Highs & Lows Method

Adam Grant said, « The most important measure of success is not status, power, or wealth. It’s how much freedom you have—and how much freedom you give. Choosing how to spend your time and share your ideas is a right. Using your resources to help others gain that right is a responsibility. »

A leader has the freedom he claims to have. In the infinite sea of possibilities, any direction is possible if you are determined to go through the journey and the hardships along the way while spending a tremendous amount of energy to lead people with you.

When a leader claims freedom, it is contagious: his team also feels empowered. The world is their oyster. Ideas spark. Good things happen.

Freedom comes in many forms, and each one is as important: freedom to decide, to speak, to choose, to dare, to make mistakes, to criticize, and the list goes on. Best teams are not always happy but always free.

Being happy all the time is an impossible task in our own single lives. Add the complexity of different personas, expectations, and cultures to that – it is impossible for a team to be collectively happy every day, every meeting, and every task. Sometimes the pain is needed to grow, push boundaries and create something remarkable. The satisfaction of achieving makes it up. Being happy always is an unnecessary promise that no leader can keep. But being free, on the other hand, is the essence of human life.

Mahatma Gandhi said, «Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.» Can one feel free without the freedom to make mistakes? Very unlikely. If one is afraid of making a mistake, all of his acts are limited. Life becomes smaller. Possibilities shrink. Creativity dims.

So how can we empower our teams to feel free to make mistakes? By having their back.

One of the managers in my team achieved a total score on this point from his team in an internal employee satisfaction survey. His team rated a solid 100% on the question of « In my team, it is acceptable to make a mistake as long as we learn from it. » The result struck me, taking into account the high stake, high-stress nature of this exceptional team’s job. When I asked him what is the secret behind this fantastic result – he bravely replied: « When my team makes a mistake, I take it on myself. I tell them not to worry; I will take full responsibility to take the load off their shoulders. » His instantaneous braveness and sense of duty towards his team were inspiring.

How much freedom you have and how much freedom you give are infinite resources. As a leader, you can choose. And that is the most satisfying part of leadership.