The best leadership tip I ever received.

Leadership has to be one of the most commonly used words across business. Every business school, every corporate training will tell would-be leaders what they need to do. I have myself been through countless leadership training, lectures, events and I have received more information and advice on the matter than I ever wanted. Not that anything is wrong with individual snippets of guidance, but when all put together, it becomes just muddy, confusing and to be frank, some of them just contradict each other.

Too much information limits its impact and might even destroy its own value.

A few years ago, a strategy director came back from a leadership day out and told me he had a really good time with others participants. When I asked what he had enjoyed the most during the day, his response initially stunned me. He replied that his farovite bit was when they learned to juggle with 2 then 3 balls. Although one participant allegedly managed to get 4 balls, my colleague remained safely within his limits. We spent the last 5 minutes talking about this.

But how does that relate to leadership? Yes I was asking the very same question. Initially it would seem quite odd that a director on a leadership training course would end up sharpening his circus skills. The truth is, there was some logic behind this.

He went on to explain that the point of the exercise was to show that juggling is often misunderstood and that is why many people (like myself) just cannot do it. Unfazed by the look on my face he went on. Juggling is not about catching the right ball at the right time, it is about throwing it properly in the first place. I will let you ponder this one for a bit.

Juggling is not about catching well, it is about throwing properly.

There is a distinct difference between throwing and catching. In the latter, you are not in control. Something is coming your way and you have to react quickly, adapt and even hope that you will catch it right. Catching the balls is a very reactive action. You are very dependent on where the ball comes from and what path it has taken. Gravity actually drives your actions.

Whereas if you bring your focus to the throwing, you are taking control. You are sending the ball where it should go, and therefore catching it will become much easier. The ball will be falling exactly where it is expected to. You can anticipate and prepare for the action of catching it.

And this is what leaders do. They don't wait for the balls to be in the air. They don't wait for gravity to kick in to then can try and catch it. No. Leaders are the ones who know how to throw the balls. They take the right actions, based on what they want the outcome to be. They drive the ball through the right curve. They are masters of its trajectory. And this is why leaders are good jugglers, they rarely drop the ball and when they do they accept it, grab it back and start throwing it again.

So, which one are you; a catcher or a thrower? Can you juggle?