We Must Sweat the Small Stuff (Part I)

How many of you believe that leaders are born and not made? How many believe it is the other way around – that leaders are made and not born? There is no exact answer to this question, but I tend to agree with New York City's two-term mayor Rudolph "Rudy" Giuliani who said that leaders are made and not born. Mayor Giuliani said that leadership does not simply happen. It can be taught, learned and developed. True and worthy leaders at some point in their careers have been taught valuable lessons by great mentors. These leaders, including myself, have had the humility to accept tutelage from another great man because no one can claim absolute knowledge for absolute success.

Hereunder are ten pointers which I hope will be practiced by all of us, working together as a cohesive team to make our club's 101st Rotary year more successful.

1. Set the Tone and Take Control Early

As leaders it is our duty to set the tone not only for ourselves but also for those who look up to us for leadership. Taking control early is a concept which we can all adapt, and it is done by gaining knowledge of a project or a challenge the earliest time possible. I truly recommend to the incoming Board of Directors led by its esteemed President to set an entire day for PLANNING. The appointed date should be attended by as many members as possible so that we can all hear from our President what his proposed projects are. We can thereby discuss which and how many of the proposed projects are feasible. Allow me to go back to my very first article wherein I mentioned that projects should be "specific, measurable and achievable which can fit within a reasonable time frame." Also, this is our opportunity to make our opinions count by making sure our voices are heard.

2. Start with Small Successes

Every leader, myself no exception, has grand plans for a successful term. And such a leader must always aim for clear and decisive victories. These are quite achievable often by starting with small victories. Small victories are sometimes better than grand ones because they are easily absorbed and comprehended. They give hope to many by showing that there are positive changes than mere rhetoric. Recognizing small successes can possibly boost the morale of anyone in an organization who might feel left out in the bigger endeavors. And best of all, it can happen that combining these small victories can produce results in grander scales.

3. Always Sweat the Small Stuff

In 1959, architect Ludwig van der Rohe said in the New York Herald Tribune that "God is in the details." Giving ample attention to important details is a trait of a successful leader. Sweating the small stuff does not mean nitpicking pointlessly over trivial matters. Mayor Giuliani gives a good example of this leadership style in the Broken Windows theory. As mayor of the most complex city in the world, part of his job is to maintain peace and order. Based on that theory, it is believed that a seemingly minor matter as broken windows may contribute immensely to the deterioration of entire neighborhoods. A wrongdoer is more likely to throw a rock at a building with a broken window and that same wrongdoer may be emboldened to cause even more serious damage later on. This example is related to the prevention of crime. But the theory encompasses many circumstances such that a good leader may effectively prevent minor matters from spiraling into major disasters.

I have encountered several times in our club somebody saying in a committee meeting: ''Let's not get into those details. Let the Committee Chair decide on that.'' To me, this is so wrong on many levels, my friends. We must make the very necessary effort to look into the details because the mistake of one person in our club reflects on the entire club itself.

4. Prepare Relentlessly

We indeed must devote a great deal of time in preparing for our endeavors, sometimes preparation requires more of our time than the project or event itself. Being prepared not only gives a high chance for a successful endeavor, it also helps in reducing stress caused by managing unforeseen or unexpected challenges which come with the territory of leading any organization.

A huge part of the preparation needed is to raise funds as early as possible. Raising funds can involve a myriad of ways. You have your car raffles, golf tournaments, souvenir programs or the humblest one of all, outright solicitation. Having funds before you need them does not only spell the probable success of your chosen projects or events, it will moreso cause lesser stresses on the clubs' leaders and members alike.

5. Instill Preparedness in Others

Helping those whom you lead in developing their own culture of preparedness is part of being a good leader. Even simple managerial techniques as organizing, coming up with timetables and doable plans are useful tools in bringing about this culture. A leader may then be able to rely on his subordinates reducing the need for him to micromanage which essentially will entail doing everything on your own. A personal favorite of mine is the technique of sending via email the matters to be considered prior to any meeting. This way, the committee members could peruse and study the matters to be discussed making the conference hours count for a lot and be truly worthwhile.

[to be continued….]