Friday, April 28, 2006

Leadership & Fundamentals

I was teaching Aikido last night and several people in the class were preparing for their coming belt test this Saturday. In the excitement of preparing for an upcoming test, it's very easy to lose sight of the fundamentals. So, I spent the class teaching and reviewing fundamentals.

Here in the West fundamentals are seen as basic and boring and something to be gotten past as quickly as possible. There even seems to be a fair amount of shame around fundamentals - as if somehow being seen as a beginner makes one less of a person.

In contrast, the founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba (or "O'Sensei" to Aikido people) taught that everyone is a student...and everyone is constantly learning.

How does this apply to Leadership?

Great leaders practice the fundamentals of leadership constantly. The fundamentals of leadership are relational: listening, talking, coaching, mentoring and making decisions.


BOTTOM LINE:Neglect the basics, and you neglect your leadership.


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