Many years ago, Pam and I did something that seemed strange to many people. This even seemed strange to me.
We got rid of our microwave.
I know most people rely on their microwaves for a quick meal. They toss in leftovers or pop in a hot pocket and wait 2-3 minutes for their meal to be done.
We can’t do that at our house anymore. We have to warm up the oven or heat the stove burner.
We then have to wait until the food is warmed up or cooked.
This takes much longer than using the microwave. The cooking/heating time can be 5 to 10 times longer than using the quick way.
You Can’t Microwave Leadership
I’ve run across people who want to microwave themselves to leadership. They want it quick and easy.
These so-called leaders want:
To read one book about leadership and be done
To pass the buck to a supervisor
To place blame on those they’re leading
To take one leadership class and know everything
Leadership doesn’t work this way. Leadership is a process. And it takes time.
Leadership isn’t microwavable…
You Can Cook Leadership
Rather than trying to microwave leadership and take shortcuts, begin cooking and baking leadership. You’ll see much better results.
To cook leadership, you must:
Study great leaders: Find out what made them successful. Discover what drove them to leadership. See who followed them.
Immerse yourself in leadership: Leadership isn’t a one and done deal. It’s a process. You need to be aware of what you’re doing and how it impacts your leadership.
Find a mentor: In my journey of leadership, I’ve had many mentors. Rick South, Pastor Rogers, Dan Miller, Michael Hyatt… These men have shaped my life and how I view leadership. Surround yourself with people who are leading well and can take you to the next level.
Read books: I don’t care if it’s a physical book, eBook, or an audiobook, leaders cook their leadership by being a reader. They take in information from the greats of leadership and make it their own. Pick up a great book today.
Constantly evaluate: When you’re cooking, you don’t toss the meal into the oven and leave it. You’ll come back to the oven and test it. This could be sticking a toothpick into a cake or pressing on the chicken breast to see how done it is. You have to do the same with your leadership. Test it, Evaluate it. Make sure it’s cooking.
Don’t be a microwavable leader. It’s not how you become effective or healthy.
Instead, be a leader who is constantly cooking.
Question: How are you cooking your leadership? Share your technique in the comment section below.
Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.