So many leaders choose to blame others for some of their decisions. "Well, it's because they didn't do this." That is one of the lowest levels of leadership that someone can take. The truth is that you will always get what you allow.
I heard this quote years ago: "Excuses are tools of incompetence used to build bridges to nowhere and monuments of nothingness, and those who use them seldom specialize in anything else" (Vernon Brundage Jr., Shoot Your Shot: A Sport-Inspired Guide To Living Your Best Life). So many leaders today, and people in my opinion, make excuses for everything. Now, those people usually do no accept excuses from anyone else, but they make excuses for themselves, but every leader gets what they allow.
If you don't correct someone on your team who is late, you can't blame them for continually being late, when you fail to speak with them.
If you don't have the tough conversation about someone making poor decisions and they keep making poor decisions, you can't blame them for your indecisiveness.
I like what Craig Groeschel said, "We never say in our organization, 'The people won't.' We always say, 'We have not led them to it.'" That is a huge statement. It is the confidence of a leader taking responsibility for not communicating, correcting, and confronting leaders on their team. Let me say it again, "You get what you allow."
So, how do you build a culture of correction?
First, understand what you fail to confront you fail to correct. That literally means your life and leadership will be stuck in the cycle of stagnation and eventually decline because you did not address certain issues.
Second, correct immediately. Don't stall thinking things will just get better. Even on the small things. If you can't correct the minor things it will be harder to correct the major things. Don't waste time. Say it right away.
Third, don't confuse correction with being a critical person. Some people are just critical of everything. You can correct challenges without being a negative leader. This is a difficult balance. One that you will have to spend time figuring out.
Fourth, celebrate louder than you correct. Yes, every leader must shout their team's victories from the highest buildings. Let people see and know how great your team is doing - even when they are not great in every thing.
Finally, lead yourself first. Make sure you are correcting your issues and challenges before anyone else. Ask for feedback from peers. Critique yourself harder than anyone else. If you are not growing your team will not grow either.
Never forget, you get what you allow. And every leader who desires to grow to become everything God desires for them and their organization will need to embrace a culture of correction. Now, get out there and correct yourself ... first ... and then your team.
Excellent reminder for anyone in leadership, married, parents, students, friends... anyone!!