In my previous post, we discussed the first part of this series, 'Leadership Lessons From A Software Developer.' To complete my thoughts,
4. LEADERS HAVE A HANDS-ON APPROACH
If you have ever dealt with codes and programming, you truly appreciate the need to watch your lines of code closely. One misplaced line of code and your whole application comes crumbling down. No! One misplaced character and the application is dumped. As leaders, we must keep close watch on our codes and DNA. Everything depends on it. One misplaced value, one neglected ideal and the whole deal comes crumbling down, systems and structures or not. It’s just like cooking; you don’t stop till the meal is done. And as leaders, that takes a lifetime. Take your hands off the wheels and the car crashes. Now, I do not in any way imply micro-management. I don’t mean managing on a task-by-task basis. I mean watching your vision, values and DNA closely; maintaining their integrity.
5. LEADERS TWEAK CONSTANTLY
I recently beta-tested a Wordpress theme for a Developer-Friend. He had spent sleepless nights building this theme—line by line—and before his big launch, he needed me to assess its full functionality. I was one of about a dozen people who turned the theme upside down looking for bugs and cracks in the system. We found some minor bugs, but it’s good now. Great theme, I must say. My point is this: As leaders, all we do is experiment. We are in the business of trial-and-error. Some system that worked awesomely for fifty companies might not work for you. But you might never know till you try. Mark Batterson wrote this awesome blog about this. As leaders, we must never shy away from trying new things. And most importantly, we must never feel like we have arrived. We are constantly on a journey; that is why we have software upgrades. There is always something that can be improved upon. Excellence is a constant, continuous, consistent improvement, until and even when we are the point of reference.
Conclusion
As leaders, we must take on the perseverance, meticulousness, and caution of Software Developers. We must watch over our vision, systems and structures continuously and consistently. We must be open to tweaking and upgrades where necessary. Leaders, watch over your code!
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