Be An Abundance-Based Leader Rather Than A Scarcity-Based Boss

An abundance-based leader has unique qualities and traits which prevent them from being moulded as a scarcity-based boss or manager. They set up the systems and structure ensure that things happen on schedule, uphold standards, increases accountability, and promote unity.

Here are a few of these qualities.

Subordinates Versus Followers

Managing those reporting to you means:

• overseeing them
• delegating responsibilities
• designating tasks
• expecting results in return

Those working under you will do what they are told. This following is not because of any blind devotion, but in expectation of a reward, be it money, accolades, or a promotion.

In contrast, the most evident sign of a leader is one who has followers. A leader does not have individuals below them but the people behind them. Those who work for a leader are always encouraged and inspired. Moreover, this is the driving factor behind their work. They feel respected.

Followers will:

• strive to go beyond to achieve a goal
• stay loyal to you through the difficulties
• place their trust in you

Grower Versus Sustainer

When a manager is contemplating how best to achieve their goals, they tend to sustain whatever it is they are managing. They think of the best ways to keep the system in which they find themselves. It leaves little room for expansion or advancement.

You will become stagnant if you are only concerned with how to keep things running the same way. You invite others to surpass you.

A leader is continually looking forward. They are innovators who have a growth mindset and are not comfortable with merely performing at a similar level.

 “Rarely do the systems and strategies that got you to where you are will not take you to the next level.” — Marshall Goldsmith, What Got You Here Won’t Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful

A manager tends to sustains what they have — leaders pivots and finds a way for their team to advance to the next level.

Every day a manager get older and grow to be less flexible. Leaders know that and try to become more agile each day. They grow people and organizations. When a leader is in charge, they will strive to venture into uncharted territory and reach heights that others may not even think possible.

Mindset — Abundance-Based or Scarcity-Based?

"At the moment of commitment, the entire universe conspires to assist you." — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

When you lead an organization, as opposed to just running it, one of your key responsibilities is managing the mindset. Who you are being is as important as what you are doing. That is because the way you are being — your mindset — creates the reality of the world around you.

One of the critical aspects of the mindset that you want to manage is abundance- versus scarcity-based thinking. Understand the differences between the two. Adopting an abundance-based leadership mentality helps you, those around you and your organization grow.

Most managers have a scarcity-based mindset to have a not-enough attitude. They grumble about not having enough money, time, resources,  or energy to achieve their goals. Usually, they outline their challenges through what they lack. As a result, their businesses and those around them focus on the wrong priorities:

• preservation rather than growth
• familiar surroundings instead of new frontiers
• complacency over challenges

Conversely, leaders with an abundance-based mindset focus on possibilities. They are not tied down by current thinking but instead concentrate on future opportunities.

Abundance-based leaders are visionary

They focus on what they want to do — regardless of whether it is currently possible. This fact may seem counter-intuitive. Think about how many times you have been told in your life “you can’t do that, you should focus instead on (insert safe career).” By following this approach of setting our goals based on what is reasonable, you end up selling yourself short — you will stay as a manager.

The vision-based leader is not concerned with what is reasonable or comfortable. They focus on what they want, take inventory of their current resources, talent-stack, and connects the dots. The scarcity-based manager accepts things for how they currently are instead of second-guessing for how they could be, and they resign themselves to existing limitations.

For example, you need a salesperson and do not have the money to hire one.

• scarcity-based manager mindset — "I need this but can't afford it. So, I can’t do it."
• abundance-based leader mindset — "What I need is an amazing salesperson with vast experience who also happens to be willing to work on a commission only basis for a hardly existing organization."

Scarcity-based managers and organizations find themselves locked into false choices and zero-sum propositions rather than expansive possibilities. It is a fixed pie, win-lose attitude. “If I'm winning, it means you're losing,” says the scarcity-based manager rather than understanding that often, negotiations and transactions can be win-win, where both sides get what they want and create more opportunities for everyone.

Having an abundance-based mentality also frees you up from negativity. A scarcity-based mindset is always looking at what is not working. As a result, you are inherently restricted and incapable of maximizing your unique strengths and competitive advantages. Abundance focuses on what is working and what is possible unconstrained by limiting beliefs.

Success is Not Guaranteed

An abundance-based mentality does not guarantee you will be successful at everything you do. You will still fail and make mistakes. Coming from abundance creates the attitude that if something does not work this time, there is always a way, and it is just a matter of shifting and trying again until finding the way that works.

Instilling an abundance mentality is hard. There are constant demands of business, cash flow, competition and breakdowns that make it easy to feel like resources are scarce.

However, it would be best if you continuously used your abundance-based mindset. Like with any skill, it is not easy to keep and needs constant effort, but you, your organization, and the people you love will be stronger because of it.

Systems Versus People

A good manager knows how to work within a system and ensure that others are doing the same. Their main concern is to perfect the system and then to work different people into it.

Leaders put people first and create systems to support the people themselves. Leaders can relate with and understand people. This skill means that they can get the best out of those that they work with and adjust the system.

You are focusing on the team members who are doing the work. You access a wealth of knowledge and potential that a set of rules, organization policy or handbook, will never provide.

