I have been called a wordsmith by some and a red pen-wielding copy slasher by others. I’ll gladly claim both. The words we use are critical in communicating a message . . . and most of the time we simply use too many.

An over-abundance of aspiring high-achievers, somewhere along the way, became convinced that big words, lots of qualifiers, and a mind-numbing level of unnecessary explanation and detail somehow made them seem smarter, or at the very least harder to argue with. They were wrong. Simple, focused messages are much more powerful.

The Gettysburg Address was 272 words. It took Lincoln roughly two mintues to deliver, and is widely considered one of the greatest speeches ever made by an American President. 272 words.

There is power in brevity.

People who are not clear on what they want to say tend to ramble, presumably hoping something will stick. Likewise, when a person has a weak argument, there can be a false assumption that the speaker will sound more compelling by using lots of words. Unfortunately, lots of words also increases the likelihood that the listener will miss the main point, instead getting mired down in some irrelevant detail . . . which requires even more words to try to get them back on track. Limiting the length of your communication forces you to identify what is most important.

There is clarity in brevity.

Pascal famously said, “I would have written a shorter letter, but I did not have the time.” It is faster and easier to simply dump lots of information on people. It takes real effort to distill down your message to the fewest possible words to make your point. Isn’t your message worth the effort?

Brevity takes time.

Granted, writing and speaking skills come easier for some people than for others. However whether it comes easily or is hard-won, the ability to communicate effectively is a critical skill for leaders. The most powerful messages, the clearest ones, are succinct and to the point. Yes it takes more time. It’s worth the effort.

Want to say more? Try saying less.

As we approach Thanksgiving this week, it is typical to focus on giving thanks for the family and friends who love us and the co-workers who support us through thick and thin. It is far more rare to take a moment to be grateful for the challenges, the hard things, that have helped shape you as a leader, and yet, would you be where you are without those experiences?

I challenge you to consider being grateful, perhaps not for the tough stuff per se, but for the growth, the insight, the perspective that comes from walking through the fire and coming out (or not) on the other side. Having trouble finding a reason to give thanks for the struggles, the disappointments, and frustrations that diverted you from your plans? May I offer a few thoughts for your consideration.

1. Hard things help separate the noise from what is really important.

It is so easy to get caught up in everyone else’s priorities, in the minutia, in what someone else thinks. Hard things tend to dilute and dissolve many of the things that we considered so important before we encountered whatever it was that pulled us up short. Focusing on one or two priorities, rather than 47, allows our full effort to go toward what is most important, moving us farther faster and improving our ability to shake off those things that are less critical — a skill that will serve you well as you move forward in your leadership.

2. Challenges open us up to a level of empathy we may have lacked in the past.

Challenges change your perspective. They often provide a window of understanding we may have lacked in the past, that can serve us well when it comes to making sense of why others might respond to a situation the way they do. Walking a mile in someone else’s shoes becomes easier when you have trudged through your own journey amidst a rocky terrain. Empathy improves win-win decision-making, a skill that is valuable for leaders to possess.

3. Struggle helps you better know yourself and what you are capable of.

We are usually more resilient than we give ourselves credit for. Once you have walked through what you may have originally seen as an unsermountable struggle, you gain a confidence that you can survive similar challenges in the future. And if you didn’t “make it through,” the resourcesfulness it takes to pick yourself up and continue the journey — or start a new one —also helps you understand the depth of your abilities, which builds your self-confidence in being able to tackle future struggles.

No one wishes for challenges in their leadership journey, but they are going to happen. And good things can result from difficult situations. Had a rough year? Look for the positives, the growth, the new perspectives you have gained by walking through the tough stuff . . . and be grateful.

“What do you think?” 

Genuinely asked, these are perhaps the four most important words a leader can utter. They don’t mean that a leader doesn’t have his or her own opinions. However in many cases, the leader isn’t the closet person to the dilemma at hand. A situation can look entirely different based on whether you are sitting behind a desk or on the front lines, so asking for the input of those nearest the pain point often yields a valuable perspective, as long as . . .

The leader has earned the trust of the person being asked for input.

