Leading For Human Outcomes

Ask first about the human outcomes you want.

How the humans you’re leading react is oftentimes more consequential than whatever else you’re doing as a leader. This goes double when you’re a leader of students or other youths for whom growth is the objective.

If I want compliance, yelling might work. If I want social cohesion among the group, yelling will take me away from my goal.

If I want curious kids, as a leader I have to be open to all questions. If I shut down the questions once, I will decrease the curiosity in the group.

If I want to transfer project ownership to others, I have to show trust in their ability to make and execute decisions. If I micromanage, they won’t gain that ownership.

How I want the humans I’m leading to grow is more essential than what I want them to do. So I must lead accordingly.