The many hats we wear can determine the versatility of our leadership. Hats are adaptive in nature. They can match a uniform, complete an outfit, represent our favorite team, or even cover up messy hair. They serve a variety of roles and fit a variety of situations.
Leadership requires us to have a rack full of hats. Ones that can be switched out as needed to adapt to the situation at hand. Hats that help us meet the variety of roles and situations that are demanded of us as leaders.
If your world is anything like mine, there are days that can leave you flat out exhausted. Days where the process of fulfilling EACH associated role that comes with EVERY hat can be exhaustive.
So what are some of these hats that we wear as leaders? Let’s check out four of my favorite ones:
Coach
Coaches are known for wearing hats. It is a common occurrence. The role of a coach is to shape and mold us into a desired destination. Coaches teach us the Fundamentalsthat lay the foundation for winning.
In leadership, the hat of coach reminds us of our tremendous responsibility to educate, equip, and grow the people we lead. Same as a coach, it is our responsibility to shape and mold those we lead to a desired destination. We do this through leadership and skill development.
We coach people up, we prepare them for the game of leadership. When the whistle blows, they will have the skills and abilities to get the win for the team. To get to their desired destination.
Counselor
You don’t see too many counselors wearing hats. Most leaders wear counselor hats though. Here is the deal…all of us have junk in our lives. You do, I do. So do the people we lead.
The world of leadership is subject to the same parameters of life. The people we lead walk through seasons of frustration, difficult circumstances, failure, indecisiveness, confusion, and chaos. Just to name a few!
I often find that my time can be best spent providing a space and a place that is safe for those I lead to share that junk. A space and place where they can find a listener. A genuine and authentic one. An ear free of distractions that is connected to a heart that cares.
Disciplinarian
Maybe the hardest hat to wear is the disciplinarian. The one we would prefer to leave on the rack. Tough decisions require corrective action.
Often, most people confuse punishment and discipline. The motive of punishment is to tear someone down.
Discipline’s motive is love. It redirects us to where we need to be. It provides guardrails to keep us on the road to success. Granted…when people run up against those guardrails we provide, it can cause some dings and dents. But…it keeps them out of the ditches. It is a form of protection that keeps them on the right road.
Encourager
Chick-fil-A founder Truitt Cathy once said this. “You know how to tell if someone needs encouragement? They are breathing.” Such a profound statement!
Too often we leave the encourager hat buried underneath the other ones. Behind the ones that demand our immediate attention. There is a problem with that, the encourager hat can be one of the most valuable hats we wear.
Encouragement can be achieved through expressive gratitude. Too often gratitude is left unexpressed. Expressive gratitude can come through our spoken, handwritten, or electronic words.
Encouragement provides inspiration. The inspiration to be more and do more.
Conclusion
The sport of baseball requires that all players (with the exception of the catcher) to wear a hat while in the field. In order to be in the game, you have to have one on.
The many hats we wear in leadership remind us that we are still in the game. A game that requires us to adapt and adjust to the roles and situations associated with each hat.
On those days where the constant switching up of hats gets exhaustive, remember our purpose. Our purpose is to be a leader. Leadership is the ABILITY and the WILLINGNESS to be the person people want to follow. We all have the ability, the real question is do we have the willingness? Are we willing to wear the hats that are required to take the field of leadership?