What the f@£k does that mean?? 🤷‍♂️


October 4, 2024

Hey Reader

A penny dropped with me a few years back.

Leadership wisdom often comes wrapped in shiny packages, but when you tear away the flashy wrapping you might find yourself holding nothing more than a ball of air. This is the essence of leadership non-advice – those catchy phrases and seemingly profound nuggets that sound great in a boardroom or TV interviews but crumble when you try to apply them in the real world.

Picture this: You're a fresh-faced footballer, eager to make your mark. The head-coach or manager pulls you aside and says, "Remember, the key to success is to focus, focus, focus." You nod enthusiastically, but as you walk away, a nagging question forms in your mind: "Focus on what, exactly? What the f@£k does that mean??”

Now imagine you’re on a field, not playing all that well, you’re tired and then somebody ‘advises’ you to "focus"!!

It’s a thing of nothing, isn’t it.

This scenario plays out fields, courts offices and boardrooms across the globe. Leaders, often well-intentioned, dispense pearls of wisdom that shine brightly but offer little practical value. It's like being handed a beautiful map with no landmarks or scale – you know you need to go somewhere, but you have no idea how to get there.

I think it's important to unpack this some more....let's jump in a bit deeper ⬇️⬇️

Remember always feel free to drop me an email if you've any comments, questions or suggestions regarding 'Fine Lines'- you'll catch me via email at paul@theleaders.coach or via the contact form at https://www.theleaders.coach/

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Leaders & 🐂💩 talk

So, what makes advice fall into this treacherous "non-advice" category? It's not just about being vague, though that's certainly part of it. Non-advice is like a chameleon, changing its meaning to fit whatever situation it's applied to. It's the leadership equivalent of a horoscope – broad enough to seem relevant to everyone, but too general to be truly useful to anyone.

Let's dive into the murky waters of non-advice and fish out some common offenders:

"Think outside the box" is a classic. It sounds revolutionary, doesn't it? But it's about as helpful as telling a fish to breathe air. Without guidance on how to break free from conventional thinking patterns, it's just a fancy way of saying, "Be creative," which isn't much help to someone staring at a blank whiteboard.

Or how about "Be a team player"? Sure, collaboration is crucial, but what does being a team player actually look like in your specific organization? Does it mean always agreeing with the group, or does it involve challenging ideas constructively? Without context, it's as useful as a chocolate teapot.

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"Work smarter, not harder" is another gem that sounds great until you try to implement it. It implies there's an easy way out of every challenge, which anyone who's faced a tough project knows isn't always the case. Sometimes, you need to roll up your sleeves and put in the hours. The trick is knowing when to grind and when to step back and reassess – a nuance this pithy phrase completely ignores.

The danger of non-advice isn't just that it's unhelpful. It can actually be harmful. When leaders consistently dish out these empty platitudes, it erodes trust. Team members start to feel like they're not being heard or understood. They crave specific, actionable guidance but instead get served a reheated buffet of clichés.

So, how can you break free from the non-advice trap?

It starts with empathy and specificity. Instead of telling someone to "be proactive," you might say, "I've noticed you don't often back yourself when an opportunity comes up...Next time, why not go for it and we'll review it later"

It's about moving from the general to the specific, from the theoretical to the practical.

Good advice is like a well-tailored suit – it fits the individual and the situation perfectly. It acknowledges the complexities of the real world and offers a clear path forward.

Leaders who give truly valuable advice don't just spout wisdom; they engage in dialogue. They ask questions, listen carefully, and work collaboratively to find solutions. They're not afraid to say, "I don't have a quick fix, but let's work through this together."

In the end, the best leadership advice isn't about having all the answers. It's about asking the right questions, providing context-specific guidance, and empowering team members to find their own solutions.

So the next time you're tempted to drop a leadership buzzword or phrase, pause and ask yourself: Am I offering real guidance, or am I just adding to the noise?

Your people will thank you for the clarity – and you might just find that in avoiding non-advice, you become the kind of leader people actually want to follow.

Thanks for reading - 2 quick things (i) if you're curious about my work in 1-1 and/or small group settings please check my work over at https://www.theleaders.coach/ and (ii) if there is some topic or subject you'd like to see covered in an upcoming newsletter then please email me at paul@theleaders.coach


A Master's Voice....

How much time are you investing in learning more about the "Xs and Os" of your craft? Could that time be better spent? Say, looking at habits that might be unrewarding or even holding you back?


Thank you for being part of the Leaders Coach community.

The work on how to perform better is something you have to do alone.

But you don't have to do it on your own.

Onward and Upward,

Paul Clarke


Beechmount Vale, Navan, Meath C15
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