If you want to improve as a leader, make sure you do some following. I learn more about excellent leadership – what it looks like, how it feels and pays off - as a board member of a non-profit, volunteer at beach clean-up and in a wetsuit. Books about leadership, content loaded and inspiring, pale in impact when you’ve got a real live leader in front of you.
The performance goal was simple: transform 5 strangers into a team of white water rafters and get them through some of the toughest class 5 rapids in the world (a 6 being unrunnable) safely and happily. Oh, yeah and do it in 4 days.
Twenty-something Matt does it twice a month as a raft guide on the Futalafu River in southern Chile, the second most dangerous commercially rafted river in the world (see www.earthriver.com for some wooly adventures.)
I often tell groups he is one of the outstanding leaders I know. His deft leadership skills are not new:
Clear Instructions: Dig DEEPER! Reverse, reverse, REEEEVERSE! (all instructions are screamed)
High Expectations: Not so good team. We’ve got to get much much better.
Consequences for Underperformance: If you do just what you did on Wednesday, you’ll be in the river and you do NOT (repeat – DO NOT) want to be there.
Critical Feedback: “Barbara, you were too slow to help get those people back in the raft. Your team needs you to be much quicker. Got it?” (I couldn’t believe he did this in front of everyone. I couldn’t believe I didn’t mind ….because he was right and because he was sincere.)
Recognition: Paddles Up Team. That was awesome!
Willingly Admits Mistakes: That one was my fault. Sorry. Everyone okay?
Reign in on those hardbacks, courses, peer feedback and ultra-executive-only experiences as the only sources of information when you’re inspired to lead your team and company better. With eyes wide open, make sure you get in the follower role. And if you decide to raft the Fu, tell Matt hello.
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