The Leader Habit

The following contains excerpts from the book, The Leader Habit (Martin Lanik).

“This book is about becoming a better leader by forming better habits…The method is simple: you identify a leadership skill you want to master, such as active listening, then you practice that skill through a short, focused exercise every day until it becomes a habit.  I call this the Leader Habit Formula.”

At our music school in Midland, Texas we believe that music is more than sound, it is relationships.  In the subject of Leadership, relationships matter.  The study of music, therefore, has direct implications of the development of leadership.

Following are the main points:

  1. “All habits involve the pairing of a cue and a behavior: when the cue presents itself, you respond with the behavior.”
  2. “Researchers have found that the greatest energy and effort reductions occur during practice that happens after a skill has already been mastered.  This period of deliberate practice after master is referred to as over-learning.”
  3. “Simple behaviors are more likely to become habits than complex ones…it means you will have more success if you first break down a complex behavior into smaller behaviors – a process psychologists call chunking.”
  4. The book states that there are six main personality types: Curious, Organized, Caring, Outgoing, Ambitious, and Resilient.  The author encourages each personality type to connect, at first, with leadership skills that match their personality, in order to stay encouraged as they progress to other skills.
  5. All leadership skills can be grouped into two main categories: 1) Getting Things Done, and 2) Focusing on People.  “Task-oriented leaders tend to initiate structure for their team, plan and organized work, delegate, monitor progress of employees, and push to get the job done.  People-oriented leaders tend to focus on supporting and developing their employees, showing consideration, and motivating them.”
  6. Of all the habits of leadership to develop, some are keystone habits which act as triggers for other chains of habits.  Finding these habits are unique to each individual, and based on their particular personality.

There are many different personality types and many different strengths that people possess.  At our music school in Midland, Texas we value each individual and endeavor to help them reach their potential.

  1. The book defines 79 micro-habits that constitute the twenty-two core leadership skills as follows:
  2. Getting Things Done
    1. Planning and Execution
      1. Manage Priorities
        1. Break down projects into tasks
        2. Divide your tasks into more and less critical pursuits
        3. Allocate appropriate time for completing your work
        4. Be clear why something is a priority

One of the best things we can do to help students at our music school grow is to help them prioritize their work, based upon years of experience and training that our teachers possess.

      1. Plan and Organize Work
        1. Create a project plan
        2. Identify the resources you need
        3. Use available resources creatively
        4. Track progress with metrics
      2. Delegate Well
        1. Match projects to skills
        2. Match projects to interests
        3. Specify ‘what,’ not ‘how’
      3. Create Urgency
        1. Set bold goals
        2. Stress the importance of results
        3. Use high-intensity words
    2. Solving Problems and Making Decisions
      1. Analyze Information
        1. Research the issue
        2. Find the common theme
        3. Base decisions on multiple sources
      2. Think Through Solutions
        1. Brainstorm multiple solutions
        2. Identify the advantages and disadvantages of a solution
        3. Define the ideal solution
      3. Make Good Decisions
        1. Show that you understand the underlying issues
        2. Select an objective course of action
        3. Explain your rationale
        4. Take timely action even if not all information is present
      4. Focus on Customers
        1. Define your customers
        2. Study the needs of your customers
        3. Base decisions on customer feedback
        4. Expect high standards of customer service

At our music school in Midland, Texas we believe that the end goal of each student is ultimately to serve our communities and bring beauty into the world through skillfulness and authenticity.

    1. Leading Change
      1. Sell the Vision
        1. Paint a vivid picture
        2. Think long term (three to five years)
        3. Make the vision personally relevant
      2. Innovate
        1. Combine seemingly unrelated ideas
        2. Brainstorming creative solutions
        3. Celebrate experimentation
        4. Focus creative efforts on meaningful problems
      3. Manage Risk
        1. Anticipate threats from multiple areas
        2. Pilot-test your ideas
        3. Have a Plan B

Creativity is innate to the study of music and the arts.  At our music school in Midland, Texas we see this as integrally important to the way people learn to think and solve problems.

  1. Focusing on People
    1. Persuasion and Influence
      1. Influence Others
        1. Anticipate reactions
        2. Ask about concerns
        3. Guide the discussion toward root causes
        4. Uncover and address the hidden request
      2. Overcome Individual Resistance
        1. Address fears
        2. Highlight benefits of change
        3. Find two areas of agreement
        4. Identify and highlight shared goals
      3. Negotiate Well
        1. Shoot for a win-win solution
        2. Solve problems together
        3. Highlight the benefits of your preferred solution
        4. Ask for agreement on next steps
    2. Growing People and Teams
      1. Empower Others
        1. Empower others by sharing decision-making authority
        2. Provide support without removing responsibility
        3. Agree on the next check-in point
        4. Coach through roadblocks
      2. Mentor and Coach
        1. Provide immediate feedback
        2. Offer specific developmental suggestions
        3. Collaborate on development
        4. Facilitate reflection
      3. Build Team Spirit
        1. Advocate for cohesion
        2. Establish daily team-building activities
        3. Discuss a procedural improvement
        4. Link individual assignments with your team’s purpose

The goal we have for students at our music school in Midland, Texas is for them to become self-sufficient in their own journey.  Becoming autonomous is what we hope for each one of them, where they then turn around and begin teaching others.  A number of the teachers in our school were once our students.

    1. Interpersonal Skill
      1. Build Strategic Relationships
        1. Initiate relationships
        2. Offer and provide support
        3. Find common interests
        4. Creat win-win opportunities
      2. Show Caring
        1. Be polite and respectful
        2. Use caring phrases
        3. Make others feel valued and appreciated
        4. Name that emotion
      3. Listen Actively
        1. Ask open-ended questions
        2. Restate and summarize
        3. Ask probing questions
      4. Communicate Clearly
        1. Include only relevant thoughts and information
        2. Organize the message around key points
        3. Respond with a short and pointed message
      5. Speak with Charisma
        1. Show your excitement
        2. Ask people to imagine
        3. Use similes and metaphors