Raising the level of your leadership




Gibbs Isn’t Real


Most of us don’t get Leroy Jethro Gibbs as our leader—we get a mortal. In a recent episode of NCIS, Gibbs added the role of Horse Whisperer to his resume. (The horse had lost its will to live when its mounted-police rider was gunned down. Yes, Gibbs saved the horse.) Not only is he a Horse Whisperer, he was Marine sniper (like Chuck Norris, he can kill two stones with one bird), builds boats by hand without power tools, knows sign language and Russian, and drinks strong-strong-strong coffee and bourbon out of a mason jar (which may or may not be clean). Maybe that is why he never gets sick.

However, His greatest skill is knowing how to lead a diverse team of people to “get stuff done”—hard stuff like saving the world:

  • He is decisive
  • Always there when you need him
  • Leads from the front when it’s dangerous
  • Is charismatic without being narcissistic
  • Doesn’t play office politics
  • Is both intuitive and factual
  • Extends and expects loyalty
  • Is intelligent without being condescending
  • Works harder than anyone on the team
  • Never throws his team under the bus
  • Gives care and comfort by presence, not words
  • Expects his team to “do your job” and won’t do it for you
  • Leads people as both team members—and as individuals—because they are both

Of course, he has a few faults (as do we all), but somehow they get lost in the list above. If you want to be coddled and crowed over, Gibbs is not for you. But if you want to be part of a high performance team, Gibbs would be a good choice for leader.

And, if you want to be a high performance leader, take a look at the list. Maybe there is something there for you to work on. You’ll probably—like me—still be a mortal leader, but don’t despair, remember, Gibbs isn’t real.

If this post was interesting and useful, please forward it to a friend.

© Copyright 2017 by Dick Wells, The Hard Lessons Company.



  • On Leading Well…

    "The best way to lead people into the future is to connect with them deeply in the present."

    Kouzes & Posner

     

    The Hard Lessons Company
    © 2014-2020
    All rights reserved.

    337 Whitewater Way
    Franklin, TN 37064
    615-519-3765