Pick a TV show, any show. You've got a lot of choices. In the US, the closest I could come was 4,500 different series (http://epguides.com/) but there are likely many more than that. So what does that have to do with leadership?
I was returning from a lunch meeting with Paul Stout, the M* VP who reports to me and is the GM of our Cisco programs around the world. He told me..."I just finally watched that episode of...". But inexplicably for Paul, who is an incredibly gifted storyteller, he couldn't remember the show he was trying to tell me about. Perhaps it was his concern (well placed as it turned out) over his alma mater BYU being about to lose in the opening round of the Big Dance.
Regardless of the reason for his lapse, he could not remember the name of the show. So, not wanting to wait longer than I had to to hear one of Paul's stories, I guessed..."SEINFELD?" Wouldn't you know it...that was the show! Out of literally thousands of series to pick from (trust me, Paul has some eclectic tastes in all things entertainment) I can't really recall Paul ever talking about Seinfeld before, and Seinfeld, as popular as it was, is not really at the top of the American consciousness at the moment. But right there, was a microcosm of the relationship Paul and I have built over some very challenging and rewarding years working together. He didn't have to say it, and I knew it.
Now, I am not advocating that you as a leader should be guessing every single thing that your team members are going to say or do. Far from it. But, more often than not, you should be sensing where your team is heading, even perhaps before they do. How in sync are you with your team?
1 comment:
Okay, so now I'm thinking of a movie ...
Actually, I'm not surprised, as you do that all the time. Maybe it has something to with the fact that you're #1 on my XOBNI report. We exchange hundreds of emails and texts each week, and now we can communicate in short-hand.
...or your newest Strengthfinder talent is clairvoyance!
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