Today’s interview is for you if you feel you’re lacking leadership skills.
Richard Rierson is unlike any other coach who just says and does nothing. Additionally, he is a pilot, and a marine aviator, leading not only planes but humans to their destination. Known for his extraordinary leadership podcast ‘Dose of Leadership’, Richard has guided many to become good leaders.
So let’s discuss some questions and Richard’s answers that might assist you in getting a head start on your leadership journey.
How Did You Start Coaching Business And Leaders?
Until 2001, I had no idea I would quit being a pilot; that was like a dream job to me. But fate planned something else for me, and then the unfortunate 9/11 event happened. I was now kind of forced into the corporate sector, and in the beginning, I had no idea of where to start and what to do. At the start, businesses and CEOs were adamant about making me do what they said. But, eventually, I made my way across with my plans and strategies.
I convinced everyone around me that I look ahead to avoid chaos, which is what is best for the volatile business industry. I started applying marine core principles to the corporate world, and eventually, success started knocking on my door. Opportunities followed, and we grew alongside. I gave workshops, and the feedback proved that the best part of my speech, as per consumer perception, was my leadership talk which pushed me to take this further.
What Does It Mean To Act And Think Like A Leader?
I believe it’s all about influence. I like to explore the influence people have or let them explore what influence they possess. To me, the customers have way more influence on the brand than the upper-level management, while they think the exact opposite. A lot of leadership goes wasted because people don’t realize how much influence they have.
You don’t need a certification or a degree to act like a leader. If you know how to stay composed under pressure, if you’re confident in yourself, if you know what to do and are consistent with it, you have leadership qualities. Ask yourself, do you stay quiet or speak up when the time or need arises? Do you have the moral courage to stop something mean from happening around you?
If you said yes, well, good for you because that’s how a leader acts. A leader doesn’t lose his temper when people speak ill of him. It’s not about the swag or the three-piece suit. Leadership is a part of your personality, as it should be.
What Is Your 5 C’s Formula?
I believe these 5 C’s are the real description of a leader. These are:
●Composed
●Confident
●Consistent
●Courageous
●Compassionate
If you have these 5 characteristics in your instinct, you’re already acting like a leader should.
What Is The Typical Problem People See And What Do You Think?
It’s different in different cases. Most of the time, businesses want to scale them high but fail to do so. So, I try to help by breaking the communication barrier and taking the time to figure out what it is that we really want to accomplish here. Most of the time, the junior or middle-level staff keep waiting for the senior’s commands to start functioning.
When they come to me, I ask them to stop waiting and just go for it. I encourage the juniors to take the step, go all out, and play their role fully. It takes a lot of effort to convince the juniors to work in the same sandbox as the seniors. But, it’s eventually worth it for the individual leadership capabilities.
I like to call it decentralized leadership, where the senior communicates the intent with the junior staff. Both go all out and make their own decisions. Because if one keeps waiting to ask his manager for every little thing, and the manager, in turn, keeps waiting for his manager, the cycle is never going to end, and the organization will be doomed.
What’s The Thing Holding People Back As Leaders?
For me, it’s the confidence part. Most people lack self-confidence and think there is something wrong with them as individuals. People think that they can not get anything done or there isn’t enough time. And to such people, I want to say that there’s nothing wrong with you; you’re just a human being.
One should get comfortable with this being a chaotic business, as any business is. You need to be the composed force within the chaotic situation. That’s what makes you a leader, and that’s when things will take a positive turn for you.
To learn more about Richard Rierson, visit his personal website.
