How to be a good leader is something that countless leaders have pondered. I believe that good leadership partially comes from prioritizing the finish. Getting caught in the weeds does not do as well for one who leads others.

I have been someone who was stuck in the weeds at one point. I can now say that it brings inaction, ruin, and bad tidings. The deeper someone goes into the weeds or discusses something, there is less progress that happens as well. I have started to learn that philosophy should happen in personal reflection time and be done alone. Unless someone is at some kind of leisure social gathering, philosophy should not be taking up time. If someone needs to, they can implement things in the workplace to test the viability. A leader should be open with members that something new is going to be tested.

Prioritizing the finish means a few different things. One of those things is that the leader is focused on solutions. Solutions are an imperative component in achieving goals and leading people of course. Leaders need to constantly be focused on finding solutions and in finding where solutions are needed. People should definitely discuss how to reach certain conclusions if needed, but that is different from people hashing out personal feelings constantly in the workplace. I have seen hours of a work day pass with no productivity. If someone has been directly involved in something and it is causing trouble for their job, it is well within their rights to get it resolved. This should start by the people involved approaching the related supervisor directly above them.

Another reason to prioritize the finish is milestones. Milestones are penultimate when leading and keeping others on track. They also present as stepping stones to reach the end goal. Milestones allow for a collective focus in accomplishing things. One of the best ways to bring people together in an organization is to have them take care of obstacles together. Accomplishing milestones effectively also improves the competency of the team. When a leader focuses on milestones, they literally help create history and the rest is a mystery. If a leader is lucky or in the right situation, they may even make ripples through eternity with the right groundwork. A leader should be able to regularly keep track of their team. At the same time, they should look at the situation as being around for those in need. Nothing is worse than an individual being thrown to the sharks and getting disciplined when a “wrong move” is made.

Lastly, prioritizing the finish helps to create a collective mindset in the organization’s culture rather than an individual mindset. When working toward something meaningful, “we” is better than “me.” There is still plenty of room for personality in the organization. It can look different for all leaders and individuals. A leader’s goals relate to other goals within an organization. Positivity and a group mindset help to build comfort within organizations. Working toward common goals also helps to build trust. Positivity and goal-oriented leadership can be read about here. This mindset also increases leadership goal setting and organizational-based self esteem which can be read about here. People being involved with a positive attitude while working together produces the best results.

Prioritize the finish.

-Ryan