Where A Leader Stands

Where a leader stands matters.  The placement of their feet determines the position from which they serve.  It’s the place where others are prioritized.

Where a Leader Stands

In the world that we live in today, everyone wants to know where the leader stands.  Where do they stand on decisions, recommendations, issues, projects, budget, policy, and etc.? These are the least important places where a leader stands.

Throughout the week, whenever a blog concept comes across my mind, I try to pull out my Notes app immediately and thumb it in.  If I don’t, the busyness of my brain will just flat forget it…forever! 

There are times when there is an experience that week which clearly tells me what the upcoming blog post should be about.  It’s generally a personal experience that I can attempt to translate into a lesson on leadership.  It could be about sports, hiking, fitness, fishing, vacation, fatherhood, or a personal failure and its relationship to leadership.   

Then, there are times when it’s Sunday morning and I have ABSOLUTELY nothing to write about!  That is when I go to my Notes app and look at the selection of random topics that I’ve punched in over the years.

While personal topics are the most relatable, sometimes it’s fun to pick a leadership concept and just write.  It challenges me on those days when I just can’t find that experience to connect the reader with.

This week, directly from the Notes app… “Where a leader stands.”  Here are the three places a leader stands and the pros and cons of each:

In Front

The place where most leaders assume they need to stand is in front of their people.  Naturally, it’s where a leader is positioned.  The organizational structure calls for it.

The problem is that our Vantage Point is extremely limited from there.  Our eyes are pointed in the opposite direction of the people.  Where our vision goes, our leadership goes.  It’s hard to lead well when we are headed in our own direction.

As the leader, there are times when we must stand in front of the people we lead.  When blame needs to be assigned, the leader stands in front.  When chaos happens, the leader stands in front.  When the team needs to be shielded from criticism, the leader stands in front. 

It’s what great leaders do. 

Beside

A solid position for the leader to stand, beside the people we lead.  It signifies that we are with them, not separate from them. 

The challenge…there are times and places where we can’t always be right beside them.  The circumstances may require us to move in front.  The position of beside may create a dependency that we will always be available in that position.  When we do, our absence is noticed, they can feel left behind.

This can be a strong place for a leader to stand as well.  We all feel stronger in numbers.  When someone is with us, we feel like our Superpowers are enhanced.  There is less fear, and worries tend to subside.  Their confidence grows when we are beside them. 

Great leaders stand beside their people to show they are with them.        

Behind

Trailing behind those we follow has its advantages and disadvantages.  It’s good or bad, not much of an in between. 

The intentions are pure positionally, but there are unintended consequence. The people that we lead can feel pushed.  Not everyone operates at the same grueling pace as the leader and not everyone possess the same stamina.  Unrealistic expectations mount, the pressure can be paralyzing for them.   

The positive position, great leaders operate in the shadows.  Shadows are cast by others.  When we operate in the shadows of others, the spotlight is on them, not us.  With our presence behind them, they feel the support necessary to press forward.  They experience the success, we enjoy the significance of watching it.    

Conclusion

In both life and leadership, we can get pretty good at complicating things.  I may very well have just done that for you with these three places that leaders can stand.  There are pros and cons of all, so which one do we choose? When do we choose which one?  It can be extremely complicated. 

Here is a cheat code for when complication increases…simplify.  What really matters with those we lead…proximity.  Proximity sends a message of love and care that fuels the most important people in our worlds.  With that motive at the forefront, we really can’t stand in the wrong place. 

Even when the ground below our feet is unstable, uncertain, and unsettled…where the leader stands matters.  Either stand in front, stand beside, stand behind, but wherever you stand…stay close.  Stand in protection of others, stand with others, stand in support of others, and most of all in proximity to others.

Where we place our feet determines how we lead.  It matters.