#5 of 10 Leadership Hacks (a few ways to help you develop your leadership skills)

#5 of 10 Leadership Hacks (a few ways to help you develop your leadership skills)

Being recognized as a leader means you have been identified and accepted by others. You will hold the title of Leader until you are recognized as someone that can no longer lead others. Trust me on this, the title of Leader is NOT a lifetime guarantee. The title of leader means you will have to work hard every day to keep the recognized title. 

While you might hold a position consider a "leadership position" but is it really? If you look at the position itself, it is a manager position, at best, with a potential of being held by a leader but there is no guarantee. 

Also, not guaranteed is have a degree or title after your name such as B.Sci, MBA, Ph.D., PA, JD, or MD. None of those are guarantees of being recognized as a leader. What is a guarantee is doing something with that degree, something worthy of being recognized as a leader by those that give those that are looking for someone to follow.

In this blog series I share with you the 10 Leadership Hacks that will help you develop or enhance your leadership skills. None of these are guarantees to being a recognized leader but through the use of common sense and constant & consistent utilization you might just find yourself a better place than when you were when you started. 

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5. GET OUT & GO OUT (turn the open door policy inside out) - They say (I really don't know who they are but they say) leaders must have an open door policy so that those that need communicate with that leader without hesitation. 

While that intention may be true. I say that Open Door Policies are as good or bad as their gatekeeper. Let me re-phrase that: If the "manager" has a gatekeeper then the policy is a NO OPEN DOOR POLICY. 

There...I said...I said it because I mean it. If there is any kind of gatekeeper then there is NO OPEN DOOR Policy. Yes, it is that simple. If you have to think about it, then know you have absolutely no reason calling yourself any kind of leader. Let alone, calling yourself a manager if you believe in your open door policy, you know that policy comes with the gatekeeper (non-negotiable). Don't believe me? Try your boss's open door policy. Now you get it.

So how do you deal with that flawed open door policy?

You keep it but look at it this way. That open door is your invitation to get up from behind your desk and walk out. That open door policy is ONLY for YOU! That's right! It is your reminder to go out and walk the company floor. 

 

When you walk out of your office, leave that gatekeeper right where it has always been; guarding your office door.

Get out there and meet the people you lead, you manage, you supervise. Get out there and make yourself available to them. If they truly have a need to use your "open door policy" then they make it happen, when you make it happen sans gatekeeper.

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As always if you find yourself with concerns, comments or questions please drop me an email at dave@daveguerra.com and let’s begin a dialogue. 

Until next week.

David Guerra

P.S. I invite you to follow me on Twitter: @daveguerra • visit my website: www.daveguerra.com

P.P.S. To order your copy of Great To Follow: Amazon paperback / Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble paperback
To order your copy of The Walking Leader:  Amazon Paperback / Amazon Kindle | Barnes & Noble