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A Framework and Example of Great Leadership

It is rare to get an inside, intimate view of great leadership in action. Last night, however, I witnessed a leader offer a near-perfect example of concrete leadership skills.

I was sitting in a small audience of parents and siblings at my son's karate belt test. We watched as Master Lewis showed high levels of empathy, challenge, and support to his students.

It is not natural for most leaders to be both challenging and supportive. Usually, we are one of the other and our teams miss out on the benefit of the one that is missing.

Leaders who challenge well gain accomplishment and lead teams to do great things. Yet if they do so without support then their teams don't stick around long and have poor relationships.

Leaders who support their teams but never challenge them may have high retention but lack progress and performance. Often the lack of accountability leads to stagnation and limited growth.

I first learned this concept of high support and high challenge in depth by reading Kim Scott's book 'Radical Candor' where she outlines her matrix of "caring personally and challenging directly." I highly recommend the book. You can read my full review of the book here. ​

Another resource for applying this concept is the Support/Challenge Matrix from the GiANT Companies. I often use this tool with leaders I'm coaching. It is simple and easy to understand which makes for quick application.

My thoughts turned from passive parent to active leader mode as I watched a few karate students begin to get frustrated last night. They were performing but not to the standards of Master Lewis, and it started to show on their faces.

Master Lewis paused the skills test and spent a few brief moments encouraging the students. His reassurance of their hard work and his caring perspective were what they needed to step up their efforts to perform at the level expected.

Yet he never lowered his accountability to the performance levels he wanted to see from them.

There was some sweat and maybe tears (luckily no blood!) but the night ended with celebration and accomplishment (and some ice cream). This is what leading with high challenge and high support looks like.

I'm thankful for leaders like Master Lewis, not just for my son to learn from him but for his example to me and other leaders on how to lead well.

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Reach out if you or your team would like to learn more about being high-challenge and high-support leaders. I'd love to help guide you through coaching and training.

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Thanks for reading,

Phil

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P.S. Check out Master Robert Lewis at The Christian Karate & Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Edmond, OK. https://christiankarateacademy.com/​

405 Leadership Advisors LLC

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