52 Leadership Tips- #17

Trust your Instinct

With full disclosure I have to say that I have not read Malcolm Gladwell’s new book Blink. However, I did see him speak while at SxSW (South by Southwest). A very thought provoking talk, but not really why I am talking about Trusting your Instinct.

I think that leaders are “called” to lead. And with that calling comes an innate sense of discernment. Now, I also know that over time, through life lessons and continual growth your discernment matures. Through that maturing process mistakes will be made as well as many poor decistions, but as John Maxwell says better than anyone; If you are going to fall, then fall forward.  This is just like your decistion making, when you fall (or make a bad decision), fall forward...you must learn from it. That learning will grow and strenghten you as a leader.

What does all this mean? What is the application? Well, as a leader you must learn to trust your instinct. I will say it again that I believe that leadership is a “calling”. Your instinct, your gut will talk to you. It will nudge you and you must learn to trust it. I can not explain how it works, I just know that it does. Leaders trust your instinct all the time. Yes, you heard me right, trust your instinct all the time.

Example:
Interviewing. Trust your instincts. Don’t get enamored by the resume and the qualifications. Allow yourself to focus on the personality, the actual person and trust your instincts. As a leader, I let others interview for the skill sets, for technical skills etc., and I am the final interview for personality and the gut check. For the “instinct”.

tags: leadership
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