Keep Learning

We were just about done with our leadership meeting. As we were wrapping up, I shared with the team the next book that we would read together. Every quarter, I choose a book based on things that are happening in the business, and things we could learn to grow as leaders and managers. At the end of the quarter, we have an offsite meeting where one of the activities is to review the book and share insights.

I announced the book we would be reading this quarter. It was (appropriately) focused on leading during a crisis.

Steve spoke up. “Uh, seriously? We’re not really going to be continuing that right now , are we? Isn’t there enough going on?” he asked.

I chuckled inwardly. Steve always pushed back at first. He always read the book, but it was usually in an all-night cram session the night before it was due.

”We read these books so that we can be better leaders,” I said. “Doesn’t it seem like we’re being tested more than we ever have? I’d argue that this is the exact time we should be learning how to be better leaders.”

“Yeah, but it seems like we should be focusing on things that truly matter right now...like client work,” Steve responded.

“I think what Will is saying,” Rachel said, “is that how we lead right now, during this crisis, is actually the most important thing we can focus on.”

“Right,” said Ahmet, jumping in. “I’ll admit, the idea of being assigned a book right now seems a bit odd, but I would love to learn how other leaders look at leading during a crisis.”

“Okay, okay!” Steve laughed, giving in.

With that decision made, we set a date for a two-hour video version of our offsite. In a month, we’d all have the book read and be ready to discuss it.

As we hung up, I remembered a meeting I’d facilitated with the leadership team of one of the nonprofits I supported in my free time. We were spending a half-day focused on ways to work better together as a team. The meeting was going well. Toward the end of our time, I challenged them. “I assume you’d all agree that the success of your organization is tied directly to how successful you are as leaders? And that the stronger your leadership team is, the more likely you are to hit your goals?”

Head nods from all.

“Great. Other than this meeting, and the one we had earlier in the year, how much time have you spent working on being better individual leaders and on being a stronger leadership team?”

The answer was zero. This team had spent a total of six hours all year on being better leaders. And yet, they all agreed that’s the most important thing they could be working on.

Unfortunately, in my experience, this is how most companies function. The leaders in the organization work extremely hard, becoming better at running their departments and somewhat better at being managers (through experience). But rarely do leadership teams work on being better leaders.

This oversight is why I spend so much of my time and energy working with my leadership team. I know that the more confident and capable they are, the more they connect with and trust one another, the more they collaborate, and the more they understand what it means to be a leader at our company, the more likely we are to hit our goals.

Learning through reading and discussion is one of the best ways to grow.

Key point: During a crisis, it’s even more important to be growing and learning. Try hard not to stop processes you have in place for this, and perhaps look for new ways to add learning into your time.