Leaders initiate relationships

Leaders initiate connections with their people.

Maxwell’s analogy about the locomotive expresses a key point about leadership - the leader must initiate a connection with his followers. The leader who sits in his office will never build the relationship necessary with his people to inspire trust and respect in his people. “Great leaders don’t expect their people to move forward and latch on to them. Instead, they reach out to people, no matter where they are, and work to make a connection.” (Maxwell, pg. 159) This requires the leader to give themselves away to their followers. They must devote considerable amounts of time, attention, and thought into the people if they’re to reap the benefit of devoted followers.

If it weren’t enough for an entrepreneur to launch a business, he must also invest time in his employees and partners. Since a startup doesn’t have the layers of distance between those in authority and those following, it may be enough just to keep working since you’re ‘rubbing shoulders’ on a constant basis. As the business grows; however, and the success of the enterprise depends to a greater extent on the people’s effectiveness than the leader’s, the Law of Connection becomes more relevant. The entrepreneur’s main role in the beginning may be to iterate over models until he finds one that works, but with every new hire he must invest some of the time saved by delegating responsibility to connect with them. As this continues, the entrepreneur will spend less time on details and more time on people.

One-on-one connection is a strength of mine. I’d look forward to the day less time’s spent on business details and more time spent investing in people. The challenge here is to keep updating the connection over time.

I’ve made connections with several people throughout kCura on one occasion or another, but haven’t maintained them. I’ve always been the one to schedule lunch with them, and I get tired of having to initiate. “If they want to have lunch with me, why don’t they ask me for once?” is often what I think when I remember that I haven’t seen them in a while.

This insight turns that thinking on its head. There’s been no indication they haven’t enjoyed lunch together; probably they’re too busy to consider. The one who initiates is often the leader, and the purpose is to invest in the people. Therefore it’s my privilege to initiate, and my opportunity to serve.

I’m also aware it’s impossible to keep giving without also receiving. I’m not sure how to invest in the receiving part so I’ll keep having something to give. Ideas?

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