The power of these two words – “captain” and “anchor” – became obvious in a discussion recently. A fellow leadership practitioner and I were out on Lake St. Clair on his boat, and the more we talked, the more I started to wonder; captain or anchor, what purpose do they serve … and what might my people need more of from me? My mentor Paul Hersey taught me to always start with an operational definition.
Captain: “A person in authority over others … an officer ranking above … usually in command”
Anchor: “A source of stability or security … to bind one structure to another … to prevent or restrict motion”
Once I’d written the definitions, my viewpoint became crystal clear; people today need less of the former, and more of the latter. What might your team want of you, a source of authority – or a source of stability … ship’s Captain or ship’s anchor? My money is on the anchor. My clients tell me they too often look to leadership for stability and security, and find it lacking.
And what about the final definition of anchor – to prevent or restrict motion? How could this possibly play a valuable part in leader effectiveness? The fact is, to do anything faster and more efficiently; you minimize movement. We’re busier than we’ve ever been – we’re drinking the waterfall! A leader’s function is now evolving to that of a resource that can eliminate distraction and unnecessary movement for their people.
Let’s do something different – be the ship’s anchor, not its Captain. Provide stability instead of authority:
- Reduce critical mass in your operational checkpoints. Pick one report that your people are tasked with – to eliminate or integrate
- Specifically ask them where and when they want your help – and believe them. Don’t argue; spend your energy solving their problem.
Modern teams seldom lack authority figures, they more often cry for clarity, stability and security. Go for anchor, not captain … reduce critical mass, and learn to ask and believe.
-Don Brown
Don Brown dedicates his career to ‘helping people with people’ in leadership, sales and customer service. Bilingual and experienced at the executive and line-level alike, you see the results of his work across dozens of industries, including brewing, automotive, airline, banking and medical equipment.
Speaking, writing, coaching and selling to the best – Ford Motor Company, Anheuser-Busch, United Airlines, Harley-Davidson, Jaguar Cars, Hilton Hotels and many, many more – Don takes great pride in long-standing customer relationships (some running well over twenty years!)
