The 3 Ps Of Being A Leader

Everybody’s talking about leadership these days.

Because of this topic’s popularity, you’ve probably heard a lot of high-level, theoretical definitions of leadership. There’s nothing wrong with that, but I want to give you some clear, practical steps it takes to be a better leader.

When I think about the leaders I’ve had the opportunity to work with, the effective ones did three things really well. I call them the “3 P’s of Leadership.”

So what are the Three P’s Of Leadership?

1. 1. Passion.

When you’re passionate, you care about the end result. You care about the business, the customers, and your team. When someone doesn’t care about their job, it’s painfully obvious.

When someone cares, they act in a way that shows you how much they care. Their words and actions are in unison—the video matches the audio, so to speak. A caring leader does things with a certain flair about themselves.

Because, when you care about others, the focus is not on you as a leader—it’s on your team. Ask yourself, “Do I have passion? Does the passion show in my job?”

1. 2. Purpose.

When you have a purpose, you have clarity. As a leader, your goal should be to serve your team. You need to communicate the vision to your team and help them with the resources they need to reach it.

When your team understands the vision, it’s time for you to lay out clear action steps to reach the destination. In other words, inspect what you expect. Throughout, stay informed and updated on the results your team is getting. Talk about their progress with them, including issues and possible solutions. Prepare your team for dealing with success and setbacks by helping them understand you know where to go and how to get there.

1. 3. Protection.

When you’re connected to your team, they feel protected, like they are in a safe place. They know that everyone is working together to achieve clear, measureable results—but not necessarily at all costs.

Fear is crippling to a team. If they’re constantly worried about what their leader might say or do, then they will be timid and won’t perform at their highest level. As a leader, your goal is to help your team feel empowered, not timid.

Make them feel safe talking to you about any issues. Allow your team to be themselves while also expecting them to perform. There’s nothing wrong with creating an environment in which each of those things exist together.

The Bottom Line:

Take some time to review the 3 P’s and put them in your leadership playbook. When you make passion, purpose and protection obvious to your team, you will only lead them in one direction—up!