"You Would Have Been Strong...I Wonder if You Would've Been Just"

I was watching the movie "Gladiator" the other night and the Emperor Marcus Aurelius said this to his daughter as he wondered aloud what it would be like if society would allow her to become emperor...

"You would have been strong...I wonder if you would've been just."

I perfect question for any leader.

See...it's so easy to wield the power you have as a leader.  You can bark orders and folks will follow.  You can rule with a strong hand, with hard discipline and people will follow.

For a short time...

It won't last and you won't have peace - just like the poor emperors of the past - someone will always be looking to knock you off...to stage a coup...

Now I don't think it will be as serious as the failed emperors of the past but you will lose control of your operation.  The culture will turn sour and the goals, budgets, sales, expectations will not be met. You will not have anything left to lead.

It is so easy to "write-up" your associates.  And you may believe you have every right to do so.  An associate violates a policy, procedure or something in the handbook so the thing to do is to write the associate up to document the violation.  You cover the write up with the associate and you have done your job as the leader. Move on.

Nope!

That's lazy management - not strong leadership and certainly not just leadership.

I often coach our new leaders about this lazy management.  It is easier in the short term but it is not better.  Sure, it's difficult and takes more time to teach, train, coach and develop your team to success.  It is harder to create the culture that allows for success to happen.

But that is what strong and just leaders do

They take the time to make sure their team has everything they need to be successful.

When you are a strong and just leader you will be the leader that gains followers, that creates that culture that allows for success to happen.  Your team will not be afraid to do the things that lead towards achievement because they will know they have support from leadership. They will know that mistakes are a way to learn...not a way to get punished.

Everyone wants a strong leader...everyone wants a just leader.

A real leader is both...just as the movie Marcus Aurelius suggested...