I hope this picture brings a smile to your face as it does mine. I don’t watch TV much but I really enjoyed this show. What I loved most about the characters was their ability to share what they were feeling and how they helped each other be better people. That is what friends are for….RIGHT?
So you may be asking yourself what do friends have to do with leadership? Plenty!
Have you ever asked a good friend what they think of you? Simple but can be terrifying to many. We are afraid what we might hear. So, we don’t ask. Leaders are continuous learners. They best ones are consistently asking others how they are doing, what can they do differently, how can they bring out the best in you or the organization.
Questions you can start asking include but not limited to:
- What do you think is my greatest strength?
- What am I doing well?
- What are specific things I can be doing differently to be more effective?
- What do I need to let go of?
- When do you feel that I am at my best?
- What should I stop doing?
- What do you think of me as a ……?
As a leader I strongly encourage you to start asking good friends at work, at home or elsewhere, questions about you as a person and leader. Choose people who know you, ones that you respect, those who make you feel more like yourself. You will be surprised what you hear and what others will share with you.
