What if We Lead More Like Explorers and Less Like Tour Guides?

On a recent flight back to Denver from San Jose, I read a great book titled Overcoming The Imposter:  Silence Your Inner Critic and Lead with Confidence by Kris Kelso (2021).  I have many clients who struggle with this notion of imposter syndrome, and I too have suffered from this in the past.  Kelso does a wonderful job of giving techniques to combat what he calls the Imposter such as this concept of being more like an explorer versus a tour guide as a leader.

I started thinking about this idea and how much better the teams I've led performed when I stopped taking the lead and guiding them on the known path.  Instead, by tapping into the team’s strengths and sense of direction, we broadened our unknown potential.  Novice managers tend to think they have to have all the answers and know the exact track to the goal.  It's much more fun and lucrative as a leader, to point towards the destination and explore the best trail together as a collaborative team.

Here are four things to consider if you want to be an explorer vs. a tour guide in leadership:

Use curiosity as your compass

Instead of charting the specific course with your team and dictating their every move, be open and encourage new perspectives and possibilities.  Lay out the end goals but ask them to work with you on the best ways to achieve them.  You might reveal a new way of dividing tasks or saving time in the transitions.  Don't assume you know (or are expected to know) all the answers. 

Embrace uncertainty

At a crossroads?  View challenges as an opportunity for growth and discovery – not a block to progress.  Be confident in your team's ability to break new ground and find solutions.  Your confidence will soon encourage their creativity and willingness to take risks.  If they have the freedom to think outside the box when facing the unknown along with you, that's when the magic can happen!

Foster resilience

Many tour guides can get thrown off course when something unexpected happens (they get interrupted, they lose followers, or someone disagrees with their direction).  It can be a very lonely and scary place to be when that happens.  The old saying "strength in numbers" applies here.  If your team senses you are "all in" on this journey together, they will face challenges with courage and stay the course.

Document the journey

Don't forget to track and reflect on your experiences as a team when you reach the peak or even if you fall short.  You should record and share the route you took, what you discovered, and especially what you learned in your exploration.  Other peer leaders and upper management will be able to gain from your knowledge and might even have the courage to explore with their teams.

This summer as you are hiking, visiting new cities, and enjoying new events with your family and friends, take a moment to reflect on how you can use those same skills in leading your teams.  Notice the joy that is achieved when everyone is allowed the flexibility to explore right alongside you, suggesting new places and encounters that you would have missed if you were the only tour guide. 

Reference:  Kelso, Kris. (2021).  Overcoming The Imposter.  Silence Your Inner Critic and Lead With Confidence.  Dexterity, LLC.