What do you stand for as a leader?  What leadership philosophy do you ascribe to?  What do you expect from your team?  What should they expect from you?  When times are tough, what is your “beacon?”

In other words, what are your Leadership Guiding Principles?

By now you know that I am a fan of Servant Leadership.  I’ve blogged on the topic.  And there is a copious amount of information out there on the subject.

But I am talking about your own, very personal Guiding Principles.  You probably have them, but do you have them written down?  Do you share them with others?  Do you live them?

Back in the day, when I actually had hair (be nice ), I found myself leading a remote workforce.  Not only that, but it was growing and getting larger by the quarter.  Nice problem to have, right?

They spent the majority of their time on-site with customers or in their home office.  I saw them in person just a few times a year and talked to them only periodically by phone.  How do you give them direction?  How do you empower them to execute while on the customer site when no one else is around?

Guiding Principles.

That is when I first wrote mine down and shared them with the team.  And I’d like to think they helped align and empower us.  And while the teams might change, my principles do not.

Remember, these are personal.  You’ll have your own and I certainly encourage any leader to do so.  It will speak to what you value, look for and reward.  It will help align your team.

So what are my guiding principles?

1. Integrity, trust and character matter – always.  This is what I look for above all else.
2. Demonstrate, value and reward Stewardship.  “Me first” behavior will not be tolerated.
3. Be “easy to do business with” at all times.  Own the issue until resolution.
4. Everyone a “Champion.”  Champions are informed and committed.
5. Push decisions and activities closer to employees and customers.
6. Simplify everything.  When you think you have it simplified, then simplify it more.
7. Have a strong “bias for action” to drive results.  You are empowered, so “do first and apologize later.”
8. No surprises.  All team members know where they stand at all times.
9. Be direct……..always.
10. Execute flawlessly……..always.
11. Always lead the rest of Rackspace, the right way!

Nothing too earth-shattering there.  But they represent a value system and an execution guide.

You’ll notice that some of them are Foundational (Integrity, Stewardship), Empowering (Decisions closer to customers, Bias for Action, Simplification), Aspiring for Greatness (Execute Flawlessly, Lead the Right Way, Everyone a Champion) and Operational (Be Direct, Easy to Do Business With, No Surprises).

These Guiding Principles define the guardrails for the team to operate within.  Once they understand them, they can operate independently on the vast majority of situations they encounter.  When they don’t know what to do?  Consult the guiding principles.  The answer is usually there.  And if they use them as a guide, I will always trust them to make the right decision.

What are your Guiding Principles?

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