Leadership Questions or Vetoes

In my note about what A Leader is / is not (modified MLK quote), I say the goal is to mold consensus.

But what if you can’t, and have to use your inherent veto power?

Ask my team… I definitely do it. But everytime I do, I see it as an opportunity to grow as a leader.

Here is my aim everytime I’m in a situation where we are trying to make progress:

Three “good leader” moments:

1. They have the wheel - coach by asking questions
2. They have the wheel - coach by telling stories
3. They have the wheel - coach by making suggestions

If I see no other options, I will downgrade to:

1. They have the wheel - I am expressing that I have strong concerns and it may not be safe enough to allow us to continue down the road we are headed down
2. They had the wheel - but I’m using veto power and asking them to go in a different direction
3. I’m taking the wheel for a while

Anytime I have to resort to the bottom three, I ask myself:

1. What context did you not share that could have made this turn out differently?
2. What system could you have put in place to make it safe enough for them to try their way?
3. What if you are wrong?

So if you are on a team that I am serving and you experience my leadership in the bottom three, let’s chat because I too am looking for ways to improve.

I am doing my job to the level that I aspire to when I am asking questions and telling stories. If I’m taking the wheel… something is amiss, and the first thing I look at is me.