immediately. Force yourself and your team to explore a few possible paths forward before making a final decision.

How you spend your weekend has more of an effect on your week than you care to admit. As leaders, we often treat the weekend as either a race to catch up on unanswered emails or household tasks, or a passive collapse from exhaustion. The most effective leaders view their weekends with a mindset of intentional restoration. Make it a great weekend!

"Optimize for enthusiasm.
Make as many choices as you can that leave you feeling energetic and interested." — James Clear

David and Goliath is by popular author and podcaster Malcolm Gladwell. His use of stories to illustrate points is one of my favorite parts of this book. I found it empowering, and it caused me to revisit certain assumptions I have made in my personal and professional life.

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The photo in today’s web edition was taken in (you guessed it), Seattle.
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