The organization is clean and simple to understand, and very accountable. Everything just got simpler. That's been one of my mantras -- focus and simplicity... (Part of Steve Jobs quote during interview with Andy Reinhardt on May 11, 1998)
Steve Jobs believed great leadership could not be achieved without mentoring. Every company is faced with tough choices and challenges. Sometimes seeking guidance from members of your company isn’t possible. What do you do? To whom do you turn for guidance? Steve Jobs sought the council of leaders in several different industries. Doing so gives you the opportunity for a new perspective. Having multiple mentors leads to guidance, reassurance and if necessary, redirection, ensuring you’re doing what’s best for the company and personnel.
Keep your leadership and personnel focused by following these 3 Insights from Steve Jobs:
1. Stay hungry. Stay foolish.
Motivated by motivators. As a leader, keeping yourself motivated is critical to keeping your staff focused. Sometimes leaders need someone to listen to their issues, give them a pep talk or rip them a new one. Take heart to what your mentors are saying. Great leaders are always seeking knowledge and excellence. Give your employees a great example to mimic.
2. “Our task is to read things not yet on the page”
Removing Obstacles. Teaching and mentoring helps enable your personnel at any level, removes any obstacles from their path to success and gives them the ability and freedom to color outside the lines. When you’re mentoring, it’s also an opportunity to assess the skill set of your employees. Ultimately, you want your personnel to think on their own, have high confidence, strong skills and commitment to complete any task they are given.
3. You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So, you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future….
Listening to history. Great mentors don’t last forever, but their words and actions do. At some point in time, a leader is faced with a challenge they’ve never seen before. Having people who will listen, offer perspective and help when needed is reassuring. A wise leader will seek wisdom from mentors with knowledge from various industries and sectors. History often gives us the answers, if we’re willing to listen.