I recently just finished reading "The Way of the Shepherd" by Kevin Leman and Bill Pentak. If you are in a leadership position of any kind, I would highly recommend reading this book. I even would recommend reading this book if you aren't in a leadership position because it outlines and discusses principles that are relevant for anyone. Here are the seven principles:1 - Know the conditions of your flock
- Follow the status of your people as well as the status of the work.
- Get to know your flock, one sheep at a time.
- Engage your people on a regular basis.
- Keep your eyes and ears open, question, and follow through.
- Your choice of sheep can make flock management easier or harder.
- Start with healthy sheep, or you'll inherit someone else's problems.
- Know the shape of your sheep to make sure they're in the right fold.
- Build trust with your followers by modeling authenticity, integrity, and compassion.
- Set high standards of performance
- Relentlessly communicate your values and sense of mission.
- Define the cause for your people and tell them where they fit in.
- Remember that great leadership isn't just professional; it's personal.
- Keep your people well informed.
- Infuse every position with importance.
- Cull chronic instigators from the flock.
- Regularly rotate the sheep to fresh pastures.
- Reassure the sheep by staying visible.
- Don't give problems time to fester.
- Know where you're going, get out in front, and keep your flock on the move.
- When directing, use persuasion rather than coercion.
- Give your people freedom of movement, but make sure they know where the fence line is. Don't confuse boundaries with bridles!
- When your people get in trouble, go and get them out.
- Remind your people that failure isn't fatal.
- Protect: Stand in the gap and fight for your sheep.
- Correct: Approach discipline as a teaching opportunity.
- Inspect: Regularly inquire about your people's progress.
- Great leadership is a lifestyle, not a technique.
- Every day you have to decide who's going to pay for your leadership ~ you or your people.
- Most of all, have a heart for your sheep.
**As you read this list, you might think how arrogant it is to refer to colleagues as "your people" and "sheep." I would agree that using these terms is not characteristic of great leadership, but for the purpose of this book and story the terms seem to fit well.