More than a Game

By Guest Writer: Hunter Hammond (hunter.hammond@gatech.edu)

When I was 5, my grandfather taught me how to play chess. He showed me how the pieces work, board strategy, and some of his favorite tactics. He said that sometimes the weakest pieces offer the best strategy while the strongest pieces can bring the most heat. Aside from the logistics and principles behind chess, he also shared some advice that I have valued all my life. He explained that the purpose of the game was not to beat the opponent, but to study the opponent. He said, "Hunter, there will be times when you can win, but remember that winning is not everything...instead it can cause the person you are playing with to have an even more fervent passion to beat you the next time you meet." This metaphor between chess and reality is one that I equate to leadership and to problem solving, particularly with people. Is leadership like chess? Is it just a game with pieces where strategy is utilized? And if it is a game, then what are the stakes? Is the game worth playing when it is your professional life on the line?
Over the years, I have been able to see that people are pieces in the game. Everyone is a piece, even if they do not fully realize it. There are players on the board, people who dictate the outcome of a game, like the queen, rook, knight, and bishop; however, there also pawns who are used to further the plot. Now, at times, there are also pieces, like the king, which seems like a player, yet in the end is restricted as strictly as the pawns. Conversely, the pawns in the game can turnaround the whole game and become major players. Think, for example, what happens once a pawn reaches the end of the chess board; it is able to transition into any piece and as such can end the game in one move at times. This illustrates that the game is always in flux and that there is no simple winners and losers; however, unlike chess, leadership is a much more risky game with exceptionally higher stakes. Those stakes are what makes leadership dangerous and leaders courageous.
Leaders are inherently and empirically held to a higher standard than those who follow them. Leaders are often expected to look beyond themselves or even their normal lives in order to see the entire picture. For example, I tend to immerse myself in a particular issue and  fight for what I believe is right! I fight so ardently that I often lose sight of the whole chess board. This was something that my grandfather also pointed out to me. He often observed that when I felt that I had the upper hand, that I would send my pieces on the offensive and bombard his defense to claim the king. I always lost. I didn't see a movement from the other side of the board that took my king, or didn't see a pawn placement that blocked my bombard. To make matters worse, I always left myself open after the attack. It left any defense I had useless and I waited it out until I couldn't any longer. In leadership this is still an issue for myself and for many aspiring leaders.  In chess, by focusing on a single section of the board, you don't see the moves available to your opponent and you don't see the weakness that you yourself may be making.  Obviously, leadership is a complicated subject; and to be honest, leaders face more obstacles in their everyday lives than non-leaders. They have to take on not only personal responsibility, but also the responsibility of those they lead. So with this burden, why lead? It means more work, longer hours, sometimes it means enemies, other times it means sacrifices; in effect, why put yourself on the line to lead?
Well guess what? I have no answer for you. There are literally thousands of books out in the world trying to say why you should be a leader or why people are leaders. Some say that leaders are born, others made, some are called to the task, and others fight against it; in  the end, leadership is truly a combination of these. Anyone can be a leader and some people have an innate ability to lead. Personally, I believe that truly exceptional leaders are those who recognize the complexity and perils of leadership, but still choose to lead. They take it upon themselves to learn and grow so that they can advocate for those who cannot or choose not. They want to make a difference and are willing to make sacrifices in order to achieve something greater than themselves. They look at a chess board and they see the possible moves on the table, they understand the possible moves of all the players on the board and the steps necessary to achieve victory. But perhaps most important, they take their eyes off the board and see a caring grandfather teaching a lesson and recognize that some things and people are in actuality more important than the game. True leaders navigate the board, but know when the game is not more important than the greater purpose.

Motivation

I found this quote in a Gizmodo article and it really struck a cord with me.I think it speaks volumes not only about leadership but about teamwork. It's absolutely astonishing what can be accomplished by one person with a dream but it is immeasurable compared to what we can all do together.
Leave your favorite motivational quote in the comments! Thanks.

"Start, grow, fight, claw, win. Get knocked down, get back up. Fight again, lose again. Get mocked, laughed at, ridiculed, and ignored. But never give up. Never say die. Never stop believing that the dream is possible … that you can do it."

