People Wit

Rangkaian Artikel yang saya posting secara berseri ini saya kutip dari Buku 78 Important Questions Every   Leader Should Ask and Answer karya Chris  Clark-Epstein. Banyak Point dan pelajaran tentang Leadership yang bisa kita ambil dari topik ini. Selamat Menikmati

6. Are you sure you want to ask questions?

As with any new endeavor, starting is the hardest part. Reasons to postpone action exist in abundance. “I’ll start after I finish reading the book.” “Mondays are better for beginnings than Thursdays.” Even traumatic events that would appear to cry out for changed behavior (the heart attack victim who smokes, the parent whose child gets picked up by the police for a minor offense, the leader who loses three key employees in a short period of time) don’t always have the desired effect. Smokers still smoke. Parents ignore early warning signs of a troubled child. Leaders blame the competition for stealing away their people. Behavior doesn’t change and problems escalate.

There is a simple, common, clever definition of insanity going around: Insanity is doing the same thing, in the same way, while expecting different results. I’ve seen many leaders who, by this definition, are insane. Some are even proud of their unchanging behavior, believing that sooner or later they’ll get people on their team who will appreciate their leadership style for the success it is supposed to be. While these leaders are waiting for this fantasy day to arrive, real leaders are constantly challenging themselves to try something different, learn something smarter, and risk something deeper.

Real leaders are brave. They’re willing to say, “I don’t know it all.” They ask for opinions, help, and guidance. They change. They fail. They discard what doesn’t work, question the status quo, and keep well-working traditions alive. They look at themselves in the mirror and see their reflection honestly. They think. They take action. They persist and persevere. They are gentle with themselves as they learn and stern with themselves when they think about giving up. They ask questions.

What about you? Are you brave enough to venture forward on this journey? Are you certain that you want to ask questions? No one can answer this one but you. You can’t seek the recommendations of others. Either you will or you won’t. Either you do or you don’t. Reading this book won’t make it happen; thinking about, absorbing, and acting on the ideas in this book will. But, in the end, it’s up to you. Your answer and your questions.

Source :    Chris  Clark-Epstein.78 Important Questions Every   Leader Should Ask and Answer. AMACOM. 2002