The Power of Disciplined Leadership: People, Thinking, and Action
In preparation for my next Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) meeting this week, I have been re-reading Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…And Others Don’t by Jim Collins. He outlines three types of discipline that great companies have that distinguish them from good companies: disciplined people, disciplined thinking, and disciplined actions. Now, Collins, of course, has his own examples to illustrate each of these but they are kind of older examples (published in 2011). Discipline is one of those concepts that can be really difficult for someone to wrap their arms around if they aspire to be disciplined but don’t feel like they are. Below is my own summary of how I use Collin’s framework to think about discipline.
Disciplined People
I’ve always regarded a disciplined person as someone who is really good at saying “no” to things. Now, this means they may not be the most likeable person in the world, but they surely garner people’s respect because of their production. A disciplined person is able to remain focused on what really matters and say “no” to everything else, despite the potential consequences of that “no.”
Disciplined Thinking
A disciplined thinker understands how to order tasks in priority order very clearly. They aptly identify and protect their ONE top priority, then a second priority, and a third, and so forth. They don’t allow anything or anyone to share the top priority spot. Each task or project is in order, and they are very disciplined to ensure that their entire team or company shares this awareness.
Disciplined thinkers are also NOT overreactors. When things are going really well, they do not overreact and pour too much gas on the fire of progress. Now, I am a military guy so please allow me a military example to illustrate this point. When the military experiences a successful operation, and the enemy is retreating, there is a point where the offense can overextend themselves and actually walk themselves right into a trap in enemy territory. That is to say, pursing progress is productive, but disciplined thinkers never progress so much that they become vulnerable themselves.
Disciplined thinkers do not overreact to negative situations either. Rather, they respond. The best way to respond is to be predictive. Spend disciplined thinking time contemplating what could go wrong, what’s the most dangerous course of action for a project or company, and prepare for it.
Disciplined Actions
Once some positive momentum and accomplishment is achieved, disciplined actors continue to keep up that momentum and finish the job fully. Disciplined actions may be the aspect of discipline I struggle with the most personally. I generally have a lot of excitement and I can bring a lot of energy to the table when starting things. I love to build things and get them going. But the maintaining and the finishing of a project is not quite as exciting for me. When things start to get tough, when I begin to feel the fatigue of the slog, I remind myself of the importance of discipline to uphold my momentum in a project to see it through to completion. I want to show others that I am a man of integrity – and I do what I say I am going to do.
If you also want to go from GOOD to GREAT, you must understand these prongs of discipline. Create a plan and a vision for what your life is going to look like daily as a disciplined leader, and execute that plan. Measure it. Have people who hold you accountable to it. Be that steady leader who focuses on discipline.
Written by Schuyler Williamson
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God Bless!
~ Schuyler Williamson