Putting yourself and your opinion “out there” can be a risky move, and people will use past experience to determine whether offering their unique insight is worth the risk. What has happened to people who have offered their opinion before? Were they discounted or treated as if they didn’t understand the bigger picture? Were they scolded for sharing thoughts counter to the “prevailing wisdom” or the thinking of “higher ups?” Or, was there genuine interest and further exploration as to how they came to the recommendation.

The leader loops back after a decision is made.

Staff members want to know how their ideas were incorporated into the overall plan, or if they weren’t, they deserve to know why. When individuals feel like their input goes into a black hole, they are less likely to offer their best thinking in the future. Most people are reasonable. If their idea isn’t pursued, help them understand the other variables you have taken into consideration that they might not be aware of. While they still might not agree, at least you have let them know you considered their input. Investing a few minutes of your time looping back can go a long way to reducing resistance — and thus speeding up implementation —when the final plan is put into action.

The leader gives credit where credit is due.

When a staff member’s unique insight or ideas positively impacted the final plan, acknowledge them — both personally and in your communication with others. Everyone likes to feel valued, like they have contributed to the success of your organization. And when you share the credit for progress, it invites others to step up and offer their best thinking the next time around — not necessarily because they want the limelight (although public recognition is a motivator for many), but because they see that you value the thinking of those around you.

As a leader, don’t ask for input unless you plan to consider it. But if you do, those four simple words can ignite people’s desire to bring their best to your organization.

What do you think?

Those phrases are fast joining the legions of leadership buzzwords (like “pivot” during the pandemic) that prompt staff to roll their eyes, wondering what those words really even mean. While the concepts certainly reflect real leadership concerns, the words have become such an abstract catchall for employee-related challenges that they have been diluted to . . . well . . . overused buzzwords.

Thankfully leading leadership thinkers have supplied us with a more targeted approach to addressing employee engagement and reducing burnout.

Marcus Buckingham, in  Love + Work: How to Find What You Love, Love What You Do; And Do It for the Rest of your Life, challenges individuals to identify what they love about their job — activities that energize them, that they can get lost in — and find ways to incorporate more of that into their day. Now for those who are thinking, “I can’t let my employees only do what they love and expect the work to get done,” Buckingham has good news. His research indicates employees only need a 20% threshold of activities they love to build engagement. 20%! Yes, that 20% will look different for different people . . . and therein lies the key for leaders. While you should absolutely have outcome expectations for teams, the most engaged teams are allowed flexibility in how they get there.

Patrick Lencioni, in The Six Types of Working Genius: A Better Way to Understand Your Gifts, Your Frustrations and Your Team, also looks at why some aspects of our jobs energize us while others deplete us of energy. As the title suggests, he has identified six types of “working genius.” Sorry, but none of us excel at all six. For most people two of the six are energizing, two are draining, and the other two typically lie somewhere in the middle. What if you consciously built a team where all six types of genius are represented, and then distributed responsibilities based largely on a team member’s area of genius? What do you think would happen to the team’s energy and engagement, and ultimately the outcomes they achieve?

Stated another way, both Buckingham and Lencioni are challenging us to find ways for those who work with us to maximize their unique gifts and graces. Unique . . . as in it doesn’t look the same for everyone. As long as you have all the bases covered on your team, why force someone to carry out tasks that suck the life out of them if someone else finds those same tasks energizing? In Let Your Life Speak, Listening for the Voice of Vocation, Parker Palmer noted, “Though usually regarded as the result of trying to give too much, burnout in my experience results from trying to give what I do not possess— the ultimate in giving too little!” And as Buckingham and Lencioni identify, what one team member does not possess may be the ultimate sweet spot for another.

Struggling with engagement and burnout? Give your people more of what excites them and less of what drains them. It really might be just that simple.

No matter how long you have been a leader, occasionally you just feel stuck. Call it the equivalent to writer’s block, you know what you need to do but something is holding you back. This is different from a “fallow season” which is an extended period when you are unclear as to what destination you should even be seeking. So how do you get unstuck as a leader? Well, that depends on what is holding you back.

1. Is it a decision you know you need to make but you are concerned about the consequences? 

When considering the consequences of a decision, we often give greater weight and focus more on potentially negative ramifications rather than equally considering both the potential upsides and downsides. How you can even the scales? . . . Perhaps with a pros and cons list, asking yourself what you gain if things go right, or discussing potential scenarios with a trusted colleague. What you focus on grows, both positive and negative. Speaking (or writing) both the potential positive and negative outcomes tends to bring the consequences down to size, making it easier to get unstuck.

2. Is there a project before you that feels totally overwhelming and you don’t know where to start?

The short answer is to simply pick a spot and start. If there was a clear place to begin, you probably wouldn’t be stuck in the first place. Assuming there isn’t, what feels like the easiest first step? Where can you get some early wins and build momentum. Yes, I know you like things to be perfect, but there is no such thing as a perfect plan or approach, and things will likely change as you progress anyway, so get the ball rolling somewhere. Action breeds energy. Perseverating sucks the life out of you. Pick a spot and start.

3. Are you contemplating a move that defys a generally accepted approach?

Living and working “outside the box” sounds great in theory, but can also feel risky in practice. It is so easy to talk yourself out of an innovative idea because . . . well . . . if it was so great, wouldn’t others already be doing it? One way to get unstuck is to ask yourself if you are disproportionately weighing this one decision against the entire portfolio of the work of your organization. Just as with financial investments, it is healthy to have a combination of conservative and more risky vehicles in the mix. Rather than looking at one decision or project in isolation, considering the whole can give you an entirely different perspective.

It is good to reflect on major decisions, just don’t allow yourself to hang out in “what-if land” for too long. It’s hard to lead when you are stuck in your head. Evenly weigh out the potential positives and negatives of the given situation, take a deep breath, and then move. Because at the end of the day, the only way to get unstuck is to act.

Much has been written about leadership being lonely. And that can be true. In many circumstances, the buck stops with you . . . not a committee or some other group of informed individuals . . . you. Individual responsibility for decision-making isn’t the only reason that leadership can feel like a solitary endeavor, however. You are often considering entirely different circumstances than those being addressed by your people. You are planning for tomorrow while they are addressing today. As such your direction, designed to respond to a future state, may seem to make little sense — or certainly not qualify as a priority — in the context of today. How can you help your people better understand what may seem like conflicting agendas?

1. Connect the dots, always.

Sure we are all busy, but don’t allow that to keep you from taking the time to clearly (and repeatedly) explain how specific, perhaps seemingly random, actions today contribute to your long-term goal. You may think the connection is obvious, but that is because you are likely the person most focused on the intent of the project and the steps it will take to get there, so it is top of mind for you. Chances are, 47 different things are top of mind for your people. Connect the dots, always.

2. Fewer words, more questions.

We as leaders want our people to understand our strategic intent. But in trying to explain our rationale we often get in the weeds to a level that only muddies the water for your staff. They need to know what time it is, not how to build a watch. In our attempts to supply our staff with deep and comprehensive levels of information we often lose them. You will build greater understanding and buy-in if you use half as many words and ask twice as many questions to gauge their level of understanding, and then you can clarify or add detail only where needed.

3. Seven times in seven ways.

Too often, after we have shared why something is important, we think our people will remember it and prioritize it. Wrong. If you really want understanding of your future goals to stick, you need to share it seven times in seven ways. Instead, we tend to share it with seven different groups and then think we have saturated the workplace with our thinking. Not.Even.Close. Each person needs to hear it seven times . . .  in seven different ways. That means you need to be a broken record, consistently and repeatedly sharing how the future connects to the current. 

To be successful as a leader, you have to be working on tomorrow’s plan today. But it doesn’t have to be lonely. All you have to do is succinctly and repeatedly connect the dots, to engage your team in helping you position your organization for tomorrow’s success . . . today.

