Lift Us Up Where We Belong

OK, before I start, this is not a recommendation that you clean house and start ditching people.
That would be a bad thing.
But
I would say that you need to surround yourself with people who inspire you to get better.
To do great work and accomplish more.
Think of the acrobats in Cirque de Soleil.
When it comes to performing, sometimes they do the lifting.
Other times they allow someone else to lift them.
We should all strive to lift those around us.
Rather than knock them down.
We should also be lifted by those around us.
Of course, it’s easier to criticise, but who does that really help in the long run?

Taking The Lead

Teams and tribes – they all depend on a leader to give them order, direction and motivation.
If you’re lucky enough to find yourself in the position to lead, grab that responsibility with both hands.
As I’ve said before leadership is all about inspiration, not control.
Most of us work in a pretty meritocratic environment, which means that everyone has a chance to apply their talents.
So no-one needs a leader who second guesses every decision and takes responsibility for every element of the project.
You don’t need to be the best player on the team.
Sir Alex Ferguson wouldn’t last five minutes on the pitch.
But he knows how to bring the best out of everyone in his team.
Your job is to inspire and motivate.
That way, everyone gets the chance to shine.

Show Some Love

You’ve probably all heard of Secretary Day, where people try to make up for a year of treating someone like a dogs-body by buying a card and a bunch of flowers.
But I’ve got another suggestion, it’s bold, it’s radical I'd like to propose a 'Love Your Boss' week.
The thing is, great leaders are few and far between.
Management is about control, whereas leadership is about inspiration.
It’s not easy either, although a great leader makes it look easy.
Running the business, staying on top of the finances, reporting up, down and across and still managing to have fun in meetings and give open, honest feedback. All the while pushing the organisation to be the best version of itself and pushing us all to be the best versions of ourselves.
As Robert Altman, said in his Oscar acceptance speech
"The role of the Director is to create a space where the actors and actresses can become more than they’ve ever been before, more than they’ve dreamed of being.”
I look at Julian Pullan, the Managing Director of Jack Morton here in EMEA and I marvel at how he manages to do all of that.
It's a big job, and somebody’s got to do it.
But not everyone can, so be sure to say thanks.

PS
I know that he’s my boss , but like Roy Walker - I say what I see.