I
was hiking along a trail some time ago and encountered a tree trunk that had
fallen across the trail I was following. The picture of the fallen tree caused
me to ask myself, “Am I a trail blazer or a trail blocker?” It’s a significant
question, and one that a leader should ask himself from time to time. It is
especially a good question to ask of yourself and those who form your
leadership team when a project or strategy gets stymied.
A
leader can become a trail blocker when…
- All decisions and next steps have to pass across his desk for final approval. Granted as the leader you do have to make significant decisions, but the purpose of developing a team of competent people is to be able to trust them with significant decisions once the vision and strategy is fully developed. Perhaps the buck does stop with you, but that doesn’t mean that the vision and strategy should get bogged down while you make a decision.
- He is more concerned with getting the credit rather than enabling his team to enjoy the accolades of a job well done. The leader who starts making decisions based on how it will make him look rather than on how it will enable his team to successfully complete the tasks assigned them, will be perceived as a trail blocker concerned only with his personal success.
- He hesitates to pull the trigger on a new strategy, product, or service. Timing is essential to initiating a new project. Don’t over analyze your situation. Form your team, do the research, develop challenging goals, create viable strategies, and begin the journey. As a basketball coach warns his team when drawing up a plan for a buzzer beater play, “Don’t get caught watching the paint dry.”
Decide today to be a trail blazer, not a trail blocker.
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