S3E8: Why Strong Leaders Learn to Wait with Bill Derrick

So if that was your definition of strong leadership, and you've hinted at this already, but what does the definition of strong or good leadership look like to you now?

I think in my world right now, And keep in mind, Louisa, that where I'm at with my business now, it's succession planning.

I'm a second generation leader.

Myself and my brother are in the process of looking at how to pass that to the third generation of leadership.

So I'm dealing with that.

I'm learning as a strong leader with that as the background.

that most important role that I play now is a sense of being able to assess situations and not just, you know, strong leader doesn't just, okay, I've got this figured out.

Here's what we're going to do.

Strong leader sits back and assesses what's going on, listening to other people on his leadership team or on his staff or whatever.

and almost to the point where the leader doesn't necessarily make the decision.

He allows his people to come to the conclusion they need to come to.

Now, obviously, in leadership, you've got to make sure that you agree with where it's heading.

But as long as you're allowing your staff to take you where you need to be, that's what a strong leader does.

Now, that also means a strong leader isn't a leader who's always taking credit for what's going on.

You have to be willing to submit to what's going on and just say, you know, sometimes other people deserve the credit.

Sometimes you hear leaders say, I'm the type of leader that when something goes wrong, I take the blame for it.

And when something goes right, I credit my staff for

that.

I kind of like that a little bit.

But I think that's what a strong leader does.

I preach patience a lot.

And especially, you know, we have a team now, we're 90 people strong, that type of thing, all sorts of people.

I mean, you know, different types.

And, and, uh, I tell, I tell our leaders that sometimes the best you can do is make suggestions.

And you may get shot down right away, but if it's a good idea, somewhere down the road, it'll be brought back up again at the right time.

So if that was your definition of strong leadership, and you've hinted at this already, but what does the definition of strong or good leadership look like to you now?

I think in my world right now, And keep in mind, Louisa, that where I'm at with my business now, it's succession planning.

I'm a second generation leader.

Myself and my brother are in the process of looking at how to pass that to the third generation of leadership.

So I'm dealing with that.

I'm learning as a strong leader with that as the background.

that most important role that I play now is a sense of being able to assess situations and not just, you know, strong leader doesn't just, okay, I've got this figured out.

Here's what we're going to do.

Strong leader sits back and assesses what's going on, listening to other people on his leadership team or on his staff or whatever.

and almost to the point where the leader doesn't necessarily make the decision.

He allows his people to come to the conclusion they need to come to.

Now, obviously, in leadership, you've got to make sure that you agree with where it's heading.

But as long as you're allowing your staff to take you where you need to be, that's what a strong leader does.

Now, that also means a strong leader isn't a leader who's always taking credit for what's going on.

You have to be willing to submit to what's going on and just say, you know, sometimes other people deserve the credit.

Sometimes you hear leaders say, I'm the type of leader that when something goes wrong, I take the blame for it.

And when something goes right, I credit my staff for

that.

I kind of like that a little bit.

But I think that's what a strong leader does.

I preach patience a lot.

And especially, you know, we have a team now, we're 90 people strong, that type of thing, all sorts of people.

I mean, you know, different types.

And, and, uh, I tell, I tell our leaders that sometimes the best you can do is make suggestions.

And you may get shot down right away, but if it's a good idea, somewhere down the road, it'll be brought back up again at the right time.