I remember listening to a friend describe the challenge of teaching his children how to ride a bike. It was a wobbly adventure. What feels like second nature to an adult can be a major hindrance to a child. For little ones, it takes more to roam the neighborhood on two wheels than just hoping. They need instruction from someone with many more driving hours.
Learning to drive without accidents does not happen by accident. When learning to ride a bike, a good teacher is important. With practice and proper guidance, children eventually acquire the skills and find the confidence they need to have fun and avoid skinning their knees. Learning to lead others well is like teaching your child to ride a bicycle. Good coaches, teachers and bosses understand how to get everyone around them stable and successful. Here are 3 things effective leaders do.
1. Guide
Accidents are part of learning to ride a bike. Teachers should expect a few falls because problems stem from inexperience. Kids learning to ride and professionals learning to succeed need a guide. Guidance happens when someone more knowledgeable shares useful tips and tricks. Parents teach children how to hold the steering wheel and how to sit upright to maintain balance. We hold the seats of our children’s bicycles. Effective leaders manage well. Effective leaders are looking for eager people to learn.
Guiding someone when you see they need direction shows that you are invested in their success. Make helpful suggestions based on your experiences, explain things clearly, and don’t be afraid to over-communicate. Leadership is embracing the basics of development as you would if you were helping to direct a child.
2. Growth
As much as my friend worried about his son falling off his bike, he knew there would come a time when he would have to let go of that bike seat. His goal of watching his child ride alone had to outweigh the desire to guard or control him. Holding on too long stops the rider from growing.
But growing kids doesn’t mean letting go completely. They are not ready to be completely free at this stage. So my friend ran behind him at arm’s length as his son pedaled, still close enough to step in if the ride got shaky. Loosening his grip was a positive move.
This is how children grow.
The same goes for business and team leadership. Encourage people who look up to you and be willing to provide feedback when asked. Some grow quickly. Some grow slowly. Don’t push your mentees too much. Let them “feel the pedals” as they put into motion the new skills they’ve acquired under your guidance. It may look shaky at first, but balance requires growth.
3. Go
After observing his son’s steady improvement, my friend backed off. He stopped jogging and went to watch in the garden. He applied the lessons of his father and the young cyclist left with confidence. You have the same opportunities as a leader.
When you decide to let mentees go, they begin to gain experience. Future success depends on this confidence-building step. You led them, you watched them grow, and now it’s time to let them go on their own. This does not mean that they will never fail. Sometimes there are stones on the road. But they should fall less often now that your leadership has put them on a firm foundation.
The “go” phase of leadership is about sharing in the rider’s success. This is easy to enjoy if you have led well.
How can you practice guiding, growing and moving along with the people around you? Share in a comment.