How To Tie The Knot In Leadership
The power of the metaphor is something pretty magical. I’m a huge fan. A great metaphor equals a great day in Cmac World. One of the consistent feedback points I’ve received in my working life is the strength of my metaphor game, complemented by a decent analogy side-hustle. The next great metaphor is always right around the corner.
But beyond the humour and mild chuckles that come with clever metaphors, they are purposeful and relatable ways for us to tell stories, make connections, and describe things that need more than just a literal explanation. They are inclusive, create visuals that bring things to life, make the abstract accessible, and are an essential part of any good story. And good stories are always a necessary ingredient in the recipe of great leaders.
(See what I did there?)
So today’s metaphor, which tells a great leadership lesson, is this: The Difference Between Pulling Threads vs Tying Knots.
In my coaching and team leadership work, I observe some leaders who simply pull threads. They allow conversations and debate in their teams to run on well beyond the point at which they add value or clarity. They aren’t able to identify those moments where they can lean in from an informed and authoritative position and set a direction or declare a decision. They seem happy when things just go on and on…”let’s have another conversation about this next week…” feels safe and constructive for them. They think they are being inclusive and productive by letting things go on and on, whilst not recognizing the lostness they are perpetuating.
My work also allows me to observe (and celebrate) leaders who tie knots. They work tirelessly to provide clarity to foggy situations and complex conversations. They willingly and confidently step into their earned authority to set a course, declare a challenging decision, or make a call. They look to bind ideas together and connect things that are flailing and looking for an anchor and safe harbour. They see the strength and confidence that comes with stitching it all together rather than endless unwinding. They’ll say, “we’ve talked about this alot and heard each others’ views, and now it’s time for us to move forward and make a choice.”
So how do you tie a good knot? What might that look like in leadership to bring things together rather than pulling them apart? Here’s three ways that this can show up:
Be Decisive
Leaders make decisions. Despite some of the discomfort and exposure that might come along with making the call, they act with confidence…but not with arrogance that they get it right every time. They recognize that their team, despite all the conversation and consideration, is looking for a decision to be made and a course declared. They are skilled at the art of discernment and know how to choose well and let go of the agony of second guessing and excessive shoulder-checking. They are future-focused and take to heart the words of the great philosopher Jelly Roll when he says, “the windshield is bigger than the rearview mirror for a reason.” BTW this is the best quote on leadership and life in the past few years, so make sure you use it all the time!
Be Clear
Leaders who tie knots are also masters of distillation. They can take the complex or cumbersome and bring clarity to those situations with an economy of words. They find order in the mess of threads and loose ends. They trim off the unnecessary stragglers and get down to what really matters so there is integrity and certainty around the team. They know how to make connections and bring sensemaking to the table.
Be Real
Leaders are pragmatic, grounded and know that shit needs to get done. They balance the need for exploration and ideation with business and team requirements. They find a sweet spot of creative conversation and making things happen. They keep their feet on the floor, their head up, and their eyes forward. They constantly check-in within themselves to ensure they are being the sense-makers and leaders that their team needs them to be.
So in your space of leadership, look for the places to tie knots. Know when you and your team are just pulling on a thread with no known ending point. Capture those moments when the strength, connection and confidence of leadership is needed.