Looking at the essential leadership traits, it is easy to understand why the title of leader stands in a category of its own. A manager serves a vital role and is critical to organizational success, but a genuine leader is invaluable. Knowing the difference between the two is imperative. If you can recognize and understand what it takes to be a leader, use that knowledge to develop your leadership skills as well as the skills of the people around you.

Your behavioural DNA indicates if your preference is to act as a leader or manager. When you know your strengths and manage your challenges, you can behave like a leader.

Leadership Styles

It is also important to realize that although traits can are present in every leader, there is no universal handbook to leadership. We are all individuals with our backgrounds, strengths, and weaknesses. So, it is inevitable that everyone’s leadership style will be different. Herein lies the beauty of leadership. To be a proper manager, you must follow the rules and keep the order as best as possible. To be a leader, however, you must think creatively, add your flair, and inspire as many people to join you as possible along the way.

Develop Future Leaders

If you want to make more money, increase morale, and drive productivity, focus on your leadership team. You cannot do it all yourself.

Here are common mistakes an organization makes that lead to less effective leaders and a suggested solution for each.

Promotion Without Development

I see many organizations where someone gets hired or promoted because they are technically competent. The colossal error that is made is that you assume that they know how to lead. The person who has been promoted will not admit that they do not understand how to lead. Even worse, they may emulate the person they used to report to who may not be a good leader either.

When someone gets promoted to a leadership role, provide them with insights from our leadership ladder and create a custom training and development program. Additionally, a promising practice is succession planning. You develop future leaders.

Wrong Metrics

I teach in our leadership programs about the importance of coaching and developing each of their employees for them to reach their highest potential.

However, few organizations review abundance-based leader capabilities or activities — organization focus on results, not development. Ensure you have leadership activity metrics on your performance reviews.

Lack of Ongoing Development

A few organizations promote someone to a leadership role and give them the initial training. However, in many organizations, new leaders get training and development. The veteran leaders do not get training and development. Because someone has been a leader for several years, they still need to continue to develop their skills. Prepare them to be ready for the next level of leadership. The competencies required at each level of leadership are different. They need to know what to keep, what to let go and what they must learn. They need to develop the mindset of an abundance-based leader.

Holding Back the Next Generation of Leaders

A big challenge in most organizations is a manager preventing their employees from growing and developing. The harsh reality is that those managers are holding back those employees because they are so talented, they do not want to lose them to future promotion. This act of selfishness holds back that employee from getting the development that they deserve. It is extremely de-motivating. Hold everyone in leadership roles accountable for developing and promoting their people.

Lack of Support from The Top

If the organization is going to invest in developing their leaders and give them the proper training and development that they need, there must be support from the highest level of the organization. I have seen many events where the CEO comes in and introduces a program and then leaves. I realize that CEOs are busy people. However, their brief appearance sends the wrong message.

I have seen other leaders who introduce the program. They explain to the group that they are going to attend that day as a participant because they are interested in learning more about leadership as well. This approach shows genuine support for leadership development.

An even better way to show support is for the leader to facilitate a module leadership skill for the class to demonstrate their commitment in terms of time and energy. Leaders and their team should show continuous support. To get results, you must invest in developing the people that are driving them.

A Failure to Communicate

About fifty percent of people who leave a job do so because they want to “get away from their manager" according to Gallup. However, when you dig deeper into the responses, what people are saying is that they want better communication with their managers. If they do not get that, they leave.

Communicating with your team openly, honestly, and often as a leader is critical to keeping your stars and keeping them motivated when the going gets tough. I have found that a good manager can transform into a leader by only changing a few things.

Try a few of these over the next month or so:

Talk About Non-Work Stuff

At least once a month, take each team members out for a coffee, lunch or walk. Talk about anything but work. Talk about their family, partner, hobbies, etc. and ask questions. You will start building a fantastic culture.

How can I help?

Find a way, each week, to ask everyone on your team how you can help them. Become a servant leadership — where you realize your job is to serve your team, not the other way around. You will open the lines of communication and get them talking about their challenges.

Tell Stories

People learn more effectively when you convey a lesson as part of a story. Rather than saying, “You should do X," use a story in the form of, “When I had that problem, I tried Y, which did not work out to well and landed on using X."

Always Be Honest

Cut the boss talk. Be yourself. When things are not going according to plan, tell the truth. If you know how you are going to fix the issue, walk each person on your team through your program. If you do not, tell them you are still figuring it out. Not knowing where they stand and what is going to happen is one of the worst feelings your employees can experience.

Remove Obstacles

Is there a process, person or team that continually slows your team down? Take some time and remove that bottleneck.

• Is the bottleneck a person? Talk to them and explain how they are slowing your team down.
• Is the bottleneck another team? Talk to that team’s manager.
• A process? Change it! Please do not accept the status quo, especially when it comes to processes.

Concluding Thoughts

Genuinely care about the well-being and fulfilment of each person on your team. Being an authentic leader means doing more than only regular one-on-ones and strategy meetings. If you put in the effort, team members notice. It will be talked about positively within your team.

As I mentioned above be an abundance-based leader — communicate more openly, honestly, and often with each person on your team. Treat your team with respect and as people, give everyone a safe way to share what is bothering them. Then act on that feedback and show them you genuinely care about them. Show your appreciation for accomplishments. Do not think it is just what they get paid to do.

Over the years I have learned, that the simple things are the most effective, especially when it comes to being a great leader.