…people in your life will thrive to the degree that you become a forgiver who is also not afraid to face the problem.
– Henry Cloud, Integrity
That's pretty powerful stuff for leaders if we'll take that advice!
As a leader I want to thrive; I want my organization to thrive. To accomplish anything, though, I also need my followers (employees and others) to THRIVE! So, if we take Cloud's statement to heart, what do we need to do as leaders to allow that to happen:
We need to forgive. How is that leadership? A willingness to forgive is something most of us desire FROM others, so it's certainly something we ought to demonstrate TO others. A willingness to forgive allows your followers to understand that it's not a one-shot deal. If they mess up - on purpose or accidentally - there is hope of another chance. Spiritually, I believe this, and thankfully so. If God would not forgive me I'd be in tremendous trouble.....You see, I'm not perfect. Neither are the people who follow you or me. Now, that isn't to say there shouldn't be real and serious consequences for behaviors. If someone makes a mistake, forgiveness doesn't imply that they don't have to "clean up the mess" or that you step in to take their pain. However, you just might decide to do that....
The second part of Cloud's quote is equally important. Forgive, BUT face the problem. If your child needs your forgiveness for stealing a piece of candy, you wouldn't stop with forgiveness right? You'd face the problem -- the stealing. This might mean discussing right and wrong, returning what was stolen, reaping some type of consequences; but it all cases it means you face the issue and you do what is necessary so that it doesn't happen again. This is important for us as leaders, but is frequently overlooked. You see, when you're dealing with adults it's often easier to assume they know what they did than to confront the issue. When you "face the problem" you are risking the relationship. You're risking a "fight". You're also showing your willingness to help find solutions and seek answers. While often difficult, facing the problem is always the best follow-up to forgiveness.
I'm thankful to have been forgiven by God and many people in my life. I hope to be know as one capable of forgiveness.
I've been fortunate enough to have been confronted about problems. I hope I have the courage to "face the problem" with my employees and followers too.