Everyday Leadership

Sorry for the month long hiatus! I've been getting adjusted to the west coast and my new internship as a  Program Manager at Microsoft. I have met some amazing leaders at work who have opened themselves up for interviews and chats about leadership in general and also working on large cross disciplinary teams. My manager and mentor have inspired and encouraged me so much. They are fantastic examples of how leadership is not just something for school projects or organizations. The qualities of great leadership permeate every aspect of our lives and help us to adapt to new situations. From the way we run our household to the way we conduct our personal lives the influence we have on others greatly effects the outcomes. I'm looking forward to sharing with you more about what I've learned in these last 5 weeks and hearing what you think about how leadership impacts your daily life.

What is a leader’s most important feature?

There are many kinds of leaders in the world, but a special universal trait shared by great leaders is the skill to understand the abilities and characteristics of anyone. In my opinion this trait is the most important feature for any good leader. It is more important than technical knowledge or charisma, as it affects team performance the most. With this skill, a leader is able to emphasize the strengths of followers instead of mistakenly highlighting their weaknesses. This creates a more efficient and happier team, one that feels appreciated and works at maximum potential.

Second to this trait is a leader’s attitude, as leaders are the emotional anchors for their followers. If the head of a group is not confident or level-headed, then the group enters a disastrous state and begins to fall apart. I believe a positive, confident, and ambitious leader will inspires others and produce a stronger team.

To summarize, a leader’s most important feature is the ability to understand the abilities and characteristics of anyone. A leader’s second most important aspect is his or her attitude.

By Guest Writer: Jaron Gao (jaron.gao@gmail.com)

More Posts Coming Soon!

Hey Readers!

Don't worry, there will be more posts coming soon! I am working on getting advice from some industry professionals and gathering posts from a few guest writers. I'd love to hear any feedback from you about what you'd like to see/read in the future. Never stop believing!

The Fearsome Foursome

It’s Monday morning and your boss calls you into his office. He tells you about a huge contract that the company just won and that he wants you to be the Project Manager.  You are excited for the chance to showcase your leadership skills and start mentioning the names of the people you want to be on your team. Your boss stops you right there. The  group has already been assembled and are waiting for you in the conference room.

As you walk to the conference room,  your mind starts to think of your past group projects. You begin to reflect on all the experiences and team members that you have encountered...

Struggling Sam

Sam usually showed up to meetings when he wasn’t too tired or busy with other things. He tried to get his deliverables in on time but never could. Unbeknownst to you, Sam was struggling with issues outside of the project. His personal problems were not only effecting the quality of his work but his attitude, communication abilities, and stress level. To you, it just seemed like Sam was not invested in the success of the project. He wasn’t the worst team member, but there was a lot of room for improvement.

Slacker Sara

Sara was a constant source of stress. She didn’t do her work. She was talkative and disruptive during meetings, and, overall, she really didn’t care about anything. Sara was disrespectful, unprofessional, and rude. You tried your hardest to remain strong and not let your personal feelings towards her affect your leadership. You contacted your supervisor about her behavior but his advice was to “do what you think is necessary." Sara has skills that you needed, but you could get anything out of her.

Shy Sally

Feedback and progress reports from your team are very important to a project where responsibilities are split between the members. Sally was extremely introverted. She did her work well, but it always took her longer than promised because she never reached out for help. She kept to herself during meetings and nodded assurance that everything on her end was fine.  When it came to deadlines, Sally turned in what she had completed without explanation.

Scab Sean

Sean was a great asset to the team. He took minutes at the meetings, turned in work on time, and always volunteered to take the lead when you were unavailable.  Sean was well spoken in meetings but sometimes went against what you advised as the leader and did what he thought was best. Sean assumed he knew it all and rarely checked in with the team before continuing to work. He undermined you to superiors behind your back and always reminded them how he would have done the job better.

You promise yourself that this time will be different. You keep in mind four tips that help you overcome these kinds of team members and be productive.

1. Get to know your team mates before you start working. 

Having a personal 1 on 1 with each person can help you understand the pressures they may deal with outside of work. It also gives you the opportunity to assess their skills and divide work evenly.

