02/16/2024

Set Aside Some Time for a Leadership Tune-up

Cars aren't the only things that need service

Last month, as I was sitting in the waiting room while my car was being serviced, I had a thought: On some level, the art and craft of leadership is similar to getting your car serviced. A stretch? Maybe. Yet, as I thought more about it, it didn’t seem so far-fetched. I’ve come up with four parallels between keeping your vehicle maintained and getting a leadership tuneup. Readers, start your engines! (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.)

Scheduling (when you can) is key

Of course, you don’t necessarily have to schedule a car service. You can simply show up and hope for the best. Yet, in my experience so far, taking the risk of not scheduling a service is a dangerous move (both figuratively and literally). When the shop is full, you might have to go somewhere else. When you’ve waited a very long time to schedule a service, you might end up with car trouble you didn’t anticipate. 

Leadership is much the same. If we don’t set aside the time to proactively think through our work, and we don’t make time for what is important, we run the risk of damaging our reputation, our outcomes and the overall health of the organization. 

Please select this link to read the complete article from SmartBrief.