Reader:

How the best leaders seek wisdom without surrendering responsibility.

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Morning Minute 7.21.26

The Courage to Ask for Help How the best leaders seek wisdom without surrendering responsibility.

Every leader eventually faces a defining decision.

One question may determine what happens next: Will I ask for help?

In 2006, Ford Motor Company was struggling. Bill Ford recognized that Ford needed new leadership and a new culture. He swallowed his pride, recruiting Alan Mulally from Boeing to lead Ford's transformation.

Mulally didn't begin by redesigning automobiles.

He began by redefining leadership.

He challenged executives to think differently, collaborate, tell the truth, solve problems, and continually improve. Maintaining the status quo was never an option.

Then something remarkable happened.

Despite losing billions of dollars, every executive reported their projects as "green!" Then, Mark Fields reported one program was as "red."

After a long pause, Mulally applauded him saying, "Thank you. Now we know where we can help."

Notice what happened.

Bill Ford had the humility to seek leadership.

Alan Mulally created a culture where people could tell the truth.

Mark Fields had the courage to ask for help.

The leadership team solved the problem together.

That is what great leadership looks like.

While working with Spartan Food Systems I experienced a similar lesson when I was reassigned to the Gulf Coast. My assignment was to transform a struggling territory and prepare it for rapid expansion. I quickly realized I didn't have every answer. Our eighteen restaurant managers needed better training before we could expect better results. I asked for help, and secured two weeks of off-site training. That decision replaced complacency with continuous improvement.​

There is, however, an important warning.

Years later, an auto dealer told me to run every decision by him so that if something went wrong, he would take the blame instead of me. That wasn't leadership.

Seeking wisdom develops leaders.

Avoiding responsibility prevents leadership from developing.

Leadership isn't having all the answers.

It's having the wisdom to find the best ones.

Ask for guidance.

Listen carefully.

Accept responsibility.

Then lead with confidence.

And remember,

Information without transformation is wasted energy!

Keep Learning! Keep Leading!

That is today's Morning Minute.

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Quote for today:

"Ít's what you learn after you know it all that counts!” John Wooden

A simple explanation: When you're green you grow...when you're ripe you rot!

Commit to life-long learning to stay informed, competitive, and worthy of consideration.

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