2. Let a teammate know there is a problem.

Be kind when you offer constructive comments on the behavior and work of a co-worker. 

3. Set team goals, provide support, and give feedback.

Set realistic goals together. Because not all people will ask for help even when they need it you will make yourself available. Evaluate and review goals together so that everyone understands what is going on.

4. Show respect and share power.

You may not be the only strong leader of your team. Allows others to take control and manage parts of the project. Sharing these responsibilities can reduce your stress and give others a sense of investment in the project.

Discussion

Below are some questions that you can ponder on your own or respond in the comments.

1. What was your worst group experience? 
2. Were you able to turn things around in the end? If so, how? If not, why?
3. How do you deal with troublesome teammates?
4. Who is the most responsible for the success of a project?

Leadership Styles

Your leadership style is the manner in which you tackle the challenge of leading a team or group. Today,  I want to touch on three of the different types of leaders that exist and then describe what I consider to be a Balanced Leader. Consider your own style as you read the descriptions below and take note of which traits you exhibit.

The Parent

The Parent is a leader that takes you under their wing. Their style is very supportive, encouraging,  and caring. If you ever have an issue, this type of leader lets you know it’s not your fault and finds someone else for you to blame. This type of leader is easy to talk to, but does not offer much immediate direction or solutions. The Parent is often wise and well informed but finds it difficult to reprimand group members for poor performance.

Traits: Kind, Caring, Understanding, Motivates
Strengths: Easily accessible, Wise, Experienced Weaknesses: Does not push team to maximum potential. Team does not learn from mistakes.

The Friend

The Friend is a great partner, but not a team leader. They are considerate of their teammates and always let them slide when they miss a deadline or requirement. This leader is reliable and will pick up the slack of team members that don't contribute rather than confront the issue. The Friend is often well liked, but not truly respected or appreciated. They have great ideas but usually let others, who are more confident, decide things.

Traits: Supportive, Reliable, Non-Confrontational, Friendly,

Strengths: Well liked. Helpful and cooperative.

Weaknesses: Gets taken advantage of by others. Does not take charge when necessary.

The Supervisor

The Supervisor is a strong-willed manager. They have the tendency to watch over their team members shoulders and micro-manage. This type of leader makes a solid plan and expects other team member to follow it without excuses. They typically divide work evenly but are not very conscious of the desires or outside commitments of their team members. This team member does not share information well. They consider themselves central to the completion of the project.

Traits: Controlling, Lacks Trust, Driven, Focused, Plans well, Confrontational, Extrovert

Strengths: Detail oriented. Has a deep understanding of all aspects of the project. Excellent planner.

Weaknesses: Often disliked by team members. High stress level.

The Balanced Leader

The Balanced Leader has a few of the characteristics of the three leaders mentioned above. They are kind and understanding like the Mother, reliable and supportive like the Friend and focused and driven like the Supervisor.  What makes the Balanced Leader the wisest is that he knows how to identify what type of leadership traits each situation requires.  The first step to being a Balanced Leader is knowing your team. Perform an evaluation of your team and assess their strengths, weakness, commitment, and  availability.  This will help you delegate the project tasks in a way that is effective and efficient. It also shows your team member that you have their best interest in mind. Each team experience should be an opportunity for everyone in the group to learn about themselves and improve their skills through use. Next you’ll want to provide a network of support. Communicate effectively and frequently with your team.  Provide an open way for questions to get answered and solutions to be developed by the whole group, not just you. Make pertinent information available for those who need it and keep your team up to date with changes to the requirements and deadlines as soon as possible. Finally, maintain a professional level of respect. Your team will produce better for you if they respect you. You also need to make it clear that you respect them as well.  Show them that you understand the challenges they are facing as they work and that you are there to help whenever possible.

Your leadership style will grow and change as you do. Be confident and sure  in who you are and it will show through your team's progress and success.

Our next discussion will be on the types of group members and how to work with them.

Discussion

Below are some questions that you can ponder on your own or respond in the comments.

• Describe your leadership style.
• What is your favorite aspect of your leadership style?
• What are the different environments in which you tweak your leadership style?
• Discuss one of your greatest challenges as a leader.