Leadership Isn't For Cowards: How to Drive Performance by Challenging People and Confronting Problems

Chapter 32

Do You Ever Notice?

Ever notice that it’s the little things that make the biggest difference? Ever notice how putting a little more time into getting to know someone can help you both do better and accomplish more? Great leaders notice the little things that improve their followers’ performance and the little things that make them less productive. But many people don’t know how to notice. They overlook the little things because they believe it’s the big things that make an impact. Besides, it takes effort to notice the little things; it takes getting to know people.

Chapter 31 spoke about addressing performance needs with carefully applied supervision. It discussed noticing behavior and then coaching your followers based on what they most need. Chapter 30 discussed noticing your own mood patterns and then using those patterns to alter how you’re feeling. Noticing others and noticing yourself are necessary steps in the process of kindling—inspiring, breathing life into—your followers. Noticing is a critical nuance. The skill of noticing is certainly about seeing, but it carries with it a certain politeness, courtesy, or interest. It implies that you are motivated by caring. You don’t just observe what’s happening; you care about the effect it’s having on your people. You must be courageous to have that kind of personal involvement and attachment to your followers.

So how do you make sure you are noticing?

Have you ever been in such a hurry that you didn’t notice something ...