In his book, Good to Great, Jim Collins stresses the need to “get the right people on the bus.” The basic concept is this: the leader of the company is like a bus driver who must choose the right people to be on the bus, decide who should get off the bus, and ensure that the right people are in the right seats.
This visual has stuck with me over the years. I’ve discussed it in book groups, shared it with managers and CEOs. While the phrase is bumper-sticker worthy, its application is far from simple. Looking at human beings in high level positions and determining their fit is one of the most challenging things we do as leaders. And asking some to leave is equally difficult.
But what about your own seat on the bus? Whether you’re the driver (the CEO, VP, Principal or Superintendent), or someone riding in a strategic location, are YOU the right one for the job? If not, can you become the right person, or should you exit the bus.
Figuring out if it’s time to leave is no easy task. It takes serious self-reflection to consider your role, your effectiveness, and your fit. Those who can successfully self-reflect and initiate changes in their own work lives make some of the best employees and leaders.
I’d love to simplify employee evaluation systems to a self-reflection model. Unfortunately, the number of people who excel at self-reflection is surprisingly low. I’m feeling a little hopeless even writing this blog, in fact, because I’m afraid the right people won’t read it and even if they do, they won’t see themselves in its light. (cue “You’re so vain…”)
Should you get off the bus?
I’ve been on a number of leadership teams, and not one of them was particularly strong. Jockeying for positions of power, shunning accountability measures, and hiding behind those doing the real work is common in leaders. Witnessing these habits is hard for someone who is constantly assessing her own skills, maintaining her authenticity, and doing her very best. Most recently, I found that I was not the right fit in my position on a leadership team, and I left.
I have moved a lot in my adult life, sometimes for my husband’s work, sometimes for my own. I worked in five school districts before I turned forty, and after so many start-stops, I started to see myself as a catalyst for change. I would begin a new position, work hard to do the best job I could, upend a few things, start new initiatives, and then get called away to a new opportunity.
The first time I was in a position for longer than 6 years, I realized I was no longer enjoying my work. Everything felt like a hassle, each day a long march. I realized that I was simply restless—I had accomplished some major things with my team, and I wasn’t seeing a logical next step. Fortunately for me (and my team!), I was swept up into an interim position, and the leader who replaced me was first-rate. In this case, moving on allowed me to grow and gave another leader an opportunity to continue to grow the organization.
So you decide to stay on the bus. Should you work on developing your skills so that you ARE the right person? How long will that take—too long for the organization’s goals or your professional goals?
Let’s face it: few jobs come with a how-to manual. Learning how to be successful in each new position over the course of my career has taken several years. Teachers can relate to this: what we learn in university makes up a very small portion of the expertise we gain with experience. Learning new skills is a major part of our professional journey, including positions of leadership.
If you’ve taken the time to analyze your own strengths and weaknesses, and regularly assessed your progress, I’ll bet you already know what you need to improve to ensure that you are the right person in the right seat on the bus. Then it’s just a matter of getting the additional support and skills you need. And if that doesn’t work for you, perhaps its time to get off the bus.
In fact, leaders of companies that go from good to great start not with “where” but with “who.” They start by getting the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus, and the right people in the right seats. And they stick with that discipline—first the people, then the direction—no matter how dire the circumstances.
-Jim Collins