How Great Leaders Use Tools
I enjoy going to the hardware store. Roaming the aisles and looking at the tools often inspires me to tackle a project around the house.
I find the rental section particularly intriguing as it offers massive power tools, wood chippers, and even jackhammers for short-term use. Occasionally, I catch myself glancing at the rental rates and considering if I could put something in the rental room to good use over the weekend. Then I realize that I don’t need a nail gun to shingle my roof, a wood chipper to shred a backyard tree, or a jackhammer to tear up our driveway.
The reality is that tools are only helpful when they fix a problem or facilitate an improvement. Only then are they valuable.
It’s with this in mind that Leddin Group creates and shares a new leadership tool every week. Over the last two years, we have provided leaders with well over 100 free tools. From the feedback we receive, we know that those tools are being put to good use. That’s why we have created a robust toolbox to help you accomplish what you need when you need it.
In a recent Leadership Lab episode, I interview Crystal Washington. Crystal is a futurist and technology strategist. She shares with me her thoughts on technology adoption during COVID and several apps and devices that people can use to be more effective at work and home. Trust me, investing 30 minutes to listen to Crystal’s insights is time well spent. I’ve already started to put some of the ideas that she shared with me to improve my productivity.
I’ve also created a new video and leadership tool. Both focus on helping you and your team to more effectively use the tools in your world.
Great leaders ensure that the right tools are available and properly used. They become loyal to the results the tool produces, not the tool itself. If the tool is not serving the team, great leaders tweak, toss, or replace it. As you watch the video and share this week’s tool with your team, work to answer these three questions:
- Do you and your people have the tools needed to deliver results effectively?
- Are you strangely loyal to tools that are no longer meeting your needs?
- What could you do today to put better tools in place?
Make it a great day!
Patrick
Patrick Leddin, PhD is a speaker, global leadership consultant, and The Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Five-Week Leadership Challenge. Patrick is an Associate Professor at Vanderbilt University with a thriving leadership blog and podcast, and 25-years of leadership experience. He offers an unparalleled mix of academic rigor and real-world experience.