How to Lead When You're Not in Charge: Leveraging Influence When You Lack Authority by Clay Scroggins

Author:Clay Scroggins
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: business, leadership, motivational
Publisher: Zondervan
Published: 2017-08-22T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 6

THINK CRITICALLY

Maybe you are one of those people who, after finishing the previous chapter, feels a little sick at the idea of being positive all the time. You are wired to be a realist. And you know that positivity alone—all the time—will drive you and the people you work with crazy. I have good news for you. I agree. That’s why positivity doesn’t stand alone. We need to couple it with the skill of thinking critically. Learning how to exercise the skill of thinking critically for the good of others is essential to leading when you’re not in charge.

THE RAINBOW-PUKING UNICORN

Fill in the blank on this one. There are two kinds of personalities in the world: positive and ______.

If you put the word “negative” in the blank, you’re not entirely wrong. You’re just mislabeling people. I’ve come to believe there aren’t “negative” people in the world. What I mean is that most people won’t willingly self-identify as “negative.” When you ask these people what they are, they will tell you they are just “realistic.” I love that word.

It’s an interesting fact of life that I can’t prove but believe is true—positive personalities typically marry realists. For some reason, that positive person is just naturally attracted to that realist . . . and vice versa. Maybe they each recognize they need the other to survive the challenges of raising children. I know Jenny and I are well suited for each other in this way. I’m just naturally a positive person. It’s a strength and a weakness. It provides me resiliency and helps me push through difficult situations, but it can also make me fairly naive to challenges ahead. I’m guilty at over promising and under delivering. “Oh, hey babe. Yeah, I’m almost done. I should be home in twenty minutes.” Jenny has learned that’s code for “I’ll see you in an hour.”

Over the past few years, I’ve been creating a list of criteria for the consummate leader who leverages influence and not authority to get stuff done. I’ve noticed that choosing the panoptic view is massively important. Leaders need to cultivate a positive vision in those they lead. And they need to see that vision for themselves. But a positive perspective alone can be dangerous if it’s not coupled with what we talk about in this chapter.

Most people are slightly nauseated by overly positive people. I know that’s how I feel, even though I’m a generally positive person. I’m immediately skeptical about people who constantly speak to me in emphatic and optimistic terms.

“Sunday was the best ever!”

“That sermon was the greatest sermon I’ve ever heard in this church.”

“I’ve never had a more powerful worship moment.”

Really? The best ever? In your entire life, this is the most powerful experience of worship you’ve ever had? Maybe that’s true, but when someone says that every other week, I tend to not take them seriously. Despite what the minifigures in The LEGO Movie try to sell us, everything is not always awesome. If you believe you’re stuck in denial, I’d suggest you marry a realist.

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