Monthly Archives: March 2014

Failing to check your assumptions can get you into trouble.

Topics in Leadership
Photo by: twenty_questions
Photo by: twenty_questions

Lately I have had to “relearn” to always assess the assumptions I am making. As the executive director people often come to me with problems or conflicts. In all of those cases I am making a decision or giving advice. Sometimes (all too often) I rush to a judgement. A few times in the recent past my quick analysis has been way off. Unfortunately not before I am halfway down the road of dealing with a person or situation incorrectly.

“Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won’t come in.” ― Isaac Asimov

My advice: Always make sure you do yourself the favor of getting ALL the information and challenging your beliefs about a situation before acting.

 

Relearning

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Relearning blog 424027_28751988Kouzes and Posner write about about it in The Leadership Challenge. Warren Bennis writes about it in On Becoming a Leader… the reality that effective leaders are learners. I find myself though, not only in need of learning, but also relearning. I am frequently reminded of the lessons I’ve learned and forgotten. Little things like always check my junk mail file because invariably, something important is in there, or something more impactful, like keeping  tabs on how tired or stressed I am so I don’t over-react to people. Today my relearning involved being mindful of what I am communicating. Not so much the words, but how and what I am emphasizing. As a leader what I emphasize becomes what the organization emphasizes. I’m praying I’ll be a leader whose communication emphasizes the importance of our  organization staying  focused on the energizing and creative ways it  can accomplish its mission.