Serve To Lead

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

Proverbs 27:17

If you’re a coach, athlete, or have walked into any high school or commercial gym at any point in your life, you’ve likely seen this mantra from Proverbs. It’s completely applicable to the “iron game” of strength and conditioning and a great call to arms for teammates. But have you ever done either of these things to analyze it?

1) Find out just exactly how you do sharpen iron.

2) Read the rest of Proverbs chapter 27 to gain some more context.

This week as I lived, worked, coached, parented, and learned, the leadership lesson that kept emerging is that as leaders we must take care of the people that take care of us!

As coaches that’s obviously applicable to our players, but we must also exercise this “sharpening” with our assistant coaches and colleagues. I’m guilty of being negative. I like to think of myself as a realist, but the truth is, that on a spectrum of positive to negative I can tend to lean to the pessimistic side of that curve. We can call it tunnel vision, looking forward, or maybe even a lack of trust. But, what it boils down to is that as leaders we MUST encourage, empower, and entrust the people around us.

I’ve recently read Simon Sinek’s “Start with Why,” and have now moved on to another great book of his, “Leaders Eat Last.” And throughout both of these great reads, the overarching theme is to live in and focus on your true purpose while also supporting those you lead in theirs. And while any empathetic person would say this is common sense, it seems to be slipping away in today’s society and is clearly evident in many businesses and organizations.

The emergence of a mental health crisis has not spared any age group or demographic. And while practicing self care is now being prioritized, we humans search for community and belonging. You can’t find, practice, or create these if you’re solely focused on yourself. As a leader, the responsibility of prioritizing others falls on you.

I decided for myself to look into both of those contexts I mentioned earlier. And in my reading of Proverbs chapter 27 I found some absolute fire!

While the pessimist in me wants to point to organizations and their success or failure to know the condition of their employees, seek to find out their purpose and personal goals, and then provide the tools and developmental environment in which to help facilitate those things…… I had to first look at myself in the mirror and ask if I’m fulfilling the very same criteria for those I lead!

And in doing so I came up these three simple steps for our week to ensure that we leaders are truly sharpening one another and giving careful attention to those we lead:

1) It takes a specific level of hardness to sharpen iron. And the same is true for people. This is applicable in two ways. First, have you walked in their shoes? Far too often as leaders we fail to “walk the floor” of our environment and see things from the same perspective as those we lead. Second, applying too much pressure and from the wrong angle, can cause iron to chip and even break. If we don’t literally walk amongst those we lead and see what they need, how they need it, and how we can support them, then the expectations we hold for them can actually begin to cause anxiety and dissent. We have to provide what our people need according to their growth and goals before we can ask them to help us reach ours.

2) Iron can be chipped, worn down, rust, and break without frequent sharpening. Leaders, are you protecting, fighting for, and trusting your people/employees? Have you formed ad-hoc committees and research groups only to fail to communicate with them and make the decision yourself, ignoring their counsel? What message does that send to the people you lead? If we want the people we lead to stay “sharp” and get the job done, then we have to trust them and frequently communicate with them. According to UKG (Ultimate Kronos Group), a workforce solutions company, global workforce research has shown that 86% of employees feel as though they’re not heard fairly or equally. And, 2 out of 3 surveyed feel ignored by their supervisor/employer completely. Are you providing development? Is it what you think your “flock” needs or what they’ve expressed a need for? Have you bothered to walk with them to determine which one is more vital?

3) Create an edge: Invest in people’s growth. Sharpening someone’s “edges” can be a tedious process. It takes consistency and patience, as well as an investment of time and perhaps money. After you’ve “walked a mile in their shoes,” and determined what their goals are for themselves personally and professionally, it’s time for you as the leader to seek out the best development strategies you can find. Remember step 1 as well. In a world full of advisors, consultants, and professional development, there are some duds! Choose the resources your people need, budget for high quality development not quick and easy, and take it for a ride first. If you don’t gain an edge from the tool then chances are your people won’t either.

Do your people trust you? This week go and find out. Get your walking shoes on and get out of your office chair and go to where they are. Get your hands dirty. Do their job with them for a day. Find out what their personal and professional goals are. Listen to their counsel. Find out what they need. Invest in them. Support them. And then, you can begin to sharpen them. Leaders FORGE leaders and together you’ll find your organization or team’s “cutting edge.”

Have a blessed week leaders