Leadership. What are you building, Mordor or Rivendell?

As a leader, one quick way to lose people is to assume you understand what motivates them or even worse, to have an expectation that they should be motivated in a way that is convenient for you. The reason many leaders fall into this trap is because they want control. They want to know what buttons to push in order to get you to do what they want. You will notice that these leaders are often the most frustrated, most distant, and most openly disappointed with your “performance”.

The strongest sense of motivation comes from within, the way you tap into that is by providing a clear vision for which you would like them to contribute and you make it your mission to ensure they have the right environment around them in order to make their best contributions. If you pay close attention you will begin to understand the motivations and passions of the people that work for you and rather than trying to control them, you can make adjustments to their environment to help them hit new levels. 


It’s the difference between a gardener and a miner. The miner forcibly tries to extract value from the earth and wonders why they are always tired and in pain. They wonder why no one thanks them, and they have grown comfortable with this, a thick outer shell that is ready for the hard work in the “mines”.  The biggest travesty for the miner is whenever they step back to see the results of their hard labour, all they will ever see is a dark, scared, and barren wasteland. 


The gardener on the other hand pays close attention to the earth. They care for the soil, monitor moisture and nutrient levels, and ensure that their plants have ample space and sunlight to grow. They do not expect thanks from their plants, because every time they step back to appreciate their efforts, they get to set their sights on a beautiful garden full of vibrant colours and diversity.


The problem is - both methods are effective at getting results, except one is sustainable and the other is not. One strips away the land, and the other adds to it. It is the same difference between Rivendell and Mordor… 


Chancey

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