Leaders ought to be principled, not capricious.
Principles offer a prediction of behavior.
A leader’s behavior (hopefully) confirms the prediction made by their principles.
Cycles of consistent prediction and confirmation create a reassuring stability for those in a leader’s care.
Stability invites belief.
Leaders ought to be believable.
Caprice in leadership is the opposite. Random, confusing, destabilizing. What’s right? What’s safe? Who knows! It’ll all change tomorrow, anyway. Whimsical in the worst way.
To be principled, have principles.
There are two kinds of principle:
Assumptions of central importance. (E.g., “Wet surfaces are slippery.”)
Comprehensive and fundamental rules. (E.g., “Never run at the swimming pool.”)
Principles ought to be “time tested and relatively long lasting” (ADP 1-01), so don’t start by inventing your own. Select from the principles that already exist in the world.
Here are a few of mine:
“Never long for the good old days. (They weren't that great.)”
“Don't be quiet when something wrong is happening.”
“Try new things, even if they're uncomfortable.”
You’ll likely pick different ones.
Discover your principles through disappointment.
When was the last time you did something you regret?
When was the last time you didn’t do something, and regretted that, too?
In either case, a timeless principle likely awaits discovery:
“Always _____.”
“Never _____.”
If you went back in time to counsel your former self, how would you fill in the blanks?
Identify one principle to live by this week. Test it. See if it holds up. Learn, adjust, repeat.
At first it’s hard, and then it’s easy.
Having principles means people can tell whether you follow them.
This can be scary at first, but it quickly becomes empowering once you realize you get to choose.
You get to choose to be principled.
You get to choose your principles (inventing a new one is rare).
You get to change your principles as you live and learn.
“People expect me to follow this principle” soon becomes “People expect me to act like I want to act.”
It’s a high-integrity way of living that in fact offers great relief and assurance when action of extreme difficulty is required.
Thanks for reading, {{first_name | friend}}.
Loved it? Hated it? Hit reply and let us know.
(Not a fan? You may unsubscribe, guilt-free!)
P.S. If you’ve arrived from the LearnWardleyMapping list, welcome! This is the first email from the new list.