Don’t Be a Small-Minded Leader

No one likely intends to become a small-minded person or leader.

The adjectives associated with this approach aren’t exactly flattering—petty, mean-spirited, close-minded, myopic, uncharitable. Yet, we probably know someone who fits these descriptions. Maybe, if we are brutally honest, we have seen them reflected in the mirror.

Why It Matters

Each of us needs meaning in our lives. So, why do many of the leaders I encounter seem content with career or work routines where meaning and purpose are conspicuously absent?

One reason for this lack of meaning may be a focus on the wrong things.

Our culture and business environment reward efforts to acquire things like wealth, power, and learning. But what if personal and professional growth is less about acquiring and more about discovering?

Overcoming the Temptation

Leaders who are self-aware and honest about their weaknesses, challenges, and mistakes are less likely to behave in small-minded ways. That’s because they don’t waste time defending their egos and need to be right.

This shift in behavior produces one of the most attractive qualities of leadership - humility.

When I humbly acknowledge that my piece of the truth is just that—one piece—it is more likely those I serve will share their piece of the truth. When that happens, the possibility of finding the real truth may finally emerge.

Imagine how this approach could transform today’s caustic, polarizing political debate. It could also re-energize your next team meeting.

I sense that some of us are afraid to die because we aren’t sure we have really lived.

When small-minded leaders willingly abandon the quest to satisfy their ego, they will discover that living is more about being than doing; more about meaning than winning.

At the end of your life would you rather be remembered for what you accomplished or how much you were loved?

Only small-minded leaders will choose the former.

Photo Credit: istockphoto.com