👕 Roll Up Your Sleeves
Hello! Adam Thornhill here. ‘The Podcast Guy’ saving you 10 hours a week.
Enjoy the 160th Podup, with special thanks to ChatGPT Consulting - a proven 4-week program to transform your team’s productivity and creativity.
Today, you’ll learn why you need to roll up your sleeves, thanks to Founders Podcast.
Getty. What’s the first thing you think of? If you’re like me, you’d say Getty Images. It invades the byline of every photo you see.
But there’s another Getty you may not have heard of. A bigger, richer, more powerful Getty who flies under the radar.
He goes by the name of John Paul Getty, reputed to be the richest man in the world when he died in 1976.
Today, we’re going to learn his five lessons on leadership, and why you need to roll up your sleeves to be an effective leader.
Getty's five lessons on leadership
Set an example. It’s the best way to instruct or inspire others.
Accept full responsibility for the actions of the people under you.
Never ask anyone to do anything that you’re unwilling to do yourself.
You must hold people to high standards and treat people fairly.
Praise should be given in public and criticism should be delivered in private.
David Senra
Why it matters
One thing stood out to me above all else:
“Never ask anyone to do anything that you’re unwilling to do yourself.”
This is so important for two reasons:
#1 You learn what great looks like
Without a basic understanding of how to do a job, you won’t know what great looks like.
One of the biggest pitfalls founders fall into is hiring executives outside of their core competency, selecting people who are average at best, then keeping them in the role despite poor performance.
If you perform the job yourself, you have a much better idea of what to look for and what to avoid when you hire for that role.
#2 You don’t lose your craft
Leadership positions can be a curse.
I’ve seen marketers stop writing, developers stop coding, and product leaders lose connection with their customers.
They replace their core skills with recruitment, people management, and an endless amount of planning and strategy.
Leaders… this is a word of warning.
Stay true to your roots. Protect at least 10% of your time for execution.
It’s easy to lose the skills that got you to where you are. You’ll struggle to manage a team if you can’t walk the walk yourself.
Next steps
Stay connected with your craft without sacrificing your leadership responsibilities:
Reverse mentorship. Pair up with a team member to learn new skills and perspectives from them. This breaks down hierarchy barriers and keeps you abreast of the latest tools and ideas.
Unplugged sessions. Periodically disconnect from managerial tasks and immerse yourself fully in hands-on work. This deep focus can rejuvenate your passion and spark new ideas.
Hands-on sessions. Encourage your team to bring you into their tasks or challenges in real-time. This can accelerate problem-solving and help you learn from one another.
Your thoughts?
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