I had the breath knocked out of me today by an exquisite piece of writing. A colleague sent me a copy of “The Contract” by William Ayot and encouraged me to reflect on my role as a Project Leader. Now like many modern-day cavemen, I may not know much about art but I know what I like!

THIS poem knocked the air out of my lungs in a moment, turned me inside out, slapped my face, tripped me over and left me dazed and shaking my head. Yep, it was that good!

Did I say it knocked me over? Even now, several hours later, I’ve returned to that moment and reflected on it over and over – you know those rare diamond moments that seem to just hang there in your mind and almost transcend the passage of time? It was one of those for me.

Please read along with me and I will explain just what it was that grabbed me.

The Contract – A Word From The Led

“And in the end we follow them –

Not because we are paid,
Not because we might see some advantage,
Not because of the things they have accomplished,
Not even because of the dreams they dream

But simply because of who they are:
The man, the woman, the leader, the boss

Standing up there when the wave hits the rock
Passing out faith and confidence like life jackets
Knowing the currents, holding their doubts,
Imagining the delights and terrors of every landfall:
Captain, pirate and parent by turns,

The bearer of our countless hopes and expectations.
We give them our trust. We give them our effort.
What we ask in return is that they stay true.”
– William Ayot

Sigh….

That Hits The Spot!

OK, I will try to explain why this poem struck a chord with me.

“And in the end we follow them…because of who they are”

I love the idea that our teams want us to lead them and expect to follow us…we don’t have to spend our precious energy trying to mark our turf, show how qualified or super intelligent we are, or assert our authority. Our teams don’t want that. They just expect us to get on with it, to step up and start leading.

Our teams…just expect us to get on with it, to step up and start leading

This is gold. It means we can just focus on what we need to do – forget about all the background noise, all the incessant political and workplace distractions and simply…lead. Take some time, clear your head, draw breath, make your plans and get started.

“Standing up there when the wave hits the rock, passing out faith and confidence like life jackets, knowing the currents, holding their doubts…”

Our teams get anxious, just as we do. They have doubts – same as us. They know the waves are going to hit, that things will get bumpy along the way and that they may be smashed around by currents or unseen storms. They expect tough times will happen. But you know, they don’t want someone who promises to stop the troubles altogether – they know thats unrealistic. In fact, they are looking for someone to stand up in front of them, guide them, hand out the life jackets, look ahead and steer them towards calmer waters.

Our teams…are looking for someone to stand up in front of them, guide them, hand out the life jackets, look ahead and steer them towards calmer waters

This passage really struck a chord with me. Our teams work hard – they focus on their own areas but rarely get an opportunity to see the wider picture with all the ingredients hanging together. Just like the cabin workers or coal shovelers in the old ocean liners faithfully plugging away at their jobs, trusting that the captain will see them through the journey but never actually seeing the route ahead of them. The fear and doubt arises because our teams can’t see which direction the wind is coming from. They can see their work plans, they can look after their own spaces well, but they rely on the captain to stand up and lead them in the right direction.

As Project Leaders, we need to acknowledge that if we have doubts, so do our team. If we feel under pressure, so do they. We are all in it together. The difference is, we need to be “standing up there…passing out faith and confidence like life jackets”.

Don’t lock yourself away from view, hide your doubts or put on fake bravado. Stand up with your team, hand out life jackets – explain that there are difficulties ahead, steer towards safer waters – share the path ahead and show the team how they will contribute. Make a bold statement, lead from the front, acknowledge the team and be visible. Let them see that you are focussed on leading them in the right direction.

“The bearer of our countless hopes and expectations”

Our teams want us to succeed and they vest their hopes and expectations in us. Why? Because the best teams offer a sense of belonging, a feeling that each person belongs to something bigger and a chance to fulfill Maslow’s Love and Belongingness needs. We provide an opportunity to help our teams meet those needs – they may not say it in so many words, but as the Project Leader, we have a critical role to play.

Embrace this opportunity. Invest the time with your team members, take them out for coffee and talk with them. Hear what they have to say. Ask them for their thoughts. Listen, really listen to what they are trying to tell you. Understand their needs and motivations, build a foundation for the team to express those hopes and expectations.

“We give them our trust. We give them our effort. What we ask in return is that they stay true”

Be authentic. Our teams crave authenticity – honest, warts-and-all, bumps-and-bruises. They don’t want the smartest guy, or the loudest mouth, or the slickest moves – they want someone who can be relied on, who does what they promise, who is true to core values, who has integrity, courage and character.

Sure you can change your mind…no one expects you to make a decision and remain rusted to it if the circumstances changes – just as no one expects the captain to keep steering the ship in a straight line if there is an iceberg approaching. Your team wants you instead, to “stay true”. Talk to them, share the good AND bad news, explain your decisions, involve them, help them see why their roles are important. Engage, communicate, consult.

I love this poem because it touched me deeply and helped me see my life and the world around me in a different way. I hope that you could appreciate why it meant so much AND that you can see some of your own Project Leadership self in there. Do you have similar reflections? Have other poems or words impacted you? What leadership lessons have they shown you? As always, I would love to hear your thoughts so please send me a note on this Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus or LinkedIn.

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