All of us have our leadership kryptonite — that something in our style or approach that weakens our ability to maximize our leadership. For many people, that crippling characteristic is “they thinking” . . . as in “they won’t let us do this” . . . “they have an unfair advantage” . . . “they didn’t follow the (written or unwritten) rules.” What is wrong with “they” thinking? It is defensive, finger-pointing/self-victimizing, and drains your power away. Long-term, “they” thinking leads to status quo leadership — which is a bit of an oxymoron. Afterall, is maintaining the status quo, or blaming others for your circumstances, really leading?

So what is the antidote to “they” thinking? “I” statements. When you focus on what you can do (and there is always something), you start to take your power back. You take responsibility for moving you and your organization forward. When you articulate what you will or will not do, when you claim a path, you can feel yourself being reinfused with energy . . . an energy that comes from making a decision, even if it is a hard and imperfect one.

There will likely be times when none of the options before you seem like great ones. And yet, the simple act of chosing one (truly, you always have a choice) . . . by committing to a path . . . creates the environment for better choices to reveal themselves along the way. You can see opportunities as you move forward that would have been impossible to see if you had stayed stuck, and continued perserverating, while waiting for someone to do something that made your decision easier or more clearcut. Newsflash — easy and clearcut don’t require leadership.

We are all human, and occasionally slip in to “they” thinking. I’ll even give you permission to wallow for a day. Just don’t hang out long-term with that kryptonite. A quick reminder that you can’t control what “they” do, but you have full control over what you do, is usually all the jolt it takes for you to claim your power and your ability to choose YOUR actions.

In the coming week, pay attention. How many of your conversations include energy-sucking “they” statements . . . statements that seem to justify your own lack of action? It is likely more than you realize. Once you have increased your awareness, be intentional in following every “they” comment with an “I” (or we) one. 

You just might be surprised at how quickly “I” decisions increase your energy and motivation, your strength as a leader, and serve as the perfect antidote for the kryptonite of they.

We recently had two national accreditation reviews taking place at our agency. Such inspections always bring a bit of anxiousness among staff as the reviewers have the opportunity to “look under every rock” within the organization and each of the (5) reviewers assess our work through their own lens and areas of expertise. For me, the one overriding takeaway from such an exercise is simply that you can’t piecemeal quality. You can have a stellar individual or department, but your job as a leader is to make sure that quality standards are infused throughout every part of your organization — and that is no easy feat. What can you as a leader do to encourage the least motivated of your staff members to bring their “A-game” to the work at hand?

1. You can’t. But you can support your people in shaping the culture, which can.

One person can set the expectations, but it takes groups of people to embrace those expectations and encourage others to do likewise. What are you doing to help your teams take responsibility for the results you hope to achieve? Are you asking how you can support them in their task? Have you shown them what the desired state looks like? Have you modeled a commitment to quality in all you do? 

2. Recognize individual gifts and graces.

No matter how many people may have a similar title and job expectations, everyone brings their unique skills to the table. Find out what those are. Then, rather than expecting identical behaviors from everyone in a particular role, look at how you can shape positions in such a way that each individual can maximize those parts of the job at which they excel. By allowing people to focus on what they do best, engagement increases and quality improves.

3. Make expectations clear and measureable — and you can’t have 47 of them!

People can only focus on so many things at one time. Decide what is most important to ensure the quality outcomes you seek and focus on those things. Only those things. There is a tendency to measure things just because you can . . . not because they necessarily move you toward your goal. Stop doing that. If you can’t articulate and measure the three most important things, how can you expect your people to be able to? 

4. Connect the dots for people.

If your maintenance team or (pick your position) can’t see how their performance impacts the goals of the agency, if they don’t think what they do matters all that much, the likelihood of a consistent, quality performance decreases in equal measure. Connect the dots for your people. Spell out for them exactly how their performance impacts the overall success of the organization. And if you can’t, why do you have the position anyway?

The key to overall organizational success? You can’t piecemeal quality.

Many of us grew up hearing that it is better to give than receive. I appreciate and agree with the importance of caring for others. However, I have seen too many leaders who have gotten really good at giving  . . . direction, strategy, decisions, opinions . . . and yet are not so good at the receiving part. We seem to have missed that the scriptural guidance says it is better to give than receive, not that we should not receive. So how, exactly, should we go about receiving as a leader? There are three key areas that are a good place to start:

Receive New Ideas

Can you hear the creative thoughts of others, or does every new action need to come from you? Beyond just a willingness to hear, do you actually encourage people to bring their unique perspective to an organizational challenge — even if their suggestion is significantly different from your own? You as the leader have to give your staff a safe environment to share their novel ideas before you can receive their best thinking. Instead of rolling your eyes, impatiently shutting them down with a dismissive “we’ve tried that before” or immediately challenging their opinion . . . ask questions, allow them to run their idea out a bit, and encourage them to connect ideas in a new and different way. In return, you will receive a more energized, committed team and a wealth of new ideas, some of which may be the key to your organization’s continued success.

Receive Feedback

This one is harder. It is one thing to encourage your staff to share their ideas, it is quite another to make it safe enough for them to offer constructive criticism of your ideas or the direction of a project. After all, you’re in charge, right? Well . . . it is your job to help the organization succeed, and sometimes that means changing your mind when someone offers new information or a perspective you had not previously considered. One way to open the door to receiving feedback is to ask what you are missing, or if there are variables you may not have considered. When you invite input, you increase the likelihood of receiving valuable feedback that can strengthen your leadership.

Receive Encouragement

Perhaps the hardest of all, at least for some of us, is being open to receiving encouragement. Yes, leadership can be lonely. We deal with a host of challenges that others aren’t aware of, and in our attempts to appear confident we may send the message that we don’t need people to offer their support. You don’t have to share all the details of the pressures before you, but you can still be transparent enough to allow others to help carry the load. And you might be surprised to learn that they feel valued when you let them provide encouragement where they can.

Leaders give a lot. Are you willing to receive?

Jim Collins has written extensively about Level 5 Leaders — people who are ambitious for a cause, not for themselves. It is one thing to aspire to be a Level 5 Leader, and another to embrace the actions — the humble will — that it takes to achieve this level of influence. After all, doesn’t the very nature of wanting to be recognized for this level of leadership mastery require a healthy dose of personal aspiration . . .  which seems to fly in the face of what you are trying to achieve? So how do you strive for Level 5 Leadership without undermining the core tenets of this approach?

1. Recognize, it’s not about you.

Seriously, everyone is replaceable. Even you. That does not mean that you don’t have unique skills and perspectives that can move your organization toward its goals. You likely are in a leadership position for a good reason. However, if you believe you are the only person who cares enough, who has the skills and the insight to get your organization to the finish line, then you are not doing your job. Your job as a leader is to build a multi-faceted team that can adapt and change amid shifting variables, who can capitalize on core strengths to create something bigger than the sum of its parts. Really, it is not about you. It is about them, and your ability to maximize their collective impact.

2. Capitalize on individual gifts and graces.

Maximizing your team’s collective impact means you need to have a deep understanding of the unique skills and perspectives — the gifts and graces — that each member brings to the team. While technical skills are a baseline expectation, I am talking about the soft skills that separate good teams from great ones. Who do people look to to provide an island of calm amidst the chaos? Who is going to voice those crazy ideas that just might be the key to success? Who is willing to say those things that everyone knows need to be addressed but no one wants to bring up? Who is the cheerleader who bolsters everyone’s confidence when they are questioning whether they are up to the task? The melding of these kinds of gifts and graces — not the leader’s singular skills — is what builds success in the long term.

3. It’s a means to an end.

I am not suggesting that leaders have to be falsely humble, and downplay the significant skills they undoubtedly bring to the table. The key is to recognize that their leadership is a means to an end and not the ultimate goal. If you are leading because you have always yearned for the spotlight, for those awards that confirm a job well done, you will never be a Level-5 Leader. Your leadership should be a conduit for the ultimate goal, which is organizational success not individual acclaim.

Find a purpose that grabs you in the gut and requires you to dig deep. Find the right constellation of team members, make hard choices and strive for something beyond yourself. That kind of commitment to, and ambition for, a cause is where Level 5 Leadership lives.