My neighbor is having their house re-sided. This weekend I drove by and the entire house had been stripped of siding and preparations for the new exterior had completed. I stopped, looked and was impressed by the beauty of the work, not the final product, but the skill it takes to get to the final product.
Being an amateur carpenter and an engineer, I marvel at the process. You start with a plan, a set of drawings of what you want to create. In the case of house renovation, that turns into interior walls being built, wiring, plumbing, etc. Unfortunately, most people just want to see the end product and don’t appreciate the underlying work.
This philosophy is unfortunately often adopted to individual charged with leading people. While you must assess a new person’s current ability, this is just one data point on their overall journey. It does not define who they can be, just who they are now.
Leaders understand that leadership is about layers. Just like house renovation where there are layers of old structure along with remnants of good and sometimes bad workmanship. This doesn’t define the house, just the people who previously worked on it. When people say a house has “good bones” this is what they mean, sound structure, just in need of work.
So how can we lead in layers?
– Assess our people’s background, training and experience (see if the house has been built on a strong foundation)
– When we see issues, address them (if the house has rotting wood, remove it and fix it)
– Ask our people to define where they want to go and what they want to be with goals (draw up plans for the house renovation and remove and add as required)
– Be a part of the long-term plan with your people (just like a General Contractor, be the person who guides the renovations)
The bottom line; leaders pay attention